SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC SAH
CL A · Common Stock · CUSIP 83545G102
American automotive retailing company
- SectorConsumer discretionary
- IndustryRetail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations
- HeadquartersCharlotte, NC
- Founded1997
- Websitesonicautomotive.com
- FilingsSEC EDGAR
* Summed across managers. Shares that two managers' reports both contain – a subsidiary's holdings that its parent's report includes too, or a sub-adviser's in its client's – are counted once ($1.4m this quarter). Holder counts are more reliable. Implied quarter-end price ≈ $56.22. Options: 4 managers hold calls ($5.9m notional), 3 hold puts ($162.4k).
Trends to Q4 2023
Institutional holders
Managers reporting a position, each quarter
Numbers
| Quarter | Holders |
|---|---|
| Q3 2022 | 201 |
| Q4 2022 | 200 |
| Q1 2023 | 188 |
| Q2 2023 | 184 |
| Q3 2023 | 183 |
| Q4 2023 | 197 |
Buyers vs sellers
Managers adding to or starting a position, vs cutting or selling out
Numbers
| Quarter | Bought or added | Cut or sold out |
|---|---|---|
| Q4 2022 | 73 | 115 |
| Q1 2023 | 82 | 99 |
| Q2 2023 | 72 | 122 |
| Q3 2023 | 73 | 105 |
| Q4 2023 | 78 | 109 |
Calls vs puts
Options held, notional value, last 4 quarters. P/C = puts ÷ calls
Numbers
| Quarter | Calls | Puts | P/C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2023 | $554.3k | $798.3k | 1.44 |
| Q2 2023 | $228.8k | $152.5k | 0.67 |
| Q3 2023 | $788.0k | $592.2k | 0.75 |
| Q4 2023 | $5.9m | $162.4k | 0.03 |
Biggest buyers
| MORGAN STANLEY | Added | +584.9k |
| WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP INC | New | +559.9k |
| MILLENNIUM MANAGEMENT LLC | Added | +320.9k |
| COOPER CREEK PARTNERS MANAGEMENT LLC | New | +257.6k |
| J. Goldman & Co LP | Added | +76.3k |
| RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC | Added | +47.7k |
| Balyasny Asset Management L.P. | Added | +42.6k |
| Engineers Gate Manager LP | Added | +42.4k |
| TUDOR INVESTMENT CORP ET AL | Added | +35.4k |
| VOLORIDGE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC | New | +34.1k |
Biggest sellers
| MUTUAL OF AMERICA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC | Sold out | -204.0k |
| BRIDGEWAY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC | Reduced | -178.9k |
| Teewinot Capital Advisers, L.L.C. | Reduced | -98.4k |
| AMERICAN CENTURY COMPANIES INC | Reduced | -93.8k |
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC | Reduced | -91.1k |
| LSV ASSET MANAGEMENT | Reduced | -83.3k |
| VANGUARD GROUP INC | Reduced | -76.9k |
| Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC | Sold out | -67.1k |
| MARSHALL WACE, LLP | Sold out | -63.9k |
| DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP | Reduced | -60.3k |
Biggest calls
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC | Added | $4.5m79.4k shares |
| SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP, LLP | Added | $1.1m20.1k shares |
| SIMPLEX TRADING, LLC | Added | $354.0k6.3k shares |
| CONCOURSE FINANCIAL GROUP SECURITIES, INC. | Unchanged | $00 shares |
Biggest puts
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC | Added | $157.4k2.8k shares |
| SIMPLEX TRADING, LLC | New | $5.0k100 shares |
| CONCOURSE FINANCIAL GROUP SECURITIES, INC. | Unchanged | $00 shares |
Options at notional value: the value of the shares the contracts control, as filers report them, not what the options cost. Not included in the holders, shares or buying above.
Major shareholders (over 5%)
Anyone who owns more than 5% of a class of the company's shares has to say so: on Schedule 13D if they may try to influence or control the company, on 13G if they're a passive investor, and update it as the stake changes. Each holder's latest filing, from 19 Dec 2024 on; percentages are of the share class, as the holder worked them out.
| Holder | Stake |
|---|---|
SMITH BRYAN SCOTT
13D · may seek influence
filed 2026-06-17
Stated purposeItem 4 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented by adding the following: The Reporting Persons filed an initial Schedule 13D on November 19, 1997. The Schedule 13D was amended from time to time to reflect, among other things, additional purchases and sales of Shares over time. The Reporting Persons presently believe that the Shares are undervalued at current market prices and represent an attractive investment opportunity. As a result, the Reporting Persons are filing this Amendment to, among other things, report their intention to potentially acquire additional Shares from time to time in open market transactions or in privately negotiated transactions with third parties. The Reporting Persons have not decided on an exact number of Shares to acquire, which will depend on ma… Full filing |
42.3% |
| BlackRock, Inc. 13G · institution -1.1 pts · filed 2026-10-27 | 9.1% |
| DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP 13G · institution -1.4 pts · filed 2025-07-15 | 6.1% |
Fell to 5% or below in the last year: VANGUARD GROUP INC (0.0%, 2026-03-27)
Insider purchases and sales in Q4 2023
Shares bought or sold by the company's own officers, directors and 10% owners, in the open market or privately, as they reported to the SEC on Form 4 (due within two business days of the trade). Grants, option exercises, shares withheld for tax and gifts aren't included.
Officers and directors buying vs selling
Number of people, by quarter (10% owners not included)
Numbers
| Quarter | Buying | Bought | Selling | Sold | Sold under a plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2022 | 0 | — | 2 | $1.5m | — |
| Q2 2022 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q3 2022 | 0 | — | 3 | $14.5m | — |
| Q4 2022 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q1 2023 | 0 | — | 1 | $6.6m | — |
| Q2 2023 | 0 | — | 2 | $5.6m | — |
| Q3 2023 | 0 | — | 1 | $2.4m | $2.1m |
| Q4 2023 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
None reported in Q4 2023.
Holders, Q4 2023
| Manager | Shares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| BlackRock Inc. 0.00% of their portfolio | 2.5m $139.9m | Reduced -24.3k |
| DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP 0.03% of their portfolio | 1.9m $104.6m | Reduced -60.3k |
| VANGUARD GROUP INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 1.6m $89.3m | Reduced -76.9k |
| HOTCHKIS & WILEY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC 0.18% of their portfolio | 891.6k $50.1m | Reduced -23.0k |
| MILLENNIUM MANAGEMENT LLC 0.04% of their portfolio | 811.3k $45.6m | Added +320.9k |
| MORGAN STANLEY 0.00% of their portfolio | 801.3k $45.0m | Added +584.9k |
| STATE STREET CORP 0.00% of their portfolio | 711.5k $40.2m | Reduced -32.0k |
| MACQUARIE GROUP LTD 0.04% of their portfolio | 573.0k $32.2m | Reduced -2.4k |
| WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP INC 0.27% of their portfolio | 559.9k $31.5m | New |
| Invesco Ltd. 0.01% of their portfolio | 527.7k $29.7m | Reduced -9.5k |
| CHARLES SCHWAB INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC 0.01% of their portfolio | 378.3k $21.3m | Reduced -2.9k |
| GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 353.4k $19.9m | Reduced -39.6k |
| GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 318.3k $17.9m | Reduced -5.1k |
| NORTHERN TRUST CORP 0.00% of their portfolio | 304.9k $17.1m | Reduced -6.9k |
| JACOBS LEVY EQUITY MANAGEMENT, INC 0.08% of their portfolio | 279.1k $15.7m | Reduced -22.4k |
| Bank of New York Mellon Corp 0.00% of their portfolio | 267.3k $15.0m | Reduced -104 |
| COOPER CREEK PARTNERS MANAGEMENT LLC 0.76% of their portfolio | 257.6k $14.5m | New |
| Nuveen Asset Management, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 164.2k $9.2m | Reduced -14.3k |
| STATE OF WISCONSIN INVESTMENT BOARD 0.03% of their portfolio | 159.6k $9.0m | Reduced -3.8k |
| J. Goldman & Co LP 0.47% of their portfolio | 148.9k $8.4m | Added +76.3k |
| AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 136.6k $7.7m | Added +9.8k |
| LSV ASSET MANAGEMENT 0.01% of their portfolio | 115.1k $6.5m | Reduced -83.3k |
| RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 102.9k $5.8m | Added +47.7k |
| PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 86.4k $4.9m | Reduced -5.5k |
| Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 74.5k $4.2m | Reduced -7.9k |
| HITE Hedge Asset Management LLC 0.44% of their portfolio | 74.2k $4.2m | Reduced -36.0k |
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 72.4k $4.1m | Reduced -91.1k |
| PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF OHIO 0.01% of their portfolio | 63.5k $3.6m | Added +33.7k |
| BANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/ 0.00% of their portfolio | 61.9k $3.5m | Added +1.3k |
| FORMULA GROWTH LTD 1.10% of their portfolio | 60.8k $3.4m | Unchanged |
| TUDOR INVESTMENT CORP ET AL 0.05% of their portfolio | 58.2k $3.3m | Added +35.4k |
| Engineers Gate Manager LP 0.09% of their portfolio | 58.0k $3.3m | Added +42.4k |
| FMR LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 51.7k $2.9m | Reduced -5.8k |
| RHUMBLINE ADVISERS 0.00% of their portfolio | 51.5k $2.9m | Reduced -3.1k |
| Balyasny Asset Management L.P. 0.01% of their portfolio | 51.3k $2.9m | Added +42.6k |
| Legal & General Group Plc 0.00% of their portfolio | 43.6k $2.4m | Reduced -2.2k |
| BNP PARIBAS FINANCIAL MARKETS 0.00% of their portfolio | 43.2k $2.4m | Added +24.0k |
| ALGERT GLOBAL LLC 0.10% of their portfolio | 42.5k $2.4m | Added +12.6k |
| Teewinot Capital Advisers, L.L.C. 0.33% of their portfolio | 39.3k $2.2m | Reduced -98.4k |
| ARROWSTREET CAPITAL, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP 0.00% of their portfolio | 38.2k $2.1m | Added +22.9k |
| JPMORGAN CHASE & CO 0.00% of their portfolio | 37.9k $2.1m | Added +18.3k |
| VOLORIDGE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 34.1k $1.9m | New |
| GUGGENHEIM CAPITAL LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 34.1k $1.9m | New |
| TWO SIGMA ADVISERS, LP 0.00% of their portfolio | 33.5k $1.9m | Added +24.8k |
| PDT Partners, LLC 0.21% of their portfolio | 33.4k $1.9m | Unchanged |
| JANE STREET GROUP, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 32.9k $1.8m | Added +12.1k |
| HRT FINANCIAL LP 0.01% of their portfolio | 31.6k $1.8m | New |
| Jump Financial, LLC 0.06% of their portfolio | 31.5k $1.8m | Added +13.6k |
| Assenagon Asset Management S.A. 0.01% of their portfolio | 31.5k $1.8m | New |
| Squarepoint Ops LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 31.3k $1.8m | Added +21.8k |
| NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM 0.00% of their portfolio | 31.2k $1.8m | Reduced -4.0k |
| Public Sector Pension Investment Board 0.01% of their portfolio | 30.8k $1.7m | Added +11.2k |
| Cubist Systematic Strategies, LLC 0.02% of their portfolio | 30.7k $1.7m | Reduced -41.4k |
| Quadrature Capital Ltd 0.03% of their portfolio | 30.6k $1.7m | New |
| Swiss National Bank 0.00% of their portfolio | 30.0k $1.7m | Reduced -3.2k |
| BARCLAYS PLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 28.1k $1.6m | Added +20.1k |
| WOLVERINE ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC 0.02% of their portfolio | 28.0k $1.6m | Unchanged |
| DENALI ADVISORS LLC 0.48% of their portfolio | 27.8k $1.6m | Unchanged |
| Russell Investments Group, Ltd. 0.00% of their portfolio | 27.7k $1.6m | Reduced -587 |
| NEW YORK STATE COMMON RETIREMENT FUND 0.00% of their portfolio | 25.0k $1.4m | Added +7.1k |
| ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN L.P. 0.00% of their portfolio | 24.0k $1.4m | Reduced -200 |
| RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES 0.00% of their portfolio | 22.2k $1.3m | Reduced -18 |
| Spouting Rock Asset Management, LLC 0.45% of their portfolio | 22.0k $1.2m | Unchanged |
| CREDIT SUISSE AG/ 0.00% of their portfolio | 21.7k $1.2m | Reduced -2.8k |
| TOWLE & CO 0.14% of their portfolio | 21.4k $1.2m | New |
| TWO SIGMA INVESTMENTS, LP 0.00% of their portfolio | 21.3k $1.2m | Added +2.9k |
| UBS AM, a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 20.8k $1.2m | Unchanged |
| GSA CAPITAL PARTNERS LLP 0.10% of their portfolio | 20.5k $1.2m | New |
| AMERICAN CENTURY COMPANIES INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 20.4k $1.1m | Reduced -93.8k |
| CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co 0.00% of their portfolio | 19.6k $1.1m | Reduced -2.5k |
| NorthCrest Asset Manangement, LLC 0.04% of their portfolio | 19.1k $1.1m | Reduced -100 |
| Qube Research & Technologies Ltd 0.00% of their portfolio | 18.8k $1.1m | New |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 18.3k $1.0m | Added +5.8k |
| PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 17.2k $966.1k | Reduced -1.4k |
| Corton Capital Inc. 0.30% of their portfolio | 16.7k $937.8k | Added +4.6k |
| Susquehanna Portfolio Strategies, LLC 0.02% of their portfolio | 16.2k $912.5k | First filing |
| CALIFORNIA STATE TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM 0.00% of their portfolio | 16.0k $897.7k | Reduced -929 |
| SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP, LLP 0.00% of their portfolio | 15.7k $884.1k | Reduced -29.4k |
| AQR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 15.4k $868.3k | Reduced -7.9k |
| VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 14.5k $816.3k | Reduced -31.0k |
| ROYAL BANK OF CANADA 0.00% of their portfolio | 14.2k $799.0k | Added +3.7k |
| Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC 0.07% of their portfolio | 14.1k $794.8k | New |
| Thrivent Financial for Lutherans 0.00% of their portfolio | 13.2k $744.0k | Reduced -1.3k |
| CAPITAL FUND MANAGEMENT S.A. 0.01% of their portfolio | 13.1k $734.2k | Reduced -8.3k |
| DEUTSCHE BANK AG\ 0.00% of their portfolio | 13.0k $731.6k | Added +1.2k |
| TEXAS PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND CORP 0.01% of their portfolio | 12.8k $721.7k | Reduced -682 |
| FIRST TRUST ADVISORS LP 0.00% of their portfolio | 12.4k $697.4k | Reduced -16.1k |
| PRICE T ROWE ASSOCIATES INC /MD/ 0.00% of their portfolio | 12.3k $695.0k | Added +209 |
| VOYA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 12.0k $673.9k | Reduced -542 |
| BRIDGEWAY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 11.4k $642.1k | Reduced -178.9k |
| Empowered Funds, LLC 0.02% of their portfolio | 11.4k $642.1k | Reduced -47.5k |
| Ensign Peak Advisors, Inc 0.00% of their portfolio | 11.1k $623.6k | Reduced -11.2k |
| UBS Group AG 0.00% of their portfolio | 10.7k $598.8k | Added +10.1k |
| Man Group plc 0.00% of their portfolio | 10.3k $579.0k | New |
| Rafferty Asset Management, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 10.2k $575.6k | Added +2.6k |
| Aigen Investment Management, LP 0.10% of their portfolio | 9.9k $559.1k | Added +611 |
| CITIGROUP INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.7k $547.5k | Added +3.1k |
| US BANCORP \DE\ 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.6k $541.5k | Added +9.4k |
| Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund 0.01% of their portfolio | 9.6k $539.0k | Added +315 |
| JANUS HENDERSON GROUP PLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.2k $519.8k | Reduced -13 |