North Carolina › Retail trade › 5,000 to 24,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Sonic Automotive, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Sponsored by Sonic Automotive, Inc., Charlotte, NC
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
In the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, Sonic Automotive, Inc. 401(k) Plan covered 9,986 participants and held $548M in net assets. The plan is a 401(k) plan sponsored by Sonic Automotive, Inc. of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Net assets came to $54,909 per participant, below the $64,499 median for defined contribution plans with 5,000 to 24,999 participants and well above the $36,708 median for defined contribution plans in retail trade. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
The employer contributed $8.2M during the year, or $977 per active participant against a same-size median of $2,424; participants contributed $35.2M and $4.1M arrived as rollovers and other contributions. Benefits paid out totalled $60.2M.
Schedule C lists 2 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $484K: $48.42 per participant, below the same-size median of $53.38. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $429K. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $151M in 2009 to $548M in 2024 (up 262%), and participants from 13,904 to 9,986 (down 28%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified), from an audit whose scope was limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C) to exclude investment information certified by a bank or insurer.
Compared with similar plans
| Measure | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DC plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $54,909 | $64,499 | $36,708 | $53,102 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $977 | $2,424 | $999 | $2,175 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $48.42 | $53.38 | $121 | $123 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.36% | 0.26% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $42.95 | $54.85 | $114 | $116 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined contribution plans with 100 or more participants: 5,000 to 24,999 participants (2,605 plans), retail trade (3,794) and all US plans (63,460). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9,986 | $548M | $54,909 | $8.2M | $35.2M | $484K |
| 2023 | 9,948 | $491M | $49,352 | $7.8M | $33.3M | $323K |
| 2022 | 9,656 | $424M | $43,950 | $8.0M | $31.0M | $370K |
| 2021 | 8,657 | $454M | $52,464 | $6.6M | $27.3M | $365K |
| 2020 | 8,708 | $396M | $45,489 | $5.6M | $22.5M | $356K |
| 2019 | 9,822 | $360M | $36,653 | $6.5M | $24.7M | $392K |
| 2018 | 10,607 | $299M | $28,195 | $6.7M | $24.3M | $416K |
| 2017 | 11,146 | $315M | $28,231 | $6.6M | $24.4M | $414K |
| 2016 | 11,043 | $271M | $24,579 | $6.3M | $23.6M | $364K |
| 2015 | 11,110 | $242M | $21,786 | $6.0M | $23.0M | $340K |
| 2014 | 10,640 | $242M | $22,716 | $6.3M | $22.3M | $280K |
| 2013 | 9,929 | $225M | $22,633 | $6.1M | $21.3M | $313K |
| 2012 | 10,834 | $184M | $16,955 | $3.4M | $19.3M | $177K |
| 2011 | 10,437 | $163M | $15,577 | $1.1M | $17.3M | $197K |
| 2010 | 10,194 | $162M | $15,918 | — | $15.2M | $408K |
| 2009 | 13,904 | $151M | $10,882 | $669K | $15.0M | $22K |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$490,957,282
- Employer contributions$8,233,300
- Participant contributions$35,202,619
- Rollovers and other contributions$4,130,838
- Total contributions$47,566,757
- Total income, including investment results$118,679,561
- Benefits paid$60,165,934
- Administrative expenses$428,863
- Total expenses$61,312,766
- Net income$57,366,795
- Net transfers−$4,515
- Net assets, end of year$548,319,562
Participants
- Active participants8,427
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits0
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits1,513
- Participants with account balances6,823
- Total participants, end of year9,986
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Life Insurance Company | Contract Administrator; Participant loan processing | $431,038 | $0 |
| Investment Research & Ad | Investment advisory (plan) | $52,500 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Contract administrator fees$376,363
- Investment advisory and management fees$52,500
- Total administrative expenses$428,863
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$481M · 87.6%
- Common/collective trusts$54.3M · 9.9%
- Participant loans$13.5M · 2.5%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmForvis Mazars, LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateYes, $655
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $10,000,000
- Blackout period during the yearNo
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
2EProfit-sharing plan2FERISA section 404(c) plan2GTotal participant-directed account plan2JCode section 401(k) feature2KCode section 401(m) arrangement2TTotal or partial participant-directed account plan with a default investment account3DPre-approved pension plan3HPlan sponsor(s) is (are) a member(s) of a controlled group
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 441110: New Car Dealers.
Other plans of Sonic Automotive, Inc.
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Sonic Automotive, Inc. Northern California Ula 401(k) Plan | 605 | $35.4M |
Similar plans in North Carolina
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adusa Supply Chain Services 401(k) Plan | Adusa Supply Chain Services LLC | 10,046 | $357M | $35,538 |
| Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation Retirement Savings Plan | Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation | 9,548 | $68.1M | $7,131 |
| Variety Wholesalers, Inc. Retirement Savings 401(k) Plan | Variety Wholesalers, Inc. | 10,521 | $31.2M | $2,966 |
| The Fresh Market, Inc. Employees 401(k) Savings Plan | The Fresh Market, Inc. | 7,815 | $78.8M | $10,080 |
| Victra 401(k) Plan | ABC Phones of North Carolina, Inc. | 10,974 | $61.7M | $5,618 |
| Driven Brands, Inc. Employee Retirement Savings Plan | Driven Brands Inc. | 7,168 | $79.9M | $11,145 |
Defined contribution plans in retail trade closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Sonic Automotive, Inc. 401(k) Plan?
9,986 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 8,427 were active employees, with net assets of $548,319,562. Among defined contribution plans that places it in the 5,000 to 24,999 participants band, which held 2,605 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Sonic Automotive, Inc. contribute per participant?
The filing reports $8,233,300 in employer contributions for the year, which is $977 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $2,424 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $483,538 in compensation to service provider organisations, $48.42 per participant or 0.09% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $53.38 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $428,863. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Sonic Automotive, Inc.. Recordkeeping or administration: Principal Life Insurance Company. Investment advisory or management: Investment Research & Ad. The financial statements were audited by Forvis Mazars, LLP. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024, received by the Department of Labor on 23 Sep 2025. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 56-2010790, plan 001, received 23 Sep 2025; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.