AutoZone vs Sonic Automotive
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KIRA’s take AI analyst
I put AutoZone and Sonic Automotive side by side, using each one’s latest annual report. Here is what stands out:
- AutoZone is the larger business, with $18.9B of revenue in fiscal 2025 against $15.2B for Sonic Automotive.
- Sonic Automotive grew revenue faster (6.5%, against 2.4%).
- AutoZone kept more of each dollar of sales as operating profit (19.1% operating margin, against 2.4%).
- AutoZone turned more of its sales into free cash flow (9.5% FCF margin, against 2.8%).
- AutoZone earned a higher return on the capital invested in it (58.2%, against 12.2%).
- Investors pay more for each dollar of AutoZone’s earnings: a P/E of 21.9x against 9.8x for Sonic Automotive.
Who comes out ahead
Of the 10 measures where higher (or lower) is clearly better, how many each company leads.
AutoZone
AZO
7/10
Gross marginOperating marginNet marginFCF marginReturn on capitalNet debt / EBITDAShare count change
Sonic Automotive
SAH
2/10
Revenue growth5-year growth
Side by side
Best in the row
| Latest fiscal year | AZO FY25 | SAH FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ||
| Market cap | $53.9B | $2.0B |
| Revenue | $18.9B | $15.2B |
| Free cash flow | $1.8B | $418M |
| Net income | $2.5B | $119M |
| Growth | ||
| Revenue growth | 2.4% | 6.5% |
| 5-year growth | 8.4% | 9.2% |
| Share count change | −3.1% | −0.9% |
| Profitability | ||
| Gross margin | 52.6% | 15.7% |
| Operating margin | 19.1% | 2.4% |
| Net margin | 13.2% | 0.8% |
| FCF margin | 9.5% | 2.8% |
| Return on capital | 58.2% | 12.2% |
| Return on equity | — | 11.1% |
| Balance sheet | ||
| Net debt | $8.9B | $2.0B |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 2.1x | 3.7x |
| Dividends and buybacks | $1.6B | $131M |
| Valuation & quality | ||
| P/E | 21.9x | 9.8x |
| Piotroski F-score | 6 | 6 |
Ten years
Revenue
Operating margin
Free cash flow
Return on capital
Each company's latest fiscal year; fiscal years end in different months. The best value in each row is highlighted where higher (or lower) is clearly better. Not investment advice.