UnitedAuto splits stock.(Final assembly)(UnitedAuto Group Inc.)(Brief article)

Automotive News, May, 2006

For just the second time, a public dealership group is splitting its stock.

Roger Penske's UnitedAuto Group will perform a two-for-one stock split June 1. The stock price will be halved when the split takes effect - making it easier for investors to afford, executives say.

The company, No. 2 on the Automotive News list of the biggest U.S. dealership groups, will boost its dividend at the same time.

UnitedAuto's stock trades at about $43 a share. Its stock price has ranged from $29.01 to $45.21 over the past year.

Another public group, Sonic Automotive Inc., split its stock two-for-one in January 1999.