Latest news with #SonicAutomotive
Forbes
03-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
NASCAR's Atlanta Motor Speedway Is No More —For Now
HAMPTON, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 23: Josh Berry, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, and Joey ... More Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 23, 2025 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by) It's not every day the governor of Georgia shows up to a racetrack press conference, so you could be forgiven for thinking something earth-shattering was about to be announced—alien landings, a third Buc-ee's, perhaps. Instead, we got a renaming. In a move that combines family synergy, corporate branding, and the high-speed theater of NASCAR the track long known as Atlanta Motor Speedway has officially been rebranded as EchoPark Speedway. The seven-year naming rights agreement was announced Tuesday by Speedway Motorsports and EchoPark Automotive, a subsidiary of Sonic Automotive. If those names sound related, it's because they are: both are run by members of the Smith family dynasty, heirs to the late Bruton Smith's motorsports empire. The deal gives Georgia's only NASCAR track a new name and a bright green makeover just in time for its national debut as the opening race of TNT's NASCAR broadcast slate on June 28. EchoPark, which specializes in pre-owned vehicle sales, will now beam its brand across every inch of the 850-acre speedway in Hampton, Georgia, from track walls to Victory Lane. David Smith, CEO of Sonic Automotive and brother to Marcus Smith, CEO of Speedway Motorsports, is at the heart of this deal. So is this a savvy business partnership, or a case of one Smith brother Venmo-ing another under the table and slapping a logo on Turn 4? The terms are described as a "multi-million-dollar" agreement, but one can't help but wonder if the actual check was written in crayon at a family barbecue. To be fair, EchoPark has been steadily expanding its presence in NASCAR, with activations across nine Speedway Motorsports venues and an increasingly visible footprint among the fanbase. The company operates 17 locations in 13 markets, many of which overlap with core NASCAR territories like Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. As for the rebrand, fans will get their first look at the new EchoPark Speedway during the Quaker State 400 on June 28. The winner won't just get a trophy; they'll be handed a "nearly new" Chevy Silverado and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle so rare it sounds like something a Bond villain would collect. Only 26 of the limited-edition Sturgis Rally Harleys exist, and the first one goes straight to Victory Lane. HAMPTON, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 25: Daniel Suarez, driver of the #99 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet, ... More crosses the finish line ahead of Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet, and Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 BodyArmor Zero Sugar Ford, to win the NASCAR Cup Series Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 25, 2024 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by) Marcus Smith described the partnership as a union of like-minded, customer-focused companies. "EchoPark Automotive is as committed to exceptional customer service as we are," he said. That may be true, but it also helps when your brother runs the other company. The track itself has seen plenty of reconfigurations over the years—the most recent in 2021 turned it into a superspeedway-style oval with 28 degrees of banking. That shift has produced some of the most thrilling finishes in recent NASCAR history, including the closest three-wide finish ever recorded last year. EchoPark Speedway—still tough to say without a raised eyebrow—has been part of NASCAR's core calendar since 1960. It hosted the season finale from 1987 to 2000 and was the backdrop to one of the sport's most iconic races: the 1992 finale that featured Richard Petty's last race, Jeff Gordon's first, and Alan Kulwicki's improbable championship win. This deal also marks a return to naming rights for Speedway Motorsports, which hasn't put a corporate label on one of its tracks since Charlotte Motor Speedway became Lowe's Motor Speedway in 1999. That deal, estimated to be worth around $35 million over ten years, ended in 2009 when Lowe's opted not to renew. While NASCAR has seen several tracks rebranded under naming rights—like World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois, which is still going, Phoenix Raceway which was known as IMS Raceway, which is not going, and California Speedway once known as Auto Club Speedway which is now little more than a collection of buildings, piles of dirt and dreams of a rebirth—SMI has been largely quiet on that front. EchoPark Speedway is their first foray back into the naming game in over a decade. Now, under its new name, the track aims to usher in a fresh chapter for NASCAR in Atlanta—one with faster racing, brighter signage, and perhaps a few more family phone calls about marketing strategy. Tickets, schedules, and camping info for the June 26-28 NASCAR weekend can be found at Just don't ask Siri for directions to Atlanta Motor Speedway. She's still adjusting.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Returns On Capital At Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) Have Stalled
There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. So, when we ran our eye over Sonic Automotive's (NYSE:SAH) trend of ROCE, we liked what we saw. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Sonic Automotive: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.15 = US$479m ÷ (US$5.9b - US$2.6b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2025). Therefore, Sonic Automotive has an ROCE of 15%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 13% generated by the Specialty Retail industry. Check out our latest analysis for Sonic Automotive Above you can see how the current ROCE for Sonic Automotive compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free analyst report for Sonic Automotive . While the returns on capital are good, they haven't moved much. The company has employed 65% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 15%. 15% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that Sonic Automotive has consistently earned this amount. Stable returns in this ballpark can be unexciting, but if they can be maintained over the long run, they often provide nice rewards to shareholders. On a separate but related note, it's important to know that Sonic Automotive has a current liabilities to total assets ratio of 45%, which we'd consider pretty high. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower. In the end, Sonic Automotive has proven its ability to adequately reinvest capital at good rates of return. And long term investors would be thrilled with the 138% return they've received over the last five years. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we still believe the stock deserves further research. On a final note, we've found 1 warning sign for Sonic Automotive that we think you should be aware of. If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Returns On Capital At Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) Have Stalled
There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. So, when we ran our eye over Sonic Automotive's (NYSE:SAH) trend of ROCE, we liked what we saw. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Sonic Automotive: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.15 = US$479m ÷ (US$5.9b - US$2.6b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2025). Therefore, Sonic Automotive has an ROCE of 15%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 13% generated by the Specialty Retail industry. Check out our latest analysis for Sonic Automotive Above you can see how the current ROCE for Sonic Automotive compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free analyst report for Sonic Automotive . While the returns on capital are good, they haven't moved much. The company has employed 65% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 15%. 15% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that Sonic Automotive has consistently earned this amount. Stable returns in this ballpark can be unexciting, but if they can be maintained over the long run, they often provide nice rewards to shareholders. On a separate but related note, it's important to know that Sonic Automotive has a current liabilities to total assets ratio of 45%, which we'd consider pretty high. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower. In the end, Sonic Automotive has proven its ability to adequately reinvest capital at good rates of return. And long term investors would be thrilled with the 138% return they've received over the last five years. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we still believe the stock deserves further research. On a final note, we've found 1 warning sign for Sonic Automotive that we think you should be aware of. If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why Is Penske (PAG) Up 4.3% Since Last Earnings Report?
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Penske Automotive (PAG). Shares have added about 4.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Penske due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. It turns out, estimates revision have trended upward during the past month. At this time, Penske has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top quintile for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Penske has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Penske belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales industry. Another stock from the same industry, Sonic Automotive (SAH), has gained 12% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended March 2025. Sonic Automotive reported revenues of $3.65 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.9%. EPS of $1.48 for the same period compares with $1.36 a year ago. For the current quarter, Sonic Automotive is expected to post earnings of $1.59 per share, indicating a change of +8.2% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +1.6% over the last 30 days. Sonic Automotive has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of A. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (PAG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sonic Automotive, Inc. (SAH) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Asbury Automotive (ABG) Up 4.8% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Asbury Automotive Group (ABG). Shares have added about 4.8% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Asbury Automotive due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. It turns out, estimates revision have trended upward during the past month. At this time, Asbury Automotive has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with a D. However, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top quintile for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Asbury Automotive has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Asbury Automotive is part of the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales industry. Over the past month, Sonic Automotive (SAH), a stock from the same industry, has gained 15.2%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended March 2025 more than a month ago. Sonic Automotive reported revenues of $3.65 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.9%. EPS of $1.48 for the same period compares with $1.36 a year ago. Sonic Automotive is expected to post earnings of $1.59 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +8.2%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +1.6%. The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Sonic Automotive. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of A. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (ABG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sonic Automotive, Inc. (SAH) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
