Seaport Res Ptn Brokers Increase Earnings Estimates for SAH

Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:SAH) – Analysts at Seaport Res Ptn raised their FY2025 EPS estimates for shares of Sonic Automotive in a research report issued to clients and investors on Sunday, April 20th. Seaport Res Ptn analyst G. Chin now forecasts that the company will post earnings of $6.00 per share for the year, up from their prior estimate of $5.84. The consensus estimate for Sonic Automotive’s current full-year earnings is $6.14 per share.

Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $1.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.46 by $0.05. Sonic Automotive had a net margin of 1.52% and a return on equity of 19.96%.

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Needham & Company LLC decreased their price target on shares of Sonic Automotive from $100.00 to $93.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 19th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Sonic Automotive in a research report on Wednesday. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $64.00 price objective on the stock. Stephens lifted their price objective on shares of Sonic Automotive from $83.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 13th. StockNews.com upgraded Sonic Automotive from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Sonic Automotive from $80.00 to $65.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $73.00.

Sonic Automotive Price Performance

SAH stock opened at $59.08 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $62.51 and a 200-day moving average of $64.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.56 and a beta of 1.43. Sonic Automotive has a 12 month low of $50.46 and a 12 month high of $76.78. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sonic Automotive

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Sonic Automotive by 515.4% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 480 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 402 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in shares of Sonic Automotive during the 4th quarter valued at about $51,000. R Squared Ltd purchased a new stake in Sonic Automotive in the 4th quarter worth approximately $72,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd boosted its position in shares of Sonic Automotive by 1,429.7% in the fourth quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd now owns 1,545 shares of the company’s stock worth $98,000 after purchasing an additional 1,444 shares during the period. Finally, KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS bought a new stake in shares of Sonic Automotive during the 4th quarter valued at $185,000. 46.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Sonic Automotive Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th were paid a $0.35 dividend. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.37%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 14th. Sonic Automotive’s payout ratio is presently 22.65%.

Sonic Automotive Company Profile

Sonic Automotive, Inc operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. It operates in three segments, Franchised Dealerships, EchoPark, and Powersports. The Franchised Dealerships segment is involved in the sale of new and used cars and light trucks, and replacement parts; provision of vehicle maintenance, manufacturer warranty repair, and paint and collision repair services; and arrangement of extended warranties, service contracts, financing, insurance, and other aftermarket products for its guests.