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Side-by-side financial comparison of LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (LPLA) and SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC (SAH). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
LPL Financial Holdings Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.9B vs $3.9B, roughly 1.3× SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC). LPL Financial Holdings Inc. runs the higher net margin — 6.1% vs 1.2%, a 4.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, LPL Financial Holdings Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (40.4% vs -0.6%). LPL Financial Holdings Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($613.3M vs $-195.6M). Over the past eight quarters, LPL Financial Holdings Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (32.0% CAGR vs 7.0%).
LPL Financial Holdings Inc. was founded in 1989 and is considered the largest independent broker-dealer in the United States. As of 2021 the company had more than 17,500 financial advisors, over US$1 trillion in advisory and brokerage assets, and generated approximately $10.3 billion in annual revenue for the 2023 fiscal year. LPL Financial has main offices in Boston, Fort Mill, Austin, and San Diego. The company is a member of FINRA and the SIPC.
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.
LPLA vs SAH — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $4.9B | $3.9B |
| Net Profit | $300.7M | $46.9M |
| Gross Margin | — | 15.5% |
| Operating Margin | 8.1% | 3.2% |
| Net Margin | 6.1% | 1.2% |
| Revenue YoY | 40.4% | -0.6% |
| Net Profit YoY | 11.1% | -20.0% |
| EPS (diluted) | $3.65 | $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 | $4.9B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.6B | $4.0B | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.8B | $3.7B | ||
| Q1 25 | $3.7B | $3.7B | ||
| Q4 24 | $3.5B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $3.1B | $3.5B | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.9B | $3.5B | ||
| Q1 24 | $2.8B | $3.4B |
| Q4 25 | $300.7M | $46.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-29.5M | $46.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $273.2M | $-45.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $318.6M | $70.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $270.7M | $58.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $255.3M | $74.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $243.8M | $41.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $288.8M | $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 | 8.1% | 3.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | -0.7% | 3.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 9.6% | -0.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 11.4% | 4.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 9.7% | 3.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 11.2% | 3.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 11.3% | 3.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | 13.2% | 3.2% |
| Q4 25 | 6.1% | 1.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | -0.6% | 1.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 7.1% | -1.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | 8.7% | 1.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 7.7% | 1.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 8.2% | 2.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 8.3% | 1.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | 10.2% | 1.2% |
| Q4 25 | $3.65 | $1.39 | ||
| Q3 25 | $-0.37 | $1.33 | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.40 | $-1.34 | ||
| Q1 25 | $4.24 | $2.04 | ||
| Q4 24 | $3.58 | $1.67 | ||
| Q3 24 | $3.39 | $2.13 | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.23 | $1.18 | ||
| Q1 24 | $3.83 | $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 | $1.1B | $6.3M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $7.3B | $1.6B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $5.3B | $1.1B |
| Total Assets | $18.5B | $6.0B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 1.36× | 1.51× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $1.1B | $6.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.6B | $89.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $4.3B | $110.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.4B | $64.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.0B | $44.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.6B | $17.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.4B | $67.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.2B | $15.1M |
| Q4 25 | $7.3B | $1.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $7.5B | $1.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $7.2B | $1.5B | ||
| Q1 25 | $5.7B | $1.6B | ||
| Q4 24 | $5.5B | $1.6B | ||
| Q3 24 | $4.4B | $1.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.4B | $1.7B | ||
| Q1 24 | $3.9B | $1.7B |
| Q4 25 | $5.3B | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $5.0B | $1.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $5.1B | $1.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $3.1B | $1.1B | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.9B | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.8B | $1.0B | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.5B | $944.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $2.3B | $904.4M |
| Q4 25 | $18.5B | $6.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | $18.0B | $6.0B | ||
| Q2 25 | $17.5B | $5.9B | ||
| Q1 25 | $14.0B | $5.9B | ||
| Q4 24 | $13.3B | $5.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $11.9B | $5.8B | ||
| Q2 24 | $11.5B | $5.8B | ||
| Q1 24 | $11.0B | $5.4B |
| Q4 25 | 1.36× | 1.51× | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.49× | 1.39× | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.41× | 1.48× | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.82× | 1.44× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.87× | 1.49× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.60× | 1.67× | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.77× | 1.81× | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.70× | 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 | $785.0M | $66.9M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $613.3M | $-195.6M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 12.4% | -5.1% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 3.5% | 6.8% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 2.61× | 1.43× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $-981.8M | $192.3M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $785.0M | $66.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-1.7B | $167.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $193.3M | $136.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $339.8M | $195.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-178.8M | $87.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $209.3M | $87.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-178.9M | $-136.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $425.9M | $70.1M |
| Q4 25 | $613.3M | $-195.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-1.9B | $134.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $56.3M | $102.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $220.3M | $150.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-344.3M | $-245.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $62.3M | $34.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-307.8M | $-185.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $304.9M | $26.3M |
| Q4 25 | 12.4% | -5.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | -41.1% | 3.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.5% | 2.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 6.0% | 4.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | -9.8% | -6.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | 2.0% | 1.0% | ||
| Q2 24 | -10.5% | -5.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 10.8% | 0.8% |
| Q4 25 | 3.5% | 6.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 3.1% | 0.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.6% | 0.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 3.3% | 1.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 4.7% | 8.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 4.7% | 1.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.4% | 1.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 4.3% | 1.3% |
| Q4 25 | 2.61× | 1.43× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 3.59× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.71× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.07× | 2.77× | ||
| Q4 24 | -0.66× | 1.50× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.82× | 1.18× | ||
| Q2 24 | -0.73× | -3.31× | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.47× | 1.67× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
LPLA
Segment breakdown not available.
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% |
