What Is Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s (NYSE:SAH) Share Price Doing?

Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:SAH), might not be a large cap stock, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the NYSE over the last few months, increasing to US$61.29 at one point, and dropping to the lows of US$47.21. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Sonic Automotive's current trading price of US$50.62 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at Sonic Automotive’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

View our latest analysis for Sonic Automotive

What Is Sonic Automotive Worth?

Sonic Automotive is currently expensive based on my price multiple model, where I look at the company's price-to-earnings ratio in comparison to the industry average. In this instance, I’ve used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock’s cash flows. I find that Sonic Automotive’s ratio of 20.62x is above its peer average of 10.03x, which suggests the stock is trading at a higher price compared to the Specialty Retail industry. If you like the stock, you may want to keep an eye out for a potential price decline in the future. Given that Sonic Automotive’s share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us another chance to buy in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What does the future of Sonic Automotive look like?

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Although value investors would argue that it’s the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Sonic Automotive's earnings over the next few years are expected to double, indicating a very optimistic future ahead. This should lead to stronger cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? SAH’s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading above industry price multiples. However, this brings up another question – is now the right time to sell? If you believe SAH should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on SAH for some time, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its industry peers, which means it is likely that there is no more upside from mispricing. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for SAH, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

If you'd like to know more about Sonic Automotive as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. For example, Sonic Automotive has 4 warning signs (and 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) we think you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in Sonic Automotive, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This 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.