Sonic Automotive (SAH) Scheduled to Post Earnings on Thursday

Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) is set to post its quarterly earnings results before the market opens on Thursday, October 24th. Analysts expect Sonic Automotive to post earnings of $1.51 per share for the quarter. Individual that wish to register for the company’s earnings conference call can do so using this link.

Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 5th. The company reported $1.47 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.38 by $0.09. Sonic Automotive had a return on equity of 25.31% and a net margin of 1.35%. The business had revenue of $3.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.56 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.83 EPS. The business’s revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect Sonic Automotive to post $6 EPS for the current fiscal year and $6 EPS for the next fiscal year.

Sonic Automotive Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:SAH opened at $56.78 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.04. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $58.07 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $56.51. Sonic Automotive has a 1-year low of $42.57 and a 1-year high of $64.68. The stock has a market cap of $1.92 billion, a PE ratio of 11.63 and a beta of 1.60.

Sonic Automotive Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th were paid a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.11%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, September 13th. Sonic Automotive’s payout ratio is 24.59%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently commented on SAH. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Sonic Automotive from $63.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 10th. Morgan Stanley upgraded Sonic Automotive from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $40.00 to $58.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. Stephens began coverage on Sonic Automotive in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $64.00 target price on the stock. Needham & Company LLC began coverage on Sonic Automotive in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. They set a “buy” rating and a $73.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Bank of America lowered their target price on Sonic Automotive from $67.00 to $66.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $66.33.

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.