Ares Management Acquires Capital Automotive (CARS) from Brookfield for $3.8 Billion

Primeritus Financial Services Acquires Consolidated Asset Recovery Systems (CARS)

April 3, 2019

Cloud & SaaS

Primeritus Financial Services, a portfolio company of Kinderhook Industries, has acquired Consolidated Asset Recovery Systems (CARS), a Raleigh-based provider of SaaS technology and recovery/remarketing services to the auto finance industry. The deal is an add-on to the Primeritus platform (its 7th add-on) and was completed from Greenridge Investment Partners and CARS management; financial terms were not disclosed.

Spectrum Automotive (Cornell Capital) Acquires C.A.R.S. Protection Plus from Summit Park

October 1, 2020

Insurance

Spectrum Automotive, a portfolio company of Cornell Capital, has acquired C.A.R.S. Protection Plus (CARS) from Summit Park. CARS, headquartered in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, is a provider of vehicle service contracts (VSCs) to independent and franchise dealerships across the United States; terms were not disclosed.

Ares Management and Ontario Teachers' Acquire Majority Stake in TricorBraun

March 3, 2021

Packaging

Funds managed by Ares Management's Private Equity Group and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board have agreed to acquire a majority interest in TricorBraun from AEA Investors. Management will remain in place and retain a meaningful investment while AEA will retain a minority stake; the deal supports TricorBraun's next phase of growth through organic initiatives and strategic acquisitions.

Ares Management Acquires Majority Stake in Landscape Workshop

May 19, 2025

Environmental Services

Ares Private Equity (part of Ares Management Corporation) has acquired a majority stake in Landscape Workshop, a Birmingham, Alabama–based commercial landscaping and grounds management provider. Carousel Capital, which invested in Landscape Workshop in 2020, sold a majority position but will retain a significant stake; Ares intends to provide capital to expand the company’s regional footprint and scale through strategic acquisitions.

Cars Commerce (Cars.com Inc.) Acquires DealerClub

January 23, 2025

Automotive

Cars Commerce (d/b/a Cars.com) acquired DealerClub, a dealer-to-dealer digital wholesale auction, for approximately $25 million in cash with up to $88 million of additional performance-based consideration. The deal, which closed January 23, 2025, expands Cars Commerce’s Trade & Appraisal strategy by adding transactional wholesale capabilities and access to a dealer-facing marketplace serving 650+ dealer customers.

Ares Management Acquires Black Creek Group's U.S. Real Estate Advisory and Distribution Business

July 1, 2021

Real Estate

A subsidiary of Ares Management Corporation completed the acquisition of Black Creek Group's U.S. real estate investment advisory and distribution business, adding roughly 300 professionals and $11.6 billion AUM to Ares' real estate platform. The deal expands Ares' real estate capabilities—particularly in industrial real estate—and strengthens its retail distribution capacity.