Return on Retained Earnings (RORE) is an indicator of a company's growth potential, it shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings, i.e. profits after dividend payments.
Sonic Automotive's 3-Year RORE % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was -15.72%.
The industry rank for Sonic Automotive's 3-Year RORE % or its related term are showing as below:
SAH's 3-Year RORE % is ranked worse than 67.25% of 1255
companies
in the Vehicles & Parts industry
Industry Median: 3.85
vs SAH: -15.72
Sonic Automotive (NYSE:SAH) 3-Year RORE % Explanation
Return on Retained Earnings (RORE) is important to investors because it reveals a company's efficiency and growth potential. A higher RORE indicates a higher return. A high RORE indicates that the company should reinvest profits into the business. A lower RORE suggests that the company should distribute profits to shareholders by paying out dividends, since those dollars aren't generating much additional growth for the company.
There are a several different ways to arrive at the Return on Retained Earnings. The simplest way to calculate it is by using published information on Earnings per Share (EPS) and Dividend per Share (DPS) over a selected period. Here, 3-year period is chosen.
Be Aware
Please keep in mind that the RORE is relative to the nature of the business and its competitors. If another company in the same sector is producing a lower return on retained earnings, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad investment. It may just suggest the company is older and no longer in a high growth stage. At such a stage in the business cycle, it would be expected to see a lower RORE and higher dividend payout.
Sonic Automotive 3-Year RORE % Related Terms
Sonic Automotive 3-Year RORE % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Sonic Automotive's 3-Year RORE % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Auto & Truck Dealerships subindustry, Sonic Automotive's 3-Year RORE %, along with its competitors' market caps and 3-Year RORE % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Sonic Automotive 3-Year RORE % vs Vehicles & Parts Industry
For the Vehicles & Parts industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Sonic Automotive's 3-Year RORE % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Sonic Automotive's 3-Year RORE % falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of 3-Year RORE %, the most recent and first period EPS (Diluted) is the trailing twelve months (TTM) data ended in Mar. 2026 and 3-year before.
Sonic Automotive (SAH) has a 3-Year RORE % of -15.72 as of Mar. 2026. 3-Year RORE % shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings in 3-year. View historical data on Sonic Automotive and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Sonic Automotive ranks #844 out of 1255 companies in the Vehicles & Parts industry, placing it in the top 67.3%.
Is Sonic Automotive's 3-Year RORE % too high?
Sonic Automotive's current 3-Year RORE % is -15.72. Based on the distribution chart, Sonic Automotive ranks #844 out of 1255 companies in the Vehicles & Parts industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Sonic Automotive has a GF Score™ of 82/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Sonic Automotive's 3-Year RORE % compare to CARG and DRVN?
According to the Vehicles & Parts industry distribution chart, Sonic Automotive ranks #844 out of 1255 companies for 3-Year RORE %. This places Sonic Automotive in the lower half of its industry. The industry median 3-Year RORE % is 3.85. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 3-Year RORE % for a Vehicles & Parts company?
The median 3-Year RORE % among Vehicles & Parts companies is 3.85, based on 1,255 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a 3-Year RORE % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, 3-Year RORE % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high 3-Year RORE % mean?
A high 3-Year RORE % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. 3-Year RORE % shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings in 3-year. View historical data on Sonic Automotive and its competitors. For the Vehicles & Parts industry, the median 3-Year RORE % is 3.85 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Sonic Automotive's current 3-Year RORE % is -15.72. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Sonic Automotive stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sonic Automotive (SAH) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $64.40, compared to a current price of $83.73 — trading 30% above its estimated fair value. The current 3-Year RORE % is -15.72. Sonic Automotive's overall GF Score™ is 82/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 3-Year RORE % calculated?
3-Year RORE % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Sonic Automotive (SAH), the current 3-Year RORE % is -15.72 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Sonic Automotive (SAH) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sonic Automotive stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $83.73 is trading 30% above its estimated GF Value™ of $64.40.
GuruFocus considers Sonic Automotive to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for SAH:
3-Year RORE %: -15.72
GF Value™: $64.40 vs. price of $83.73 (30% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the SAH stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Sonic Automotive is one of the largest auto dealership groups in the United States. The company has 107 franchised stores in 18 states, primarily in metropolitan areas in California, Texas, and the Southeast, plus 18 EchoPark used-vehicle stores in 10 states, 16 collision centers, and 20 powersports locations. The franchise stores derive revenue from new and used vehicles plus parts and collision repair, finance, insurance, and wholesale auctions. Luxury and import dealerships make up about 86% of franchise new-vehicle revenue, while Honda, BMW, Mercedes, and Toyota constitute about 56% of new-vehicle revenue. BMW is the largest brand at about 23%. 2025 revenue was $15.2 billion, with Texas and California constituting 51% of the total. EchoPark's portion was $2.1 billion.
82GF Score
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