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 ($1.5m this quarter). Holder counts are more reliable. Implied quarter-end price ≈ $58.47. Options: 3 managers hold calls ($795.3k notional), 2 hold puts ($146.2k).
Trends to Q3 2024
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 |
| Q1 2024 | 185 |
| Q2 2024 | 193 |
| Q3 2024 | 190 |
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 |
| Q1 2024 | 71 | 109 |
| Q2 2024 | 94 | 84 |
| Q3 2024 | 75 | 107 |
Calls vs puts
Options held, notional value, last 4 quarters. P/C = puts ÷ calls
Numbers
| Quarter | Calls | Puts | P/C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 2023 | $5.9m | $162.4k | 0.03 |
| Q1 2024 | $4.5m | $841.9k | 0.19 |
| Q2 2024 | $1.2m | $778.7k | 0.63 |
| Q3 2024 | $795.3k | $146.2k | 0.18 |
Biggest buyers
| MACQUARIE GROUP LTD | Added | +206.3k |
| First Eagle Investment Management, LLC | New | +117.5k |
| BANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/ | Added | +81.1k |
| Phocas Financial Corp. | New | +62.3k |
| MORGAN STANLEY | Added | +46.4k |
| JPMORGAN CHASE & CO | Added | +43.3k |
| Invesco Ltd. | Added | +38.0k |
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC | Added | +34.5k |
| HARBOR CAPITAL ADVISORS, INC. | Added | +30.7k |
| Assenagon Asset Management S.A. | New | +21.3k |
Biggest sellers
| Squarepoint Ops LLC | Reduced | -84.6k |
| J. Goldman & Co LP | Reduced | -70.6k |
| Verition Fund Management LLC | Reduced | -54.3k |
| HOTCHKIS & WILEY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC | Reduced | -51.2k |
| Cubist Systematic Strategies, LLC | Reduced | -49.0k |
| VOLORIDGE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC | Reduced | -36.3k |
| MARSHALL WACE, LLP | Sold out | -36.0k |
| DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP | Reduced | -35.4k |
| Nuveen Asset Management, LLC | Reduced | -31.1k |
| JACOBS LEVY EQUITY MANAGEMENT, INC | Reduced | -26.5k |
Biggest calls
| SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP, LLP | Reduced | $432.8k7.4k shares |
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC | Added | $362.6k6.2k shares |
| CONCOURSE FINANCIAL GROUP SECURITIES, INC. | Unchanged | $00 shares |
Biggest puts
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC | Reduced | $146.2k2.5k 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 Q3 2024
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | — | — |
| Q1 2024 | 0 | — | 0 | — | — |
| Q2 2024 | 0 | — | 3 | $11.0m | $2.0m |
| Q3 2024 | 0 | — | 1 | $1.2m | $1.2m |
| Date | Insider | Trade | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-18 | Byrd Heath EVP and CFO | Sold plan | $1.2m19.8k shares |
Their holding: how much the trade added to or took from the insider's holding (direct, or the trust or fund named). The same trade is sometimes reported by more than one insider, such as a fund and the director who represents it; totals count it once. A value is left blank where the reported price is far from the market price (usually a typo).
Holders, Q3 2024
| Manager | Shares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| BlackRock, Inc. 0.00% of their portfolio | 2.4m $137.4m | First filing |
| DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP 0.02% of their portfolio | 1.7m $99.7m | Reduced -35.4k |
| VANGUARD GROUP INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 1.5m $89.9m | Reduced -15.6k |
| HOTCHKIS & WILEY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC 0.16% of their portfolio | 824.7k $48.2m | Reduced -51.2k |
| MACQUARIE GROUP LTD 0.05% of their portfolio | 761.6k $44.5m | Added +206.3k |
| STATE STREET CORP 0.00% of their portfolio | 689.2k $40.5m | Added +1.5k |
| Invesco Ltd. 0.01% of their portfolio | 625.1k $36.6m | Added +38.0k |
| WESTWOOD HOLDINGS GROUP INC 0.14% of their portfolio | 578.6k $33.8m | Reduced -17.4k |
| MILLENNIUM MANAGEMENT LLC 0.02% of their portfolio | 458.1k $26.8m | Added +1.6k |
| CHARLES SCHWAB INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 383.1k $22.4m | Reduced -8.6k |
| TOWLE & CO 3.11% of their portfolio | 372.8k $21.8m | Reduced -9.9k |
| GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 333.6k $19.5m | Added +311 |
| MORGAN STANLEY 0.00% of their portfolio | 302.5k $17.7m | Added +46.4k |
| NORTHERN TRUST CORP 0.00% of their portfolio | 272.9k $16.0m | Added +4.4k |
| BANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/ 0.00% of their portfolio | 263.5k $15.4m | Added +81.1k |
| JACOBS LEVY EQUITY MANAGEMENT, INC 0.06% of their portfolio | 261.6k $15.3m | Reduced -26.5k |
| Bank of New York Mellon Corp 0.00% of their portfolio | 239.4k $14.0m | Reduced -14.1k |
| GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 221.7k $13.0m | Reduced -5.5k |
| J. Goldman & Co LP 0.33% of their portfolio | 130.1k $7.6m | Reduced -70.6k |
| Nuveen Asset Management, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 127.4k $7.5m | Reduced -31.1k |
| First Eagle Investment Management, LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 117.5k $6.9m | New |
| JPMORGAN CHASE & CO 0.00% of their portfolio | 106.5k $6.2m | Added +43.3k |
| AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 106.4k $6.2m | Reduced -13.2k |
| CITIGROUP INC 0.01% of their portfolio | 103.3k $6.0m | Reduced -953 |
| GUGGENHEIM CAPITAL LLC 0.04% of their portfolio | 95.9k $5.6m | Reduced -1.9k |
| VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC 0.01% of their portfolio | 95.5k $5.6m | Reduced -5.1k |
| RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 86.5k $5.1m | Reduced -2.3k |
| TUDOR INVESTMENT CORP ET AL 0.05% of their portfolio | 85.0k $5.0m | Reduced -20.0k |
| BNP PARIBAS FINANCIAL MARKETS 0.00% of their portfolio | 77.8k $4.6m | Reduced -12.9k |
| Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 76.8k $4.2m | Reduced -2.1k |
| CITADEL ADVISORS LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 76.6k $4.5m | Added +34.5k |
| PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 68.8k $4.0m | Reduced -4.6k |
| Phocas Financial Corp. 0.41% of their portfolio | 62.3k $3.6m | New |
| FIRST TRUST ADVISORS LP 0.00% of their portfolio | 57.8k $3.4m | Reduced -1.9k |
| PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF OHIO 0.01% of their portfolio | 56.5k $3.3m | Reduced -4.9k |
| HARBOR CAPITAL ADVISORS, INC. 0.14% of their portfolio | 55.4k $3.2m | Added +30.7k |
| TWO SIGMA ADVISERS, LP 0.01% of their portfolio | 54.1k $3.2m | Reduced -9.9k |
| FMR LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 52.3k $3.1m | Added +6.8k |
| FORMULA GROWTH LTD 1.02% of their portfolio | 50.8k $3.0m | Unchanged |
| RHUMBLINE ADVISERS 0.00% of their portfolio | 48.2k $2.8m | Reduced -514 |
| Allianz Asset Management GmbH 0.00% of their portfolio | 48.0k $2.8m | Added +17.1k |
| TWO SIGMA INVESTMENTS, LP 0.01% of their portfolio | 47.7k $2.8m | Reduced -22.2k |
| Qube Research & Technologies Ltd 0.00% of their portfolio | 45.1k $2.6m | Added +17.6k |
| Engineers Gate Manager LP 0.05% of their portfolio | 42.4k $2.5m | Reduced -5.9k |
| DENALI ADVISORS LLC 0.26% of their portfolio | 41.2k $2.4m | Reduced -6.9k |
| D. E. Shaw & Co., Inc. 0.00% of their portfolio | 40.4k $2.4m | Reduced -12.6k |
| Legal & General Group Plc 0.00% of their portfolio | 39.4k $2.3m | Reduced -1.2k |
| Teewinot Capital Advisers, L.L.C. 0.23% of their portfolio | 39.3k $2.3m | Unchanged |
| Cubist Systematic Strategies, LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 35.2k $2.1m | Reduced -49.0k |
| VOLORIDGE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 33.1k $1.9m | Reduced -36.3k |
| GSA CAPITAL PARTNERS LLP 0.14% of their portfolio | 32.2k $1.9m | Added +20.0k |
| UBS AM, a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 31.5k $1.8m | Reduced -3.8k |
| Public Sector Pension Investment Board 0.01% of their portfolio | 30.9k $1.8m | Reduced -1.8k |
| Swiss National Bank 0.00% of their portfolio | 29.9k $1.7m | Reduced -500 |
| NEW YORK STATE COMMON RETIREMENT FUND 0.00% of their portfolio | 29.2k $1.7m | Added +6.5k |
| ARROWSTREET CAPITAL, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP 0.00% of their portfolio | 29.1k $1.7m | Reduced -15.6k |
| HITE Hedge Asset Management LLC 0.19% of their portfolio | 28.5k $1.7m | Added +9.4k |
| Walleye Capital LLC 0.02% of their portfolio | 28.2k $1.6m | Added +20.0k |
| WOLVERINE ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 27.4k $1.6m | Unchanged |
| NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM 0.00% of their portfolio | 25.7k $1.5m | Reduced -1.4k |
| Russell Investments Group, Ltd. 0.00% of their portfolio | 25.6k $1.5m | Reduced -1.3k |
| JANE STREET GROUP, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 25.5k $1.5m | Reduced -6.8k |
| HEALTHCARE OF ONTARIO PENSION PLAN TRUST FUND 0.00% of their portfolio | 24.8k $1.5m | Unchanged |
| BARCLAYS PLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 24.4k $1.4m | Added +18.9k |
| Mutual Advisors, LLC 0.04% of their portfolio | 23.6k $1.4m | Reduced -540 |
| AQR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 22.7k $1.3m | Reduced -7.1k |
| HRT FINANCIAL LP 0.01% of their portfolio | 22.5k $1.3m | Reduced -6.1k |
| INTECH INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 21.7k $1.3m | Added +17.5k |
| Assenagon Asset Management S.A. 0.00% of their portfolio | 21.3k $1.2m | New |
| Trexquant Investment LP 0.02% of their portfolio | 21.0k $1.2m | New |
| AMERICAN CENTURY COMPANIES INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 20.2k $1.2m | Reduced -108 |
| ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN L.P. 0.00% of their portfolio | 19.3k $1.1m | Added +2.0k |
| CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co 0.00% of their portfolio | 19.1k $1.1m | Added +3.8k |
| WELLS FARGO & COMPANY/MN 0.00% of their portfolio | 18.9k $1.1m | Added +3.3k |
| NorthCrest Asset Manangement, LLC 0.03% of their portfolio | 18.5k $1.1m | Added +14 |
| Nebula Research & Development LLC 0.11% of their portfolio | 15.9k $931.9k | Reduced -228 |
| UBS Group AG 0.00% of their portfolio | 15.9k $929.1k | Reduced -8.0k |
| DEUTSCHE BANK AG\ 0.00% of their portfolio | 15.5k $906.6k | Added +3.3k |
| PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 15.0k $878.8k | Reduced -820 |
| CALIFORNIA STATE TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM 0.00% of their portfolio | 14.4k $843.0k | Reduced -596 |
| PRICE T ROWE ASSOCIATES INC /MD/ 0.00% of their portfolio | 13.4k $783.0k | Added +178 |
| Quantbot Technologies LP 0.03% of their portfolio | 12.1k $708.4k | Added +10.5k |
| ROYAL BANK OF CANADA 0.00% of their portfolio | 11.9k $698.0k | Added +271 |
| Thrivent Financial for Lutherans 0.00% of their portfolio | 11.4k $670.0k | Reduced -892 |
| Point72 Asset Management, L.P. 0.00% of their portfolio | 11.4k $666.7k | Added +500 |
| Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC 0.01% of their portfolio | 10.9k $640.4k | Added +4.5k |
| Verition Fund Management LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 10.7k $625.3k | Reduced -54.3k |
| Squarepoint Ops LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 10.4k $606.1k | Reduced -84.6k |
| LSV ASSET MANAGEMENT 0.00% of their portfolio | 10.3k $602.0k | Unchanged |
| READYSTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT LP 0.03% of their portfolio | 10.2k $595.5k | New |
| Tower Research Capital LLC (TRC) 0.02% of their portfolio | 10.2k $594.1k | Added +8.0k |
| Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.9k $580.0k | Added +1.3k |
| Eisler Capital (US) LLC 0.11% of their portfolio | 9.9k $577.8k | New |
| SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP, LLP 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.8k $576.0k | Added +5.3k |
| STATE OF WISCONSIN INVESTMENT BOARD 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.7k $568.2k | Reduced -489 |
| FRANKLIN RESOURCES INC 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.6k $529.9k | Added +609 |
| CAXTON ASSOCIATES LP 0.03% of their portfolio | 9.5k $554.0k | New |
| INCEPTIONR LLC 0.13% of their portfolio | 9.3k $544.0k | New |
| JANUS HENDERSON GROUP PLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.2k $537.5k | Unchanged |
| WEALTH ENHANCEMENT ADVISORY SERVICES, LLC 0.00% of their portfolio | 9.1k $531.9k | New |