Sonic Automotive (SAH) Reports Q4 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say
For the quarter ended December 2023, Sonic Automotive (SAH) reported revenue of $3.58 billion, down 0.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.63, compared to $2.61 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.58 billion, representing a surprise of +0.14%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -9.44%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.80.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Sonic Automotive performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Total used vehicle units: 24,365 versus the two-analyst average estimate of 33,555.
Gross Profit Per Unit - Used Vehicle: $1,440 versus $1,558.12 estimated by two analysts on average.
Gross Profit Per Unit - Total New Vehicle: $4,246 versus the two-analyst average estimate of $4,337.56.
Total new vehicle units: 28,991 compared to the 28,448 average estimate based on two analysts.
Revenues- Finance, insurance and other, net: $166 million compared to the $162.84 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +29.7% year over year.
Revenues- Wholesale vehicles: $62.60 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $70.07 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +19%.
Revenues- Parts, service and collision repair: $431.90 million versus $429.70 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.7% change.
Revenues- New vehicles: $1.70 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1.63 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +8.8%.
Revenues- Total vehicles: $2.99 billion compared to the $2.99 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +22.4% year over year.
Revenues- Used vehicles: $1.22 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.26 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +48.5%.
Franchised Dealerships- Same Store Revenue- Used Vehicles: $724.60 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $879.85 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -2.7%.
Revenues- New vehicles - Fleet: $21.80 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $21.25 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -25.9%.
View all Key Company Metrics for Sonic Automotive here>>>
Shares of Sonic Automotive have returned +13.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.
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Sonic Automotive, Inc. (SAH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
