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Side-by-side financial comparison of CMS Energy (CMS) 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 ($3.9B vs $2.1B, roughly 1.8× CMS Energy). CMS Energy runs the higher net margin — 13.5% vs 1.2%, a 12.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CMS Energy posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (13.0% vs -0.6%). Over the past eight quarters, SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC's revenue compounded faster (7.0% CAGR vs -0.2%).
CMS Energy Corporation is an American energy company based in Jackson, Michigan, that is focused principally on utility operations in Michigan. Its principal business is Consumers Energy, a public utility that provides electricity and natural gas to more than 6 million of Michigan's 10 million residents. Its non-utility businesses are focused primarily on domestic independent power production. Consumers Energy has operated since 1886.
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.
CMS vs SAH — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2.1B | $3.9B |
| Net Profit | $289.0M | $46.9M |
| Gross Margin | — | 15.5% |
| Operating Margin | 20.4% | 3.2% |
| Net Margin | 13.5% | 1.2% |
| Revenue YoY | 13.0% | -0.6% |
| Net Profit YoY | 9.1% | -20.0% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.94 | $1.39 |
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.
| Q4 25 | $2.1B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.0B | $4.0B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.8B | $3.7B | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.4B | $3.7B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.9B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.7B | $3.5B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.6B | $3.5B | ||
| Q1 24 | $2.1B | $3.4B |
| Q4 25 | $289.0M | $46.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $277.0M | $46.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $201.0M | $-45.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $304.0M | $70.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $265.0M | $58.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $253.0M | $74.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $198.0M | $41.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $287.0M | $42.0M |
| 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% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 15.8% |
| Q4 25 | 20.4% | 3.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 24.4% | 3.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 17.6% | -0.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 20.6% | 4.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 22.5% | 3.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 21.4% | 3.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 18.0% | 3.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | 19.2% | 3.2% |
| Q4 25 | 13.5% | 1.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 14.0% | 1.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 11.2% | -1.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | 12.7% | 1.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 14.0% | 1.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 14.8% | 2.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 12.6% | 1.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | 13.4% | 1.2% |
| Q4 25 | $0.94 | $1.39 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.92 | $1.33 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.66 | $-1.34 | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.01 | $2.04 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.88 | $1.67 | ||
| Q3 24 | $0.84 | $2.13 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.65 | $1.18 | ||
| Q1 24 | $0.96 | $1.20 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $509.0M | $6.3M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | — | $1.6B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $9.1B | $1.1B |
| Total Assets | $39.9B | $6.0B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | 1.51× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $509.0M | $6.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | $362.0M | $89.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $844.0M | $110.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $465.0M | $64.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $103.0M | $44.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $412.0M | $17.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $699.0M | $67.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $802.0M | $15.1M |
| Q4 25 | — | $1.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $1.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $1.5B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $1.6B | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $1.6B | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $1.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | — | $1.7B | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $1.7B |
| Q4 25 | $9.1B | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $8.9B | $1.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $8.4B | $1.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $8.3B | $1.1B | ||
| Q4 24 | $8.2B | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $8.1B | $1.0B | ||
| Q2 24 | $8.0B | $944.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $7.9B | $904.4M |
| Q4 25 | $39.9B | $6.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | $38.0B | $6.0B | ||
| Q2 25 | $37.7B | $5.9B | ||
| Q1 25 | $36.3B | $5.9B | ||
| Q4 24 | $35.9B | $5.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $34.8B | $5.8B | ||
| Q2 24 | $34.4B | $5.8B | ||
| Q1 24 | $33.9B | $5.4B |
| Q4 25 | — | 1.51× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 1.39× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 1.48× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 1.44× | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 1.49× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 1.67× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 1.81× | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 1.83× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $478.0M | $66.9M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | — | $-195.6M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | — | -5.1% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | — | 6.8% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 1.65× | 1.43× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | $192.3M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $478.0M | $66.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $343.0M | $167.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $414.0M | $136.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.0B | $195.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $403.0M | $87.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $304.0M | $87.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $707.0M | $-136.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $956.0M | $70.1M |
| Q4 25 | — | $-195.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-635.0M | $134.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-470.0M | $102.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $112.0M | $150.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $-245.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-502.0M | $34.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $26.0M | $-185.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $343.0M | $26.3M |
| Q4 25 | — | -5.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | -32.2% | 3.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | -26.1% | 2.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 4.7% | 4.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | -6.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | -29.3% | 1.0% | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.6% | -5.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 16.0% | 0.8% |
| Q4 25 | — | 6.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 49.5% | 0.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 49.2% | 0.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 37.0% | 1.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 8.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 47.1% | 1.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 43.2% | 1.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 28.6% | 1.3% |
| Q4 25 | 1.65× | 1.43× | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.24× | 3.59× | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.06× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 3.29× | 2.77× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.52× | 1.50× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.20× | 1.18× | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.57× | -3.31× | ||
| Q1 24 | 3.33× | 1.67× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
CMS
| Electric Utility | $1.3B | 59% |
| Gas Utility | $803.0M | 38% |
| North Star Clean Energy | $77.0M | 4% |
SAH
| Retail New Vehicles | $1.9B | 48% |
| Other | $1.2B | 31% |
| Parts Serviceand Collision Repair | $515.2M | 13% |
| Finance Insurance And Other Net | $202.2M | 5% |
| Wholesale Vehicles | $63.9M | 2% |
| Fleet New Vehicles | $24.0M | 1% |
