(Bobit) — Automotive News’ sixth annual F&I survey finds dealer-arranged financing and sales of protection products remains strong in a period of declining sales volumes and growing operational expenses.

The survey, to which 144 of AN’s top 150 U.S. auto retailers contributed their 2017 and 2018 data, found nearly 90% made more than $1,000 per new and used vehicle retailed last year, driving the total per-copy average up 4.6% to $1,482. Analysts found F&I revenue was up 7.5% in 2018 after growing 6% the year before, and the business office accounted for 3.8% of total dealership revenue, a slight improvement from 2017 (3.7%).

“F&I is going to continue to grow,” Alan Haig, president of buy/sell firm Haig Partners, told Automotive News’ Jackie Charniga. “It’s not necessarily the dealers are getting a lot better, it’s just the vehicles cost more. They’re picking up some additional profit that way.”

To read the complete report, including rankings of the nation’s top 15 F&I performers, last year’s biggest gainers, and the 13-member “$100 million club,” click here.