Sonic Automotive, Inc.
S&P 600
Cash Flow
Cash Flow Breakdown
Figures in US$OperatingInvestingFinancing
How to read this: the three bars show where cash moved each year. Operating is cash from the core business (you generally want this positive and growing). Investing is usually negative — money spent on assets or acquisitions. Financing shows money raised from, or returned to, lenders and shareholders. Bars above the line are cash in; bars below are cash out.
Operating Cash Flow vs Capex
Figures in US$Operating Cash FlowCapital Expenditure
How to read this: operating cash flow is the cash the business generated; capital expenditure is what it spent on long-term assets like plant and equipment. The gap between them is roughly free cash flow — the cash left over. A wide gap (operating well above capex) means the business funds its investment comfortably from its own earnings.
| Period | Operating Cash Flow | Investing Cash Flow | Financing Cash Flow | Capital Expenditure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2014 | $161.05M | $-108.35M | $-51.53M | $146.43M |
| FY2015 | $69.72M | $-163.87M | $93.60M | $173.25M |
| FY2016 | $216.37M | $-220.77M | $3.89M | $206.23M |
| FY2017 | $162.88M | $-272.11M | $112.47M | $234.25M |
| FY2018 | $143.68M | $-15.33M | $-128.84M | $163.62M |
| FY2019 | $170.80M | $136.80M | $-284.40M | $125.60M |
| FY2020 | $281.10M | $-100.20M | $-39.70M | $127.20M |
| FY2021 | $306.30M | $-1.30B | $1.12B | $-298.20M |
| FY2022 | $406.10M | $-299.70M | $-176.60M | $-227.10M |
| FY2023 | $-15.70M | $-218.70M | $34.10M | $-203.60M |
| FY2024 | $109.20M | $-178.30M | $84.30M | $-187.30M |
| FY2025 | $567.40M | $-499.00M | $-106.10M | $-149.90M |
Figures in USD. Educational data only.
Understanding these terms
Plain-English explanations of each figure in the table above, and what a beginner typically looks at. These are educational descriptions only, not advice.
- Operating Cash Flow
- Cash produced by the company's core operations during the period. The US equivalent of "Cash from Operating Activity".How a beginner reads it: A beginner uses this as a reality check on profit, since it reflects cash actually collected. Healthy, consistent operating cash flow underpins a company's ability to invest and repay debt.
- Investing Cash Flow
- Cash used for or generated by buying and selling long-term assets and investments. The US equivalent of "Cash from Investing Activity".How a beginner reads it: A beginner expects this to be negative for companies investing in growth. Reading it next to operating cash flow shows whether the business funds its investments from its own earnings.
- Financing Cash Flow
- Cash flows with lenders and shareholders — borrowing, repaying, issuing shares, buybacks, and dividends. The US equivalent of "Cash from Financing Activity".How a beginner reads it: A beginner reads this to understand whether the company is taking in money (borrowing/issuing) or paying it out (repaying/dividends), and how that fits the operating picture.
- Capital Expenditure
- Money spent on buying or upgrading long-lived assets like plant, equipment, and buildings. Often shortened to "capex".How a beginner reads it: A beginner reads capex against operating cash flow to see whether a company funds its investment from its own earnings. Operating cash flow minus capex is roughly free cash flow.