Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) Major Shareholder Acquires $115,821.38 in Stock

Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:SAH) major shareholder Paul Rusnak purchased 1,931 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 11th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $59.98 per share, with a total value of $115,821.38. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 5,028,496 shares in the company, valued at $301,609,190.08. This trade represents a 0.04% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a company’s shares are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Sonic Automotive Stock Up 8.1%

Shares of SAH stock traded up $4.72 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $63.00. 484,552 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 192,933. The company has a quick ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. The stock has a market cap of $2.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.03 and a beta of 0.93. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $62.71 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $68.96. Sonic Automotive, Inc. has a 12-month low of $52.00 and a 12-month high of $89.62.

Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $1.52 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.53 by ($0.01). Sonic Automotive had a net margin of 0.86% and a return on equity of 21.65%. The company had revenue of $3.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.94 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.51 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Sonic Automotive, Inc. will post 6.14 EPS for the current year.

Sonic Automotive Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.38 per share. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. Sonic Automotive’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 41.08%.

Institutional Trading of Sonic Automotive

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Sonic Automotive by 124.9% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 355,328 shares of the company’s stock valued at $20,239,000 after buying an additional 197,336 shares in the last quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Sonic Automotive in the fourth quarter worth $7,384,000. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd bought a new position in Sonic Automotive in the 3rd quarter worth $7,450,000. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Sonic Automotive by 6.2% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,646,450 shares of the company’s stock worth $125,278,000 after buying an additional 96,836 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Sonic Automotive during the second quarter valued at about $6,564,000. 46.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on SAH shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Sonic Automotive in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Needham & Company LLC dropped their price objective on Sonic Automotive from $95.00 to $90.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Citigroup raised Sonic Automotive from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 target price for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Morgan Stanley set a $68.00 target price on shares of Sonic Automotive in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Sonic Automotive from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, January 11th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Sonic Automotive has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $79.63.

Trending Headlines about Sonic Automotive

Here are the key news stories impacting Sonic Automotive this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.38 per share, payable April 15 to holders of record March 13; that equates to an annualized $1.52 and a yield of ~2.4%, which supports income-focused investors and signals confidence in cash generation.
• Neutral Sentiment: Company-provided materials: Sonic posted Q4 results and made its earnings presentation and slide deck available (useful for detailed operational metrics, segment trends and management commentary). Sonic Q4 Press Release & Slide Deck
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst-focused previews and metric analysis are available that dig beyond headline EPS/revenue to look at same-store metrics, used-car mix and gross margins — items that could influence guidance and sentiment going forward. Sonic Automotive (SAH) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings and revenue slightly missed consensus: Sonic reported $1.52 EPS vs. $1.53 expected and revenue of $3.87B vs. $3.94B expected; revenue was down ~0.6% year‑over‑year. The miss and softer top-line weigh on near-term sentiment and raise scrutiny of margins and used-vehicle performance. Sonic Automotive (SAH) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Miss Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability metrics are mixed: Q4 net margin was low (~0.86%) despite a high ROE (~21.7%), implying leverage and capital allocation will be watched closely by investors and analysts as the company refreshes guidance. Sonic Q4 Conference Call / Slide Deck

About Sonic Automotive

Sonic Automotive, Inc is a publicly traded automotive retailer that operates a network of franchised new-car dealerships and used-vehicle dealerships across the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company offers a range of services that include vehicle sales, leasing, finance and insurance products, service and parts, and collision repair. Sonic Automotive’s dealerships represent numerous major automotive brands, and the company also markets a broad selection of pre-owned vehicles under its own banner.

In addition to its core dealership operations, Sonic Automotive has developed digital retail capabilities that allow customers to research, shop and complete transactions online.