Lithia Motors, Inc. is automotive dealership network headquartered in Medford, Oregon, primarily serving the western United States. It is the seventh largest automotive retailer in the United States, and ranks as number 615 on the Fortune 1000 list of the largest companies in the U.S. for 2007. They ranked fourth in their industry for America's Most Admired Companies in 2007. Lithia Motors began in 1946 when Walt DeBoer opened a single car dealership in Ashland, Oregon. The first year the five person company sold 14 cars. Next, in 1968 Walt DeBoer died and his son Sidney DeBoer took over the... company. Sidney reorganized the business and in 1970 purchased a Dodge dealership in Medford. With this Lithia’s base of operation moved to Medford and grew to a total of five stores with 19 franchises by 1990. In December 1996 the company went public, trading on the New York Stock Exchange with an IPO of $11 per share. By 2003, Lithia had revenues of $2.5 billion from its 84 dealerships while employing just over 5,500 people. The company had increased dealerships to 88 by 2005.
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| NYSE symbol: | LAD |
| Headquarters: | Medford, Oregon |
| Legal structure: | Public company |
| Annual revenue: | $2,137,800,000 |
| Net income: | $-252,590,000 |
| Operating income: | $-259,780,000 |
| Market cap: | $270,000,000 |
| Industries: | Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers, Retail |