Filing Flows

Filing Flows › Companies › Sonic Automotive › Cash flow

Sonic Automotive cash flow, quarter by quarter

Latest: Q3 2026 · from the cash-flow statements filed with the SEC

Free cash flow−$19.0M in Q3 2026 · $91.2M over twelve months

Operating cash flow$50.2M
Capital spending−$69.2M
Free cash flow−$19.0M
Cash / net income1.2×
Cash conversion cycle70 days

Analysis

In Q3 2026, Sonic Automotive generated $50.2M of operating cash flow and spent $69.2M on capital projects, leaving free cash flow of −$19.0M. That is $153M less than in Q3 2025 ($134M).

Over the twelve months to Sep 30, 2026, operating cash flow was $52.4M; the largest uses were other investing ($1.2B), other financing ($509M), buybacks ($15.5M); besides operations, cash came from acquisitions ($711M), net borrowing (+) / repaid (−) ($681M); the cash balance fell by $78.7M.

Operating cash flow was $50.2M against net income of $41.1M — 1.2× profit, cash ran ahead of reported earnings. The largest differences: inventory −$101M, depreciation & amortization +$38.3M, receivables +$36.1M.

Its cash conversion cycle was 70 days (receivables 9 + inventory 65 − payables 4).

Free cash flow

Sonic Automotive: free cash flow by quarterSonic Automotive: free cash flow by quarter$421MQ4 2024$151MQ1 2025$103MQ2 2025$134MQ3 2025$329MQ4 2025−$1.5MQ1 2026−$218MQ2 2026−$19.0MQ3 2026
Operating cash flow less capital spending.
Sonic Automotive: operating cash flow against capital spendingSonic Automotive: operating cash flow against capital spendingOperating cash flowCapital spending$87.7M−$333MQ4 2024$196M$45.0MQ1 2025$137M$34.1MQ2 2025$168M$33.5MQ3 2025$66.9M−$262MQ4 2025$35.5M$37.0MQ1 2026−$100M$118MQ2 2026$50.2M$69.2MQ3 2026
Latest (Q3 2026): Operating cash flow $50.2M, Capital spending $69.2M.

Capital allocation, year by year

Sonic Automotive: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearSonic Automotive: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearOperating cash flowNet borrowingShares issuedAsset salesCapital spendingAcquisitionsBuybacksDividendsFY2021: Operating cash flow $306MFY2021: Net borrowing $1.2BFY2021: Shares issued $7.7MFY2021: Asset sales $19.7MFY2021: Capital spending $298MFY2021: Acquisitions $1.0BFY2021: Buybacks $93.3MFY2021: Dividends $18.3M$3.0BFY2021FY2022: Operating cash flow $406MFY2022: Net borrowing $452MFY2022: Shares issued $8.7MFY2022: Asset sales $29.7MFY2022: Capital spending $227MFY2022: Acquisitions $102MFY2022: Buybacks $262MFY2022: Dividends $34.5M$1.5BFY2022FY2023: Operating cash flow −$15.7MFY2023: Net borrowing $188MFY2023: Shares issued $12.7MFY2023: Asset sales $60.0MFY2023: Capital spending $204MFY2023: Acquisitions $75.1MFY2023: Buybacks $178MFY2023: Dividends $40.0M$757MFY2023FY2024: Operating cash flow $109MFY2024: Net borrowing $234MFY2024: Shares issued $5.7MFY2024: Asset sales $63.8MFY2024: Capital spending $187MFY2024: Acquisitions $54.8MFY2024: Buybacks $34.4MFY2024: Dividends $40.8M$730MFY2024FY2025: Operating cash flow $567MFY2025: Net borrowing $480MFY2025: Shares issued $500KFY2025: Asset sales $91.2MFY2025: Capital spending $150MFY2025: Acquisitions $440MFY2025: Buybacks $82.4MFY2025: Dividends $48.8M$1.9BFY2025
Over these 5 years operating cash flow totalled $1.4B; the largest uses were operating cash flow ($15.7M). Cash-flow statements as filed.

Cash runway and the debt wall

Cash & investments$10.7M
Debt$1.7B
Net debt$1.7B
Due within a year$193M

Sonic Automotive funds itself: free cash flow was $91.2M over the last twelve months, and $10.7M of cash and investments stands against $1.7B of debt ($193M due within a year, 0.1× covered by cash).

Where the cash came from and went

Sonic Automotive: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Sonic Automotive: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Other financing$138MAcquisitions−$103MCapital spending−$69.2MOperating cash flow$50.2MNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$15.2MDividends−$12.9MCash drawn (+) / kept (−)$8.5MAsset & business sales$3.3MShares issued$200K
Sonic Automotive: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Sonic Automotive: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Other investing−$1.2BAcquisitions$711MNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)$681MOther financing−$509MAsset & business sales$95.9MCash drawn (+) / kept (−)$78.7MOperating cash flow$52.4MDividends$46.4MCapital spending$38.8MBuybacks−$15.5MShares issued$200K

From profit to cash

Sonic Automotive: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Sonic Automotive: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Net income$41.1MDepreciation & amortization$38.3MStock-based pay$6.8MDeferred taxes−$4.0MReceivables$36.1MInventory−$101MPayables$30.4MPrepaid and other assets$11.0MOperating cash flow$50.2M
Non-cash charges are added back; money tied up in receivables or inventory is subtracted.
QuarterReceivable daysInventory daysPayable daysCash conversion cycle
Q3 2026965470
Q2 20261061466
Q1 20261160566
Q4 20251157563
Q3 20251057562
Q2 20251160566
Q1 20251256563
Q4 20241154460

Every quarter

QuarterOperating cash flowCapital spendingAcquisitionsBuybacksDividendsNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)Shares issuedCash drawn (+) / kept (−)Free cash flow
Q3 2026$50.2M−$69.2M−$103M—−$12.9M−$15.2M$200K$8.5M−$19.0M
Q2 2026−$100M−$118M—−$6.3M−$12.5M−$2.0M—−$13.5M−$218M
Q1 2026$35.5M−$37.0M—−$136M−$12.8M$109M—$600K−$1.5M
Q4 2025$66.9M$262M$881M$126M$84.6M$590M—$83.1M$329M
Q3 2025$168M−$33.5M−$80.4M—−$12.0M−$34.2M$400K$21.0M$134M
Q2 2025$137M−$34.1M—−$8.8M−$11.9M−$54.2M—−$45.8M$103M
Q1 2025$196M−$45.0M—−$35.3M−$11.9M−$20.9M$100K−$20.6M$151M
Q4 2024$87.7M$333M$54.8M$61.5M$71.4M$220M$900K−$26.4M$421M

Sonic Automotive: income statement and cash flow

Sonic Automotive, Q2 2026: revenue $3.9B (+8% year over year), operating margin 3.3%. The chart follows the revenue to costs, profit and cash.

Sonic Automotive: every quarter, Q/Q and Y/Y → Open in the app

Read automatically from the company’s XBRL cash-flow statements; quarterly figures for the fourth quarter are the year less the first three. Errors are possible. Not investment advice.