Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.05 EPS

Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) released its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 1.41% and a return on equity of 21.27%.

Sonic Automotive Stock Down 5.0 %

Shares of SAH traded down $3.77 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $71.00. 79,498 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 173,618. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.87. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $67.72 and a 200 day simple moving average of $62.50. Sonic Automotive has a 52 week low of $47.82 and a 52 week high of $76.78. The company has a market cap of $2.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.69 and a beta of 1.68.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Stephens upgraded shares of Sonic Automotive from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target 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. Seaport Res Ptn raised shares of Sonic Automotive from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $74.00 price objective on shares of Sonic Automotive in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $67.20.

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.