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Side-by-side financial comparison of ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC. (ALK) and SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC (SAH). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.7B vs $3.3B, roughly 1.1× ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.). SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC runs the higher net margin — 1.6% vs -5.8%, a 7.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (5.2% vs 1.0%). Over the past eight quarters, ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (6.7% CAGR vs 3.4%).

Alaska Air Group, Inc. is an American airline holding company based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. The group owns two mainline carriers, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, along with a regional airline, Horizon Air. Alaska Airlines in turn wholly owns an aircraft ground handling company, McGee Air Services.

Sonic Automotive is a Fortune 500 company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the fifth largest automotive retailer in the United States as measured by total revenues. The company was founded by O Bruton Smith and completed its initial public offering on the NYSE in 1997.

ALK vs SAH — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SAH
SAH
1.1× larger
SAH
$3.7B
$3.3B
ALK
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ALK
ALK
+4.2% gap
ALK
5.2%
1.0%
SAH
Higher net margin
SAH
SAH
7.5% more per $
SAH
1.6%
-5.8%
ALK
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ALK
ALK
Annualised
ALK
6.7%
3.4%
SAH

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Revenue
$3.3B
$3.7B
Net Profit
$-193.0M
$60.8M
Gross Margin
16.2%
Operating Margin
-8.5%
3.1%
Net Margin
-5.8%
1.6%
Revenue YoY
5.2%
1.0%
Net Profit YoY
EPS (diluted)
$-1.69
$1.79

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$3.3B
$3.7B
Q4 25
$3.6B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$3.8B
$4.0B
Q2 25
$3.7B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$3.1B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$3.5B
$3.9B
Q3 24
$3.1B
$3.5B
Q2 24
$2.9B
$3.5B
Net Profit
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$-193.0M
$60.8M
Q4 25
$21.0M
$46.9M
Q3 25
$73.0M
$46.8M
Q2 25
$172.0M
$-45.6M
Q1 25
$-166.0M
$70.6M
Q4 24
$71.0M
$58.6M
Q3 24
$236.0M
$74.2M
Q2 24
$220.0M
$41.2M
Gross Margin
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
16.2%
Q4 25
15.5%
Q3 25
15.5%
Q2 25
16.5%
Q1 25
15.5%
Q4 24
14.7%
Q3 24
15.6%
Q2 24
15.6%
Operating Margin
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
-8.5%
3.1%
Q4 25
2.1%
3.2%
Q3 25
3.9%
3.1%
Q2 25
7.5%
-0.6%
Q1 25
-6.3%
4.0%
Q4 24
2.1%
3.4%
Q3 24
11.1%
3.3%
Q2 24
11.1%
3.1%
Net Margin
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
-5.8%
1.6%
Q4 25
0.6%
1.2%
Q3 25
1.9%
1.2%
Q2 25
4.6%
-1.2%
Q1 25
-5.3%
1.9%
Q4 24
2.0%
1.5%
Q3 24
7.7%
2.1%
Q2 24
7.6%
1.2%
EPS (diluted)
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$-1.69
$1.79
Q4 25
$0.14
$1.39
Q3 25
$0.62
$1.33
Q2 25
$1.42
$-1.34
Q1 25
$-1.35
$2.04
Q4 24
$0.58
$1.67
Q3 24
$1.84
$2.13
Q2 24
$1.71
$1.18

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$451.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$5.3B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.7B
Total Assets
$20.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.43×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$451.0M
Q4 25
$627.0M
$6.3M
Q3 25
$2.3B
$89.4M
Q2 25
$2.1B
$110.4M
Q1 25
$2.5B
$64.6M
Q4 24
$2.5B
$44.0M
Q3 24
$2.5B
$17.6M
Q2 24
$2.5B
$67.2M
Total Debt
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$5.3B
Q4 25
$4.8B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$5.0B
$1.5B
Q2 25
$4.9B
$1.5B
Q1 25
$4.8B
$1.6B
Q4 24
$4.5B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$4.6B
$1.7B
Q2 24
$2.7B
$1.7B
Stockholders' Equity
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$3.7B
Q4 25
$4.1B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$4.0B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$3.9B
$1.0B
Q1 25
$4.1B
$1.1B
Q4 24
$4.4B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$4.5B
$1.0B
Q2 24
$4.2B
$944.7M
Total Assets
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$20.3B
Q4 25
$20.4B
$6.0B
Q3 25
$20.0B
$6.0B
Q2 25
$19.9B
$5.9B
Q1 25
$19.8B
$5.9B
Q4 24
$19.8B
$5.9B
Q3 24
$19.6B
$5.8B
Q2 24
$15.3B
$5.8B
Debt / Equity
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
1.43×
Q4 25
1.17×
1.51×
Q3 25
1.24×
1.39×
Q2 25
1.26×
1.48×
Q1 25
1.16×
1.44×
Q4 24
1.04×
1.49×
Q3 24
1.03×
1.67×
Q2 24
0.63×
1.81×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$229.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
10.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$229.0M
Q4 25
$185.0M
$66.9M
Q3 25
$229.0M
$167.9M
Q2 25
$376.0M
$136.8M
Q1 25
$459.0M
$195.8M
Q4 24
$274.0M
$87.7M
Q3 24
$318.0M
$87.8M
Q2 24
$580.0M
$-136.4M
Free Cash Flow
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-195.6M
Q3 25
$134.4M
Q2 25
$102.7M
Q1 25
$150.8M
Q4 24
$-245.5M
Q3 24
$34.5M
Q2 24
$-185.2M
FCF Margin
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
-5.1%
Q3 25
3.4%
Q2 25
2.8%
Q1 25
4.1%
Q4 24
-6.3%
Q3 24
1.0%
Q2 24
-5.4%
Capex Intensity
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
10.2%
Q4 25
6.8%
Q3 25
0.8%
Q2 25
0.9%
Q1 25
1.2%
Q4 24
8.6%
Q3 24
1.5%
Q2 24
1.4%
Cash Conversion
ALK
ALK
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
8.81×
1.43×
Q3 25
3.14×
3.59×
Q2 25
2.19×
Q1 25
2.77×
Q4 24
3.86×
1.50×
Q3 24
1.35×
1.18×
Q2 24
2.64×
-3.31×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ALK
ALK

Passenger revenue$2.9B88%
Loyalty program other revenue$227.0M7%
Cargo and other revenue$153.0M5%

SAH
SAH

Retail new vehicles$1.6B44%
Used vehicles$1.3B34%
Parts, service and collision repair$516.6M14%
Finance, insurance and other, net$202.4M5%
Wholesale vehicles$71.8M2%
Fleet new vehicles$20.7M1%

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