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Side-by-side financial comparison of Interpublic Group of Companies (The) (IPG) 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 $2.1B, roughly 1.7× Interpublic Group of Companies (The)). Interpublic Group of Companies (The) runs the higher net margin — 5.8% vs 1.6%, a 4.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (1.0% vs -4.8%). Over the past eight quarters, SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC's revenue compounded faster (3.4% CAGR vs -9.1%).

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG) was an American advertising company based in New York City. It consisted of the five major networks FCB, IPG Mediabrands, McCann Worldgroup, MullenLowe Group and Marketing Specialists, as well as several independent specialty agencies in the areas of public relations, sports marketing, talent representation and healthcare. Prior to the Omnicom acquisition, it was one of the "Big Four" agency companies, alongside WPP, Publicis, and Omnicom. The co...

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.

IPG vs SAH — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SAH
SAH
1.7× larger
SAH
$3.7B
$2.1B
IPG
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SAH
SAH
+5.8% gap
SAH
1.0%
-4.8%
IPG
Higher net margin
IPG
IPG
4.2% more per $
IPG
5.8%
1.6%
SAH
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SAH
SAH
Annualised
SAH
3.4%
-9.1%
IPG

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Revenue
$2.1B
$3.7B
Net Profit
$124.2M
$60.8M
Gross Margin
16.2%
Operating Margin
10.3%
3.1%
Net Margin
5.8%
1.6%
Revenue YoY
-4.8%
1.0%
Net Profit YoY
517.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.34
$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
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$3.7B
Q4 25
$3.9B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$4.0B
Q2 25
$2.2B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$2.0B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$2.4B
$3.9B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$3.5B
Q2 24
$2.3B
$3.5B
Net Profit
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$60.8M
Q4 25
$46.9M
Q3 25
$124.2M
$46.8M
Q2 25
$162.5M
$-45.6M
Q1 25
$-85.4M
$70.6M
Q4 24
$344.5M
$58.6M
Q3 24
$20.1M
$74.2M
Q2 24
$214.5M
$41.2M
Gross Margin
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
16.2%
Q4 25
15.5%
Q3 25
15.5%
Q2 25
16.5%
Q1 25
-3.2%
15.5%
Q4 24
10.1%
14.7%
Q3 24
2.9%
15.6%
Q2 24
1.2%
15.6%
Operating Margin
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
3.1%
Q4 25
3.2%
Q3 25
10.3%
3.1%
Q2 25
11.2%
-0.6%
Q1 25
-2.1%
4.0%
Q4 24
23.3%
3.4%
Q3 24
5.9%
3.3%
Q2 24
13.7%
3.1%
Net Margin
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
1.6%
Q4 25
1.2%
Q3 25
5.8%
1.2%
Q2 25
7.5%
-1.2%
Q1 25
-4.3%
1.9%
Q4 24
14.1%
1.5%
Q3 24
0.9%
2.1%
Q2 24
9.2%
1.2%
EPS (diluted)
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
$1.79
Q4 25
$1.39
Q3 25
$0.34
$1.33
Q2 25
$0.44
$-1.34
Q1 25
$-0.23
$2.04
Q4 24
$0.92
$1.67
Q3 24
$0.05
$2.13
Q2 24
$0.57
$1.18

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.7B
Total Assets
$17.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
$6.3M
Q3 25
$1.5B
$89.4M
Q2 25
$1.6B
$110.4M
Q1 25
$1.9B
$64.6M
Q4 24
$2.2B
$44.0M
Q3 24
$1.5B
$17.6M
Q2 24
$1.5B
$67.2M
Total Debt
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
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
Stockholders' Equity
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.1B
Q3 25
$3.7B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$3.7B
$1.0B
Q1 25
$3.6B
$1.1B
Q4 24
$3.8B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$3.7B
$1.0B
Q2 24
$3.8B
$944.7M
Total Assets
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
$6.0B
Q3 25
$17.0B
$6.0B
Q2 25
$17.0B
$5.9B
Q1 25
$17.1B
$5.9B
Q4 24
$18.3B
$5.9B
Q3 24
$17.1B
$5.8B
Q2 24
$17.0B
$5.8B
Debt / Equity
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
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×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$180.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$153.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.45×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$806.8M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
$66.9M
Q3 25
$180.1M
$167.9M
Q2 25
$-96.0M
$136.8M
Q1 25
$-37.0M
$195.8M
Q4 24
$868.1M
$87.7M
Q3 24
$223.8M
$87.8M
Q2 24
$120.7M
$-136.4M
Free Cash Flow
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-195.6M
Q3 25
$153.6M
$134.4M
Q2 25
$-121.8M
$102.7M
Q1 25
$-58.5M
$150.8M
Q4 24
$833.5M
$-245.5M
Q3 24
$186.5M
$34.5M
Q2 24
$85.9M
$-185.2M
FCF Margin
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
-5.1%
Q3 25
7.2%
3.4%
Q2 25
-5.6%
2.8%
Q1 25
-2.9%
4.1%
Q4 24
34.2%
-6.3%
Q3 24
8.3%
1.0%
Q2 24
3.7%
-5.4%
Capex Intensity
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
6.8%
Q3 25
1.2%
0.8%
Q2 25
1.2%
0.9%
Q1 25
1.1%
1.2%
Q4 24
1.4%
8.6%
Q3 24
1.7%
1.5%
Q2 24
1.5%
1.4%
Cash Conversion
IPG
IPG
SAH
SAH
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.43×
Q3 25
1.45×
3.59×
Q2 25
-0.59×
Q1 25
2.77×
Q4 24
2.52×
1.50×
Q3 24
11.13×
1.18×
Q2 24
0.56×
-3.31×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

IPG
IPG

MDE$619.0M29%
IAC$574.9M27%
Other$527.9M25%
SCE$413.8M19%

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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