Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:SAH) Given Average Rating of "Buy" by Brokerages

Shares of Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:SAH - Get Free Report) have earned an average rating of "Buy" from the six brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $78.00.

Several analysts have recently weighed in on SAH shares. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Sonic Automotive from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Stephens raised their price objective on Sonic Automotive from $83.00 to $92.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Sonic Automotive from $75.00 to $74.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Needham & Company LLC increased their target price on Sonic Automotive from $74.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Sonic Automotive from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday.

Sonic Automotive Stock Down 0.0 %

NYSE SAH traded down $0.02 on Thursday, reaching $73.55. The company had a trading volume of 174,144 shares, compared to its average volume of 159,363. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.87, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 0.35. Sonic Automotive has a 1 year low of $47.82 and a 1 year high of $76.78. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $68.03 and a 200-day moving average of $62.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.51 billion, a PE ratio of 13.09 and a beta of 1.68.

Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.46 by $0.05. Sonic Automotive had a net margin of 1.41% and a return on equity of 21.27%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Sonic Automotive will post 5.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Sonic Automotive Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be issued a $0.35 dividend. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.90%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. Sonic Automotive's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.91%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sonic Automotive

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Sonic Automotive by 515.4% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 480 shares of the company's stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 402 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new position in Sonic Automotive during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. grew its stake in Sonic Automotive by 100.3% during the 3rd quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. now owns 1,196 shares of the company's stock worth $70,000 after buying an additional 599 shares during the last quarter. R Squared Ltd acquired a new stake in Sonic Automotive in the fourth quarter worth $72,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd lifted its stake in 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 valued at $98,000 after buying an additional 1,444 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 46.92% of the company's stock.

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.