Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) Announces Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.05 EPS

Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $1.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.46 by $0.05, Zacks reports. Sonic Automotive had a return on equity of 21.27% and a net margin of 1.41%.

Sonic Automotive Stock Down 4.2 %

Shares of NYSE SAH opened at $71.62 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $2.45 billion, a PE ratio of 12.74 and a beta of 1.68. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.87. Sonic Automotive has a 12-month low of $47.82 and a 12-month high of $76.78. The company has a 50-day moving average of $67.79 and a 200 day moving average of $62.56.

Sonic Automotive Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be given a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.95%. Sonic Automotive’s payout ratio is presently 24.91%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on SAH shares. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Sonic Automotive from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Sonic Automotive from $75.00 to $74.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Needham & Company LLC lifted their target price on shares of Sonic Automotive from $74.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Sonic Automotive from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Stephens raised shares of Sonic Automotive from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.40.

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.