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Sonic Automotive Inc (SAH) stock

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NYSE: SAH NYSE Automotive Retail Next results ~February 17, 2027

C+ Fundamentals grade

Sonic Automotive Inc is a US-listed company in the automotive retail industry. Its financial year ends in December.

Stock price today

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Third-party market data · may be delayed

Fair value per share

~$120

Cash-flow model

Base case. Range ~$77–$180 across our lower- and higher-growth cases (-2.7%–7.3% a year).

Price vs value

Undervalued

The price is below our entire value range; our base value is 97% above it.

Price used: $61.59, November 3, 2026

Sonic Automotive Inc valuation: adjust assumptions and compare models →

Who’s trading

What company insiders, investment funds and members of Congress have been doing with the stock, from their own filings.

  • Insiders1 buying, 2 selling11 purchases and 5 sales by directors and officers, last 12 monthsInsider trades
  • Funds117 adding, 106 cuttingOf 41 active managers that changed their stake, 19 added; quarter to June 30, 2026Fund buyers and sellers

Value diary

Our note on each quarter Sonic Automotive files

10-Q filed October 29: Sonic Automotive

Sonic Automotive posted revenue of $15.5bn for the twelve months to October 2026, up 2.0% on a year earlier, a marked slowdown from the 5.3% growth recorded a quarter earlier. Free-cash-flow margin fell sharply too, to 0.6% from 5.3% a year ago. Some offset came from the diluted share count, down 4.2% year on year, which lifts the value of each remaining share. The fundamentals grade has slipped from C+ to C as a result. Despite this, our model value is little changed at $150 a share, well above the current price of $61.87, and the rating stays Buy. At that price, the market appears to be pricing in cash flow shrinking by about 5.6% a year for five years, a far gloomier outlook than the 4.5% annual revenue growth the company has actually delivered.

Source: 10-Q filed October 29, 2026 on SEC EDGAR · Financials · Valuation

Earlier notes (1)

Where Sonic Automotive stands after its latest 10-Q

Revenue for the twelve months to June 2026 was $15.5bn, up 5.3% on a year earlier, about the same pace as a quarter earlier. Free-cash-flow margin fell to 1.6% from 4.8% a year earlier. Against its peers on growth, profitability, cash generation and balance sheet, it grades C+. It passes 1 of our 5 financial-health checks. Our cash-flow model value is $150 a share, against a share price of $61.44. At that price, our model says the market is pricing in cash flow shrinking about 5.7% a year for five years, slower than the 4.5% a year revenue growth it has delivered.

10-Q on SEC EDGAR

Written from the company's filings and our models when each quarter's report arrives. Figures in older notes are as published at the time. Not investment advice.

The Fundamentalytics view

Next results ~February 17, 2027 (estimated)

Sonic Automotive Inc's trailing-twelve-month revenue grew 2.0% year on year, with a free-cash-flow margin of 0.6%.

Our discounted-cash-flow model values the business at ~$120 per share in the base case (~$77–$180 across growth scenarios) — model values under stated assumptions, not a price target.

Current signal Free cash flow diverging from earnings: TTM free cash flow fell 88.7% while net income grew 58.1%: a 147pp divergence.

Assembled from SEC-filed figures — the full workings are on this page and in our methodology. Observations, not recommendations.

Highlights

How we pick these

Strengths

  • Priced below our value. The share price of $63.61 is 91% below our value per share of $120.
  • Shrinking share count. Diluted shares fell 4.2% in a year, so each share owns more of the business.

Things to watch

  • Growth easing. The growth rate is 3.2 points lower than a quarter earlier.
  • Weak cash conversion. Free cash flow was 44% of net income over the last 12 months.
  • Below peers: gross margin. Gross margin of 15.7% ranks 16 of 20 automotive retail companies we cover (median 27.7%).
  • Heavily shorted. 25.4% of the shares available to trade are sold short (6.5 days of average volume to cover).
  • Estimates being cut. Analysts' consensus for next year's earnings per share has fallen 6.2% over 90 days.

Latest results: FY2026 Q3

Filed October 29, 2026
Earnings per share
$1.30 against an average estimate of $1.66: missed by 21.5%
Revenue
$3.99bn, up 0.4% on a year earlier
Share reaction
+0.2% in the first session after the results on October 29, 2026, against -2.1% for the S&P 500
Next report
October 29, 2026; average EPS estimate $1.47

Sonic Automotive's figures from its SEC filings and results release; estimates are the analysts' average. Not a recommendation.

Price chart

  • 1 day-3.2%
  • 1 week-3.3%
  • 1 month-2.0%
  • This year+4.5%
  • 1 year-0.2%
  • 5 years+30.8%
  • S&P 500 this year+11.2%

Closing prices to 2026-11-02. Price change only, dividends excluded.

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Third-party market data · may be delayed

At a glance

Trailing twelve months, from SEC filings

Profitability

Revenue (TTM)
$15.5B
Operating margin
3.2%
Net margin
1.3%
EPS (TTM, diluted)
$6.19

Growth

Revenue growth
+2.0%
Change in growth rate
−3.2 pts
Share count change
−4.2%

Cash

Free cash flow (TTM)
$91.1M
FCF margin
0.6%
Stock pay % of revenue
0.2%

Earnings

Last results
October 29, 2026
Next results (est.)
February 17, 2027

News & updates

Updated October 31, 2026

Company announcements, filed results and changes that matter to shareholders.

  1. Results
  2. Results
  3. Insider trade
  4. Insider trade
  5. Announcement
  6. Deal
  7. Announcement
  8. Announcement
  9. Results
  10. Announcement
  11. Product
  12. Announcement

Refreshed hourly when new source data is available. Summaries are checked against company releases and SEC filings. Company announcement headlines are labelled when a checked summary is unavailable.

Valuation

Sonic Automotive Inc valuation models and calculator

What the price is pricing in

The share price implies cash flow shrinking about 4.4% a year for five years.That is slower than the 4.5% a year revenue growth Sonic Automotive has delivered.

  • Priced in-4.4%
  • Last 12 months2.0%
  • 3 years a year2.5%
  • 5 years a year4.5%

Our cash-flow model with every input fixed except growth over the next five years, solved for the growth at which the model value equals the share price ($61.67, Nov 3, 2026). Cash-flow growth then fades to 2.5% a year; discount rate 8.5%. Delivered figures are revenue growth from SEC filings. This is a model exercise, not investment advice or a forecast of the share price. All companies

Fundamentalytics rating

model v1.6 · 2026-11-03
Buy12-month view
12-month price target
~$120
Price used
$61.67close November 3, 2026
Implied change
▲ +97%
Uncertainty
High

How we got here: a discounted-cash-flow model of Sonic Automotive Inc's free cash flow after stock-based pay with after-tax interest added back ($327M, FY2026 Q3 TTM), growing 3.6% and 3% in the next two years (forecasts, guidance and its record), then back to 2.3% by year five, and fading to 2.5%, discounted at 8.5%. Lower and higher growth cases span ~$77–~$180 ; that spread sets a 35% margin before we rate Buy or Sell.

Produced by Fundamentalytics' automated valuation model on November 3, 2026, using delayed market prices. Rating meanings, methodology and conflicts: recommendations disclosure and research disclaimer. General research, not personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances. Prices can fall as well as rise.

Our value per share comes from a discounted-cash-flow model of Sonic Automotive Inc's free cash flow after stock-based pay ( $327M, FY2026 Q3 TTM, with after-tax interest added back): growth for five years as below (the first two years from forecasts, guidance and the company's record), fading to 2.5%, discounted at 8.5%, then cash added and debt and other claims subtracted. These are model values under stated assumptions, not price targets or recommendations.

Valuation models

We value Sonic Automotive Inc as an operating company, with every model that fits that kind of business. Cost of equity 8.4%: the 10-year Treasury yield (4.9%) plus a beta of 0.77 times a 4.5% equity risk premium.

Value per share by model
Model Value per share In the combined value?
Cash-flow model (DCF) Free cash flow to the firm (after stock pay, with after-tax interest added back), grown then faded to 2.5%, discounted at 8.5% as the firm rate, less debt and other claims. ~$120 ~$77–$180 Primary model, counts double
Forward price-to-earnings vs peers Next year's consensus earnings per share times peers' typical (harmonic-mean) forward price-to-earnings. Uses analysts' consensus estimates (third-party data), not our forecasts. ~$93 ~$62–$130 Included
Residual income Book value plus the present value of returns above the cost of equity, fading over ten years. ~$96 ~$64–$150 Included
Justified price-to-book Book value times (return on equity - growth) / (cost of equity - growth): steady-state returns. ~$83 ~$70–$100 Included
Combined value Weighted average of the models that apply: the primary model (cash-flow model (dcf)) counts double. Models more than 5x or less than 0.2x the share price, or more than 3x away from the other models' median, are left out. ~$100 ~$83–$120 4 models

Different models fail in different ways, so where several apply we average them rather than trust one. Peer-based models compare Sonic Automotive Inc with Automotive Retail in our coverage, using third-party market data. Model values are estimates under stated assumptions, updated as new filings arrive; not price targets or investment advice. How each model works.

Value per share under different assumptions
Discount rate ↓ / growth → −5% growth0% growth5% growth10% growth15% growth20% growth
7% $92$145$214$306$425$580
8.5% $58$96$146$211$297$406
10% $37$66$105$155$220$303

Valuation multiples over time Market data may be delayed

At fiscal year end 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025Now
Share price$19.04$19.36$15.76$11.91$27.29$34.41$44.53$45.39$52.97$61.01$60.85$63.61
Market value$969m$890m$699m$511m$1.2bn$1.5bn$1.9bn$1.8bn$1.9bn$2.1bn$2.1bn$2.1bn
+ Net debt (− = net cash)$811m$880m$1.0bn$950m$686m$558m$1.3bn$1.6bn$1.7bn$1.6bn$1.6bn$1.8bn
Enterprise value$1.8bn$1.8bn$1.7bn$1.5bn$1.9bn$2.0bn$3.2bn$3.4bn$3.6bn$3.7bn$3.7bn$3.9bn
Multiples
Price / sales 0.1x0.1x0.1x0.1x0.1x0.1x0.2x0.1x0.1x0.2x0.1x0.1x
Price / earnings 11.2x9.5x7.5x9.9x8.3x—5.5x20.4x10.7x9.9x17.8x10.3x
Price / free cash flow —87.8x——26.4x9.5x3.2x2.8x10.1x7.2x2.9x23.3x
EV / EBITDA 6.2x5.7x5.8x5.4x4.7x16.2x5.0x7.6x6.3x6.1x7.0x5.9x

Market value uses the period's diluted share count; figures for each fiscal year use that year's results and the price at year end. "Now" uses today's price and the last twelve months.

Moat

41 /100

Weak moat

How hard Sonic Automotive's competitive advantage looks for rivals to wear away, judged from 10 years of its own filings: returns on capital, pricing power, profit durability, cash conversion and discipline.

  • Returns on capital 9 / 20

    Cash operating profit has been a median 8.0% of total assets over 10 years.

  • Pricing power 8 / 20

    Gross margin has been a median 15.2%, moving by 0.7 percentage points (standard deviation) across 10 years.

  • Durability 1 / 20

    Operating margin has been a median 2.6%; its worst year was 0.2%.

  • Cash conversion 7 / 20

    Free cash flow was positive in 7 of 10 years, at a median 0.7% of revenue.

  • Discipline 20 / 20

    The diluted share count fell 21.3% over five years; stock-based pay has been a median 0.1% of revenue.

AI disruption exposure: Medium. In this industry, AI could change how the product is made or sold, without replacing the core asset. The score above includes a 5-point deduction for that exposure (46 before it).

A rules-based reading of reported figures, not a forecast and not investment advice. How the score is built: methodology.

Forecasts and guidance

Analysts' consensus

Fiscal yearEPSGrowthRevenueGrowth
Current $6.19 −6% $15.6bn +3%
Next $7.24 +17% $16.3bn +5%

Next year's EPS estimate has moved −6.2% in 90 days, across 11 analysts.

How the EPS forecast has moved

The consensus EPS forecast for the current fiscal year is −11.9% on 90 days ago. In the last 30 days, 0 analysts raised Sonic Automotive Inc's forecast and 4 cut it.

Consensus EPS forecast Sonic Automotive Inc, last 90 days
$6.00 $6.50 $7.00 $7.50 $8.00 90 days ago 60 days ago 30 days ago 7 days ago Now Current fiscal year, 90 days ago: $7.03 Current fiscal year, 60 days ago: $6.92 Current fiscal year, 30 days ago: $6.92 Current fiscal year, 7 days ago: $6.69 Current fiscal year, Now: $6.19 $6.19 Next fiscal year, 90 days ago: $7.72 Next fiscal year, 60 days ago: $7.65 Next fiscal year, 30 days ago: $7.65 Next fiscal year, 7 days ago: $7.26 Next fiscal year, Now: $7.24 $7.24

Average of analysts' published estimates (third-party data).

View chart data
Period Current fiscal yearNext fiscal year
90 days ago $7.03$7.72
60 days ago $6.92$7.65
30 days ago $6.92$7.65
7 days ago $6.69$7.26
Now $6.19$7.24

Earnings against estimates

Quarter toEstimateActualSurprise
Sept 2026 $1.66 $1.30 −21.5%
Jun 2026 $1.75 $1.82 +4.1%
Mar 2026 $1.40 $1.62 +15.5%
Dec 2025 $1.50 $1.52 +1.7%

Adjusted EPS as companies report it, against the average analyst estimate.

How our valuation uses these forecasts

Our cash-flow model grows Sonic Automotive Inc's revenue by +3.6% next year and +3.0% the year after, then fades back toward its own record by year five. Next year's rate weighs analysts' consensus (+4.5%, weight 60%) and the company's own record (+2.3%, weight 40%) . How the weights are set.

Analyst recommendations

12 analysts, Oct 2026
Buy650%
Hold433%
Sell217%

Monthly trend

  1. Oct 20262441112
  2. Sep 20262441112
  3. Aug 20262441112
  4. Jul 2026136111

Counts of recommendations published by analysts covering Sonic Automotive Inc, by month. Source: Aggregated broker recommendations (third-party data). Aggregated counts only: we do not reproduce any firm's recommendation or price target, and these are not Fundamentalytics ratings.

Positioning

Short interest
25.4%
of tradable shares
Days to cover
6.46
at average volume
Short interest, 1 month
+12%
to October 15, 2026
Held by institutions
76%
of shares
Held by insiders
39.3%
of shares
Employees
11,000
full time

Consensus figures average analysts' published estimates (third-party data); guidance is the company's own. Neither is our forecast. Short interest is reported twice a month and lags. Market data may be delayed.

This section is general information, not investment advice or a personal recommendation, and it does not take account of your objectives or circumstances. Forecasts and guidance are estimates, not promises: companies miss their own guidance and analysts' figures are often revised. Prices can fall as well as rise, and you can lose money. See our disclaimer.

Share-price performance

Market data may be delayed

What moved the share price

Last 12 months +2.4%

$62.13 on October 31, 2025 to $63.61

ThenNowEffect
Revenue (last 12 months) $14.7bn $15.5bn +5.3%
Net margin 1.1% 1.4% +27.6%
P/E multiple 13.7x 10.2x −25.2%
Share count 35m 34m +2.0%

Biggest factor: p/e multiple.

Last 3 years +28.2%

$49.63 on November 3, 2023 to $63.61

ThenNowEffect
Revenue (last 12 months) $14.2bn $15.5bn +9.1%
P/S multiple 0.1x 0.1x +7.1%
Share count 37m 34m +9.7%

Biggest factor: share count. Loss-making at one end, so the split uses price/sales.

The effects multiply back to the price change exactly. Results are the last 12 months as known on each date (filings assumed public 45 days after quarter end).

Return and risk by year

Calendar year 202120222023202420252026 to date
Return
SAH+29%+2%+17%+15%−0%+5%
Industry peers (median)+38%−25%+20%−3%−17%−10%
S&P 500+29%−18%+26%+25%+18%+11%
Months that ended higher
SAH50%67%67%50%42%73%
S&P 50075%42%67%75%75%46%
Largest fall from a high during the year
SAH−22%−37%−36%−19%−32%−47%
S&P 500−5%−25%−10%−8%−19%−9%

Worst fall since November 3, 2015: 71% from November 14, 2019 to March 23, 2020. Getting back needed a 243% gain, reached on July 6, 2020, 105 days after the low.

Price behaviour

52-week range
$57.32 – $112.05
From 52-week high
−43.2%
vs 50-day average
−5.7%
vs 200-day average
−12.4%
Volatility (1 year)
43%
Beta vs S&P 500
0.71

Volatility is the annualised standard deviation of daily returns. Beta 1.5 means the shares typically moved 1.5% for each 1% move in the S&P 500 over the past year. Prices to November 2, 2026.

Share price after results

Next day
7 up, 5 down
typical move ±7.5%
After a week
6 up, 5 down
typical move ±9.7%
After a month
7 up, 4 down
typical move ±13.7%
Results releasedNext dayS&P 500 next day5 days21 days
October 29, 2026 +0.2% −2.1% — —
July 30, 2026 −18.7% +2.4% −24.6% −29.3%
April 30, 2026 +4.3% +1.3% +9.3% +14.4%
February 18, 2026 +10.7% +0.2% +7.4% +5.3%
October 23, 2025 −17.4% +1.4% −20.0% −20.4%
July 24, 2025 −1.4% +0.5% −9.5% +2.8%
April 24, 2025 +2.0% +2.8% +4.7% +13.7%
February 12, 2025 −1.6% +0.7% −3.3% −20.8%
October 24, 2024 +2.5% +0.2% +2.3% +20.0%
August 5, 2024 +3.0% −2.0% +3.4% +5.7%
April 25, 2024 +21.9% +0.6% +11.7% +10.7%
February 14, 2024 −5.9% +1.6% −10.5% −7.7%

From the close before the release date to the close 1, 5 and 21 trading days after it, so releases before the open and after the close are both captured. Past moves don't predict future ones.

Options strategies

All options ideas

How Sonic Automotive Inc’s listed options are priced, and three ways to use them that follow from our valuation. Quotes are delayed, read November 2, 2026. Check the live chain at your broker before trading.

Cash-secured put

Not offered: fundamentals grade C+ (needs B+ or better).

We suggest selling a put only on well-rated companies, at a strike where the price you would pay if assigned (strike less premium) is at or below our fair value.

Covered call

Not offered: no liquid call at or above our price target — the model says the upside is worth more than any listed strike.

For holders: sell a call at a strike at or above our fair value, so the shares are only sold at a price the model calls full value.

Collar

Not offered: the shares trade below our fair value: a collar caps upside the model expects.

For holders of a stock trading at or above our fair value: buy a put for a floor and sell a call to pay for it.

General research, not personal advice. Options can lose you more than you expect and are not suitable for everyone: put sellers can be made to buy shares that keep falling, call sellers give up gains above the strike, and results or news can move prices sharply. Chances shown are approximations from each option’s delta. Spreads, fees and early assignment are not modelled.

Sonic Automotive Inc in five measures

Fundamentals grade C+
Growth Profitability Cash Balance sheet Value

Growth, profitability, cash generation and balance sheet are percentiles against the companies we cover in the same industry, from SEC filings (100 = best). Value compares the share price with our modelled value range (50 = at our base value; higher = cheaper). A description of reported data and our model — not a quality score or advice.

Fundamentals

Revenue (TTM) Sonic Automotive Inc
$13.5B $14B $14.5B $15B $15.5B FY23 Q4 FY24 Q3 FY25 Q2 FY26 Q3 Revenue (TTM), FY23 Q4: $14.4B Revenue (TTM), FY24 Q1: $14.3B Revenue (TTM), FY24 Q2: $14.1B Revenue (TTM), FY24 Q3: $13.9B Revenue (TTM), FY24 Q4: $14.2B Revenue (TTM), FY25 Q1: $14.5B Revenue (TTM), FY25 Q2: $14.7B Revenue (TTM), FY25 Q3: $15.2B Revenue (TTM), FY25 Q4: $15.2B Revenue (TTM), FY26 Q1: $15.2B Revenue (TTM), FY26 Q2: $15.5B Revenue (TTM), FY26 Q3: $15.5B $15.5B

Source: SEC EDGAR filings. Retrieved October 30, 2026.

View chart data
Period Revenue (TTM)
FY23 Q4 $14.4B
FY24 Q1 $14.3B
FY24 Q2 $14.1B
FY24 Q3 $13.9B
FY24 Q4 $14.2B
FY25 Q1 $14.5B
FY25 Q2 $14.7B
FY25 Q3 $15.2B
FY25 Q4 $15.2B
FY26 Q1 $15.2B
FY26 Q2 $15.5B
FY26 Q3 $15.5B
Revenue growth, TTM YoY Sonic Automotive Inc
-5% 0% 5% 10% FY23 Q4 FY24 Q3 FY25 Q2 FY26 Q3 Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY23 Q4: 2.7% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY24 Q1: 1.6% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY24 Q2: -0.8% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY24 Q3: -3.2% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY24 Q4: -1.0% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY25 Q1: 1.6% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY25 Q2: 4.5% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY25 Q3: 9.1% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY25 Q4: 6.5% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY26 Q1: 4.8% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY26 Q2: 5.3% Revenue growth, TTM YoY, FY26 Q3: 2.0% 2.0%

Source: SEC EDGAR filings. Retrieved October 30, 2026.

View chart data
Period Revenue growth, TTM YoY
FY23 Q4 2.7%
FY24 Q1 1.6%
FY24 Q2 -0.8%
FY24 Q3 -3.2%
FY24 Q4 -1.0%
FY25 Q1 1.6%
FY25 Q2 4.5%
FY25 Q3 9.1%
FY25 Q4 6.5%
FY26 Q1 4.8%
FY26 Q2 5.3%
FY26 Q3 2.0%
Operating margin (TTM) Sonic Automotive Inc
2% 2.5% 3% 3.5% FY23 Q4 FY24 Q3 FY25 Q2 FY26 Q3 Operating margin (TTM), FY23 Q4: 2.9% Operating margin (TTM), FY24 Q1: 3.0% Operating margin (TTM), FY24 Q2: 3.2% Operating margin (TTM), FY24 Q3: 3.1% Operating margin (TTM), FY24 Q4: 3.2% Operating margin (TTM), FY25 Q1: 3.4% Operating margin (TTM), FY25 Q2: 2.5% Operating margin (TTM), FY25 Q3: 2.5% Operating margin (TTM), FY25 Q4: 2.4% Operating margin (TTM), FY26 Q1: 2.3% Operating margin (TTM), FY26 Q2: 3.3% Operating margin (TTM), FY26 Q3: 3.2% 3.2%

Source: SEC EDGAR filings. Retrieved October 30, 2026.

View chart data
Period Operating margin (TTM)
FY23 Q4 2.9%
FY24 Q1 3.0%
FY24 Q2 3.2%
FY24 Q3 3.1%
FY24 Q4 3.2%
FY25 Q1 3.4%
FY25 Q2 2.5%
FY25 Q3 2.5%
FY25 Q4 2.4%
FY26 Q1 2.3%
FY26 Q2 3.3%
FY26 Q3 3.2%
FCF margin (TTM) Sonic Automotive Inc
0% 2% 4% 6% FY23 Q4 FY24 Q3 FY25 Q2 FY26 Q3 FCF margin (TTM), FY23 Q4: 1.3% FCF margin (TTM), FY24 Q1: 2.0% FCF margin (TTM), FY24 Q2: 0.9% FCF margin (TTM), FY24 Q3: 0.8% FCF margin (TTM), FY24 Q4: 2.1% FCF margin (TTM), FY25 Q1: 2.9% FCF margin (TTM), FY25 Q2: 4.8% FCF margin (TTM), FY25 Q3: 5.3% FCF margin (TTM), FY25 Q4: 4.7% FCF margin (TTM), FY26 Q1: 3.7% FCF margin (TTM), FY26 Q2: 1.6% FCF margin (TTM), FY26 Q3: 0.6% 0.6%

Source: SEC EDGAR filings. Retrieved October 30, 2026.

View chart data
Period FCF margin (TTM)
FY23 Q4 1.3%
FY24 Q1 2.0%
FY24 Q2 0.9%
FY24 Q3 0.8%
FY24 Q4 2.1%
FY25 Q1 2.9%
FY25 Q2 4.8%
FY25 Q3 5.3%
FY25 Q4 4.7%
FY26 Q1 3.7%
FY26 Q2 1.6%
FY26 Q3 0.6%

Data: SEC EDGAR XBRL company facts (as filed in 10-K/10-Q); forms 10-K, 10-Q, 10-Q/A. Generated November 3, 2026. Definitions in our methodology.

Where the money goes

FY2025, from the 10-K

Each dollar Sonic Automotive took in during FY2025, followed through to profit: what it cost to make, what went on running the business, and what was left after tax.

  1. Revenue $15.2B
  2. Cost of revenue $12.8B · 84.3%
  3. Gross profit $2.4B · 15.7%
  4. Selling, general and admin $1.7B · 11.1%
  5. Other operating costs $337M · 2.2%
  6. Operating income $368M · 2.4%
  7. Interest and other $249M · 1.6%
  8. Net income $119M · 0.8%

Shares of revenue. Source: Sonic Automotive's 10-K for FY2025, as filed with the SEC. "Other" lines are what the reported lines leave unexplained.

Financial statements

US$ billions unless shown otherwise. Fiscal years, plus the last twelve months (LTM) when newer.

Fiscal year 2009 Dec 2009 2010 Dec 2010 2011 Dec 2011 2012 Dec 2012 2013 Dec 2013 2014 Dec 2014 2015 Dec 2015 2016 Dec 2016 2017 Dec 2017 2018 Dec 2018 2019 Dec 2019 2020 Dec 2020 2021 Dec 2021 2022 Dec 2022 2023 Dec 2023 2024 Dec 2024 2025 Dec 2025 LTM Sept 2026
Income
Revenue 6.1 6.6 7.5 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 9.7 9.9 10.0 10.5 9.8 12.4 14.0 14.4 14.2 15.2 15.5
Gross profit 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.9 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.4
EBITDA 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.1 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.7
Operating income 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.5
Net income 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 −0.1 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2
Diluted EPS $0.62 $1.49 $1.29 $1.53 $1.53 $1.84 $1.70 $2.03 $2.09 $1.20 $3.30 −$1.21 $8.06 $2.23 $4.97 $6.18 $3.42 $6.19
Growth (year on year)
Revenue — +8.6% +14.3% +11.2% +5.7% +4.0% +4.6% +1.1% +1.4% +0.9% +5.1% −6.6% +26.9% +12.9% +2.7% −1.0% +6.5% +2.0%
EBITDA — +21.0% +19.0% +10.3% +1.0% +1.1% −2.0% +8.5% −3.2% −9.7% +47.7% −68.8% — −31.0% +28.2% +8.1% −13.2% +22.3%
Operating income — +26.8% +19.3% +9.5% −2.4% −0.4% −7.0% +7.2% −9.2% −16.0% — −89.0% — −41.7% +34.9% +8.9% −20.4% +32.3%
Net income — — — — — — — — — — — — — −74.6% — — — —
Diluted EPS — — — — — — — — — — — — — −72.3% — — — —
Margins
Gross margin 17.1% 16.2% 15.4% 14.8% 14.7% 14.9% 14.7% 14.7% 14.8% 14.5% 14.5% 14.6% 15.4% 16.5% 15.6% 15.4% 15.7% 15.7%
EBITDA margin 3.0% 3.3% 3.4% 3.4% 3.3% 3.2% 3.0% 3.2% 3.0% 2.7% 3.8% 1.3% 5.2% 3.2% 3.9% 4.3% 3.5% 4.3%
Operating margin 2.4% 2.8% 2.9% 2.9% 2.7% 2.5% 2.3% 2.4% 2.1% 1.8% 2.9% 0.3% 4.3% 2.2% 2.9% 3.2% 2.4% 3.2%
Net margin 0.5% 1.4% 1.0% 1.1% 0.9% 1.1% 0.9% 1.0% 0.9% 0.5% 1.4% −0.5% 2.8% 0.6% 1.2% 1.5% 0.8% 1.3%
Free-cash-flow margin 6.0% 2.6% −0.1% −1.9% −0.4% 0.2% −1.1% 0.1% −0.7% −0.2% 0.4% 1.6% 4.9% 4.5% 1.3% 2.1% 4.7% 0.6%
Cash flow
Cash from operations 0.4 0.3 0.2 −0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 −0.0 0.1 0.6 0.1
Capital spending 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 −0.3 −0.2 −0.2 −0.2 −0.1 −0.0
Free cash flow 0.4 0.2 −0.0 −0.2 −0.0 0.0 −0.1 0.0 −0.1 −0.0 0.0 0.2 0.6 0.6 0.2 0.3 0.7 0.1
Stock-based pay 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Free cash flow after stock pay 0.4 0.2 −0.0 −0.2 −0.0 0.0 −0.1 −0.0 −0.1 −0.0 0.0 0.1 0.6 0.6 0.2 0.3 0.7 0.1
Balance sheet
Cash 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total debt 0.0 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.0 0.7 0.7 1.6 1.8 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.8
Net debt (negative = net cash) −0.0 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.0 0.7 0.6 1.3 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.8
Diluted shares 56m 66m 65m 60m 53m 53m 51m 46m 44m 43m 44m 43m 43m 40m 36m 35m 35m 33m
Returned to shareholders
Dividends 0.0 — 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 −0.0 −0.0 −0.0 −0.0 −0.0 −0.0
Buybacks 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 −0.1 −0.3 −0.2 −0.0 −0.1 0.0
Total returned 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 −0.1 −0.3 −0.2 −0.1 −0.1 −0.0

Source: SEC EDGAR XBRL company facts (US and foreign periodic filings); column headings link to the filing. EBITDA is operating income plus depreciation and amortisation. Free cash flow is cash from operations minus capital spending. Growth is left blank when last year's figure was a loss or under 2% of revenue. Share counts and EPS are restated for stock splits. A dash means the company didn't report the figure.

Financial health

0 of 5 checks passed · September 30, 2026
What it owns · $6.5bn
Short-term assets $3.1bnLonger-term assets $3.4bn
What it owes, and who funded it · $4.3bn
Short-term liabilities $3.2bnShareholders' equity $1.1bn
  • Short-term assets cover short-term liabilities $3.1bn of assets due within a year against $3.2bn of liabilities due within a year.
  • Short-term assets cover long-term liabilities Not assessable from the reported split. Not assessable.
  • More cash than debt $11m of cash against $1.7bn of debt.
  • Debt below 40% of shareholders' equity Debt is 165% of equity.
  • Debt burden no higher than five years ago Debt to equity moved from 132% to 165% over five years.
  • A year's operating cash flow covers at least 20% of debt $52m of operating cash flow against $1.7bn of debt.
  • Operating profit covers interest at least five times over Interest not separately reported. Not assessable.

From Sonic Automotive Inc's latest balance sheet as filed. Checks are fixed, documented rules (methodology), counted only where the company reports the figures — a dot means the filing doesn't break the item out. Descriptions of reported data, not advice.

Dividends, buybacks and capital spending

FY2026 Q3 TTM
Buybacks (TTM)
$15.5M
Dividends (TTM)
-$46.4M
Returned to shareholders
-34%
of free cash flow
Buybacks, last 3 fiscal years
-$294M
Diluted share count
−4.2%
year over year
Total shareholder yield
-1.5%
dividends -2.3% + buybacks 0.8% of market value
Sales & admin spending
11.4%
of revenue

Competitors: side by side with peers

Closest by revenue in automotive retail
Last 12 months unless stated SAH ABG ORLY AZO GPI MUSA Median
Revenue, last 12 months $15.5bn $17.6bn $18.6bn $20.3bn $21.8bn $23.3bn $8.6bn
Revenue growth, last 12 months 2.0% −1.3% 8.5% 7.4% −3.4% 20.2% −0.8%
Revenue growth, 3-year average 2.5% 6.2% 6.9% 5.2% 7.6% 2.1% 2.1%
Revenue growth, latest quarter 0.4% −8.1% 8.1% 5.6% −6.7% 34.8% 1.2%
Gross margin 15.7% 17.1% 51.6% 52.3% 15.9% — 23.4%
Operating margin 3.2% 4.2% 19.6% 18.3% 3.6% 4.2% 3.7%
Operating margin, 3-year average 2.9% 4.7% 19.5% 19.3% 4.0% 3.9% 4.0%
Net margin 1.3% 2.7% 14.3% 12.6% 1.7% 2.9% 1.3%
Cash from operations / revenue 0.3% 4.4% 17.7% 16.0% 2.2% 4.9% 2.5%
Free-cash-flow margin 0.6% 3.9% 11.6% 8.9% 1.0% 2.9% 1.1%
Free-cash-flow margin, 3-year average 2.2% 3.6% 11.4% 9.6% 1.0% 2.3% 2.2%
Stock pay / revenue 0.2% 0.1% 0.2% 0.7% 0.1% 0.1% 0.3%
Change in share count −4.2% −5.0% −6.5% −2.2% −7.7% −6.6% −1.1%

Median of all 23 companies we cover in automotive retail. Shaded: best of the six on that line (lowest for stock pay and share-count growth). 3-year figures average the last three 12-month periods; 3-year growth is compound annual. Source: SEC filings.

Peer comparison

23 automotive retail companies
Measure Company Peer median Rank
Revenue growth Growth 2.0% -0.8% 9 of 23
Change in growth rate Growth -3.2pp -0.5pp 14 of 23
Gross margin Profitability 15.7% 27.7% 16 of 20
Operating margin Profitability 3.2% 3.7% 13 of 21
Net margin Profitability 1.3% 1.3% 12 of 23
Free-cash-flow margin Cash generation 0.6% 1.1% 14 of 23
Stock pay as % of revenue Cash generation 0.2% 0.3% 6 of 22
Long-term debt as % of assets Balance sheet 23.9% 28.4% 6 of 19
Change in share count Balance sheet -4.2% -1.1% 7 of 19

Rank 1 = best in the group (for spending, debt and dilution, lower ranks first).

Where the revenue comes from

Fiscal year to December 31, 2025
Products and services
Line of business Revenue Share YoY
Total_Vehicles $12.3B 81.4% —
New Vehicle $7.1B 58.0% ▲ 8.3%
Used Vehicles Member $4.9B 39.5% ▲ 1.9%
Wholesale Vehicles $314M 2.5% ▲ 9.4%
Parts Service and Collision Repair $2B 13.3% ▲ 9.3%
Finance Insurance and Other Net $799M 5.3% ▲ 12.9%

From Sonic Automotive Inc's 10-K filed February 23, 2026, as tagged in the filing. View filing. Indented rows are part of the line above; their share is of that line. In the bars, the faint bar behind is the year before.

Who owns it

Funds buying and selling
Reported value
$1.2B
Institutions reporting
233
Shares held vs prior quarter
▲ 2.1%
Positions opened / closed
36 / 24

Top buyers and sellers, Q2 2026: 117 institutions bought and 106 sold ; the biggest buyer was LSV Asset Management (+734K shares) and the biggest seller Trexquant Investment LP (−125K). See which funds bought and sold →

Largest reported holders, June 30, 2026
Manager Value Shares Share of 13F value Shares QoQ
Blackrock, Inc. $204M 2.4M 16.5% ▼ 4.1%
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP $113M 1.3M 9.2% ▲ 1.5%
Vanguard Portfolio Management LLC $64.5M 761K 5.2% ▼ 8.2%
LSV Asset Management $62.2M 734K 5.0% New
State Street Corp $54.1M 634K 4.4% ▼ 6.1%
Nomura Asset Management International Inc. $49.9M 589K 4.0% ▼ 7.3%
Vanguard Capital Management LLC $45.5M 536K 3.7% ▼ 7.2%
Westwood Holdings Group Inc $42M 495K 3.4% ▼ 18.6%
Invesco Ltd. $32.9M 388K 2.7% ▼ 13.7%
Nuveen, LLC $32.7M 386K 2.7% ▲ 22.4%
American Century Companies Inc $31.1M 367K 2.5% ▲ 63.7%
Geode Capital Management, LLC $27.6M 325K 2.2% ▼ 9.9%

From Form 13F filings with the SEC ( quarterly data sets), as reported by each manager for June 30, 2026 and filed up to 45 days later. 13F reports cover long US-listed positions of managers above $100M only, so this is not Sonic Automotive Inc's complete shareholder register. Values are as reported by the filers ; 3 inconsistently scaled filing rows were excluded.

Insider trading activity

Full insider history and chart
Insider purchases History → $10.6M 11 trades by 1 insider, last 12 months Insider sales History → $9.6M 5 trades by 2 insiders · 100% under pre-set plans
Net ▲ $931,111 net buying
Insider Date Trade Shares Price Value
Rusnak Paul P. 10% owner October 14, 2026 Buy 12,555 $59.90 $752,044
Rusnak Paul P. 10% owner October 7, 2026 Buy 13,701 $59.78 $819,046
Rusnak Paul P. 10% owner October 6, 2026 Buy 1,119 $59.90 $67,028
Rusnak Paul P. 10% owner October 5, 2026 Buy 27,756 $59.76 $1.7M
Rusnak Paul P. 10% owner October 1, 2026 Buy 21,645 $59.50 $1.3M
Dyke Jeff President June 10, 2026 Sell pre-set plan 35,114 $85.22 $3M
Dyke Jeff President June 9, 2026 Sell pre-set plan 14,886 $85.13 $1.3M
Dyke Jeff President June 8, 2026 Sell pre-set plan 50,000 $82.97 $4.1M
Byrd Heath EVP and CFO June 2, 2026 Sell pre-set plan 5,061 $85.00 $430,185
Byrd Heath EVP and CFO May 28, 2026 Sell pre-set plan 9,526 $85.00 $809,710
Rusnak Paul P. 10% owner February 17, 2026 Buy 11,481 $59.95 $688,286
Rusnak Paul P. 10% owner February 13, 2026 Buy 48,540 $59.92 $2.9M

From insiders' Form 4 filings with the SEC. Excludes awards, option exercises and shares withheld for tax. "Pre-set plan" means the filing marks the trade as made under a Rule 10b5-1 plan. See every insider trade since five years ago, on a price chart.

Earnings dates and SEC filings

Results announcements

Next expected around February 17, 2027 estimated from the company's past filing pattern, not announced

  • October 29, 2026
  • July 30, 2026
  • April 30, 2026
  • February 18, 2026
  • October 23, 2025
  • July 24, 2025

Recent SEC filings

Data status

When each part of this page on Sonic Automotive Inc was last updated.

DataLast updatedSource
Share priceExchange closing prices
Financial statementsSEC 10-K and 10-Q filings
News and updatesCompany releases and SEC 8-K filings
Analyst estimatesAggregated analyst estimates
Valuation and scoresOur models, from the filed figures

How we build and check these figures: methodology and data sources.

Sonic Automotive Inc in brief

What does Sonic Automotive Inc do?
Sonic Automotive Inc is a US-listed company in the automotive retail industry. Its financial year ends in December.
What is Sonic Automotive Inc's stock ticker?
Sonic Automotive Inc trades under the ticker SAH on NYSE. This page brings together its financial statements, valuation models, ownership and recent company updates.
What is Sonic Automotive Inc's revenue, and how fast is it growing?
Over its most recent trailing twelve months, Sonic Automotive Inc reported revenue of $15.5B, 2.0% higher than a year earlier, according to its SEC filings.
What is Sonic Automotive Inc's free cash flow?
Sonic Automotive Inc's free-cash-flow margin is 0.6% of revenue over the trailing twelve months, ranking 14 of the 23 automotive retail companies we cover.
What is Sonic Automotive Inc's fair value (intrinsic value) per share?
Our discounted-cash-flow model of Sonic Automotive Inc's free cash flow after stock-based pay gives ~$120 per share in the base case, and ~$77–$180 across growth scenarios. These are model values under stated assumptions — not a price target or a recommendation.
Who are Sonic Automotive Inc's largest institutional shareholders?
By value reported in 13F filings for June 30, 2026, the largest reported holders are Blackrock, Inc., Dimensional Fund Advisors LP and Vanguard Portfolio Management LLC. 13F reports cover long US-listed positions of managers above $100M, filed up to 45 days after quarter end.
Is Sonic Automotive Inc buying back stock, and does it pay a dividend?
Sonic Automotive Inc spent $15.5M on share repurchases over the trailing twelve months, and its diluted share count fell 4.2% over the year.
What is Sonic Automotive Inc's market cap?
On November 2, 2026, Sonic Automotive Inc's market capitalisation was about $2.1B, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.3 and net debt of $1.8B. Market figures come from third-party market data and may be delayed.
Does Sonic Automotive Inc pay a dividend?
Sonic Automotive Inc reported no dividend payments in its trailing twelve months of filings.
How much debt does Sonic Automotive Inc have?
Sonic Automotive Inc's debt-to-equity ratio is 164.8%, from its latest balance sheet (131.6% five years earlier). The financial health section below sets out its other solvency checks.
Who are Sonic Automotive Inc's competitors?
In our Automotive Retail peer group, the companies closest to Sonic Automotive Inc are Asbury Automotive Group Inc, O'Reilly Automotive, AutoZone, Group 1 Automotive Inc and Murphy USA Inc. The side-by-side comparison below sets their revenue, margins and growth against Sonic Automotive Inc's.
Are insiders buying or selling Sonic Automotive Inc stock?
Over the last 12 months, Sonic Automotive Inc's directors and officers reported 11 open-market purchases and 5 sales on Form 4. The insider trading page charts every trade.
When is Sonic Automotive Inc's next earnings date?
Around February 17, 2027, estimated from the spacing of its past results announcements (8-K filings). That is an estimate, not a confirmed date — Sonic Automotive Inc announces its own schedule.