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Sonic Automotive Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 18 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year revenue and gross profit records: Full-year total revenues were $15.2 billion, up 7%, and full-year gross profit was $2.4 billion, up 9%. Both were reported as all-time annual figures. Source
  • Fourth quarter revenue down, gross profit up: Fourth quarter total revenues were $3.9 billion, down 1% year-over-year. Fourth quarter gross profit was $598.7 million, up 4%. Source
  • Fourth quarter net income and EPS fell: Fourth quarter reported net income was $46.9 million, down 20%. Diluted EPS was $1.36, down 19%, and the quarter included a $5.3 million non-recurring income tax charge. Source
  • Franchised revenue flat, gross profit up: Franchised Dealerships revenues were $3.4 billion, flat year-over-year. Fourth quarter segment gross profit was $535.8 million, up 4%. Full-year segment revenues were $12.9 billion, up 8%. Source
  • EchoPark segment income turned positive: Reported EchoPark segment income was $3.6 million in the fourth quarter. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $8.8 million, up 110%. Source
  • SG&A rose faster than gross profit: Reported SG&A rose 9% to $433.7 million in the fourth quarter. It was 72.4% of gross profit, against 69.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Liquidity above $700 million at year end: The CFO said year-end liquidity exceeded $700 million and cited cash flow generation and a continued balance sheet position. Source

“Our fourth quarter results reflect the strength of Sonic Automotive’s diversified business model and the disciplined execution of our long-term strategy,”

David Smith, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sonic Automotive

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Quarterly cash dividend SourceDividend payable April 15, 2026$0.38 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: The quarterly dividend stayed at $0.38 per share, as in the prior release. The prior dividend was payable January 15, 2026.

Consolidated results and charges

  • Full-year revenue and gross profit records: Full-year total revenues were $15.2 billion, up 7%, and full-year gross profit was $2.4 billion, up 9%. Both were reported as all-time annual figures. Source
  • Fourth quarter revenue down, gross profit up: Fourth quarter total revenues were $3.9 billion, down 1% year-over-year. Fourth quarter gross profit was $598.7 million, up 4%. Source
  • Fourth quarter net income and EPS fell: Fourth quarter reported net income was $46.9 million, down 20%. Diluted EPS was $1.36, down 19%, and the quarter included a $5.3 million non-recurring income tax charge. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 1% in quarter: Excluding listed items, adjusted fourth quarter net income was $52.2 million, down 2%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.52, up 1%. Source
  • Full-year net income fell on impairment: Full-year reported net income was $118.7 million, down 45%, after a $173.8 million non-cash impairment charge in the second quarter. Adjusted diluted EPS was $6.60, up 18%. Source

Franchised Dealerships Segment

  • Franchised revenue flat, gross profit up: Franchised Dealerships revenues were $3.4 billion, flat year-over-year. Fourth quarter segment gross profit was $535.8 million, up 4%. Full-year segment revenues were $12.9 billion, up 8%. Source
  • Same store sales and gross profit declined: In the fourth quarter, same store revenues fell 5% and same store gross profit fell 2%. For the full year, same store revenues rose 5% and same store gross profit rose 4%. Source
  • New vehicle units and margin fell: Same store retail new vehicle units fell 11% in the fourth quarter. Gross profit per retail new unit fell 7% to $3,033. Source
  • Fixed operations grew over the full year: Full-year same store Fixed Operations gross profit rose 8%, with customer pay up 6% and warranty up 20%. Fourth quarter same store Fixed Operations gross profit rose 3%. Source

“We remain disciplined in our approach to inventory management, expense control, and delivering an outstanding guest experience, and we are well positioned to build on this momentum as we move into 2026.”

Jeff Dyke, President of Sonic Automotive

EchoPark Segment results

  • EchoPark revenue down, gross profit up: EchoPark revenues were $480.7 million, down 5%. Record fourth quarter EchoPark gross profit was $53.5 million, up 9%. Source
  • EchoPark segment income turned positive: Reported EchoPark segment income was $3.6 million in the fourth quarter. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $8.8 million, up 110%. Source
  • Full-year EchoPark EBITDA at record: Full-year EchoPark segment income was $28.1 million. Adjusted EBITDA was $49.2 million, up 78% from $27.6 million. Source

Powersports Segment results

  • Powersports fourth quarter revenue and margin: Fourth quarter Powersports revenues were $36.4 million, up 19%. Gross profit was $9.4 million, up 25%, at a gross margin of 25.7%. Source
  • Full-year Powersports revenue and gross profit: Full-year Powersports revenues were $202.9 million, up 29%. Gross profit was $53.8 million, up 23%, at a gross margin of 26.5%. Source
  • Fourth quarter Powersports segment loss: Fourth quarter reported Powersports segment loss was $2.0 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $0.1 million. Source
  • Full-year Powersports EBITDA at record: Full-year Powersports adjusted EBITDA was $11.5 million, up 83% from $6.3 million. Reported full-year segment income was $2.3 million. Source

“Our fourth quarter financial results reflect disciplined cost management, strong cash flow generation, and continued balance sheet strength, with over $700 million of available liquidity as of December 31, 2025.”

Heath Byrd, Chief Financial Officer of Sonic Automotive

Used vehicles and F&I

  • Franchised used units up, unit margin down: Same store retail used units rose 5% in the fourth quarter. Gross profit per retail used unit fell 2% to $1,379. Source
  • Quarterly F&I gross profit flat: Same store F&I gross profit was flat in the fourth quarter. F&I gross profit per retail unit rose 5% to $2,541. Source
  • Full-year F&I gross profit rose: Full-year same store F&I gross profit rose 9%. F&I gross profit per retail unit was $2,551, up 7%. Source

SG&A cost base

  • SG&A rose faster than gross profit: Reported SG&A rose 9% to $433.7 million in the fourth quarter. It was 72.4% of gross profit, against 69.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Compensation and advertising expense higher: Compensation expense was $280.6 million in the fourth quarter, against $263.5 million a year earlier. Advertising was $26.5 million, against $19.1 million. Source
  • Full-year adjusted SG&A ratio: Full-year adjusted SG&A expenses were $1,706.9 million, or 71.6% of gross profit. Source
  • Cyber insurance gain in full-year SG&A: Full-year SG&A adjustments include a $40.0 million pre-tax gain from cyber insurance proceeds. Source

Inventory and unit volume

  • Franchised days' supply of inventory: Franchised new vehicle inventory was 48 days' supply, including in-transit units. Used was 31 days' supply, measured on trailing quarter cost of sales. Source
  • EchoPark used inventory days' supply: EchoPark used vehicle inventory was 40 days' supply on the same trailing quarter cost of sales basis. Source
  • Used-to-new ratio rose in quarter: Franchised retail new and used units were 56,801, down 2%. The used-to-new ratio was 0.93, against 0.80 a year earlier. Source

Liquidity and share repurchases

  • Liquidity above $700 million at year end: The CFO said year-end liquidity exceeded $700 million and cited cash flow generation and a continued balance sheet position. Source
  • Fourth quarter share repurchases: The company repurchased about 0.6 million Class A shares in the fourth quarter for about $38.3 million. Source
  • Full-year share repurchases: Full-year repurchases were about 1.3 million Class A shares for about $82.4 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 18 February 2026

  • Quarterly dividend payable April 15: The Board approved a $0.38 per share quarterly cash dividend, payable April 15, 2026 to holders of record on March 13, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales SourceFranchised same store revenues down 5% in Q4; up 5% for full year
Inventory SourceFranchised: 48 days' supply new (incl. in-transit), 31 days' supply used
Inventory SourceEchoPark: 40 days' supply used
Gross margin SourceFixed Operations 50.8% (same store, Q4)
Gross margin SourcePowersports 25.7% (Q4)

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management described a dynamic operating environment during 2025, while still reporting record performance across all three segments. Source
  • External: The CFO said the company is positioned to remain flexible and financially resilient in a changing market environment. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it is committed to a prudent approach to capital allocation while investing strategically in growth initiatives. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it is continuing to optimize EchoPark's inventory and pricing strategy. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.