B. Scott Smith is the former CEO of Sonic Automotive, a major car dealership group. He was appointed to the CEO position in July 2015 after serving in various roles since the company's founding in 1997. His educational background includes...

B. Scott Smith is the former CEO of Sonic Automotive, a major car dealership group. He was appointed to the CEO position in July 2015 after serving in various roles since the company's founding in 1997. His educational background includes a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which laid the groundwork for his career in the automotive industry. Scott has deep family ties within the company; he is the son of Sonic's founder, O. Bruton Smith, and his brother, David, is currently Vice Chairman. During his leadership, Scott maintained a focus on performance that was directly linked to his compensation, promoting a culture that values revenue growth and profitability. In 2016, his total compensation peaked at approximately $4.2 million, showcasing the impact of performance-based metrics on his pay. Additionally, Scott's expertise in strategic operations helped guide Sonic through significant changes in the automotive sector. He stepped down as CEO in September 2018 but continues to serve as a key figure in the company's direction and strategy.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Sonic Automotive CEOs

S

B. Scott Smith

Ex-CEO of Sonic Automotive

Education

Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Field of Expertise

Manufacturing & Industrial - Automotive

Sector of Economy

Consumer Cyclical

Born

January 1, 1971 - 54 years ago

CEO of Sonic Automotive for

3 years 2 months (Jul 2015 - Sep 2018)

Previous Experience

President of Sonic Automotive, Inc. since 2007, various positions since 1997.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of B. Scott Smith

A

Mike Jackson

CEO of AutoNation

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.30M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$112.74K

Total Holdings

$18.83M

P

Roger S. Penske

CEO of Penske Automotive Group

2021 Compensation

Stock

$7.50M

Salary

$1.40M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$581.69K

Total Holdings

$5.12B

L

Bryan B. DeBoer

CEO of Lithia Motors

2023 Compensation

Stock

$3.98M

Salary

$1.30M

Bonus

$2.67M

Other

$7.26K

Total Holdings

$51.43M

G

Earl J. Hesterberg

CEO of Group 1 Automotive

2022 Compensation

Stock

$2.25M

Salary

$1.27M

Bonus

$4.50M

Other

$257.12K

Total Holdings

$85.67M

Holdings

See how much did B. Scott Smith make over time.

B. Scott Smith has experienced fluctuations in his personal holdings over time, notably during his tenure as CEO of Sonic Automotive. At one point, he held over 92,000 performance-based restricted stock units (RSUs), showcasing a significant portion of his wealth...

B. Scott Smith has experienced fluctuations in his personal holdings over time, notably during his tenure as CEO of Sonic Automotive. At one point, he held over 92,000 performance-based restricted stock units (RSUs), showcasing a significant portion of his wealth tied to the company's performance. His smart approach to stock ownership reflects his strong belief in Sonic's growth potential. After resigning in 2018, he shifted focus, and his holdings are now considerably lower than during his peak CEO years, illustrating the usual changes in stock value and personal investment strategies following executive transitions. Throughout his career, Smith has carefully aligned his financial interests with the success of Sonic, further solidifying his reputation as a committed leader.

Mar 18, 2025

S

shares

SAH @ $59.81

Total Stock Sold

$7.91M

SAH

$7.91M

355,333 SAH shares

What if they kept their stock?

If B. Scott Smith didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra SAH355,333 shares worth $10.23M.
This is 29.33% and $2.32M more than what they got when they sold the stock.

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of B. Scott Smith.

SAH

5,792 shares

SAH

Apr 25, 2024

Received

SAH

29,431 shares

SAH

Feb 9, 2024

Inheritance

SAH

6,564 shares

SAH

May 16, 2023

Received

SAH

3,884 shares

SAH

Jul 27, 2022

Received

SAH

836,534 shares

SAH

Dec 31, 2022

Inheritance

SAH

92,525 shares

SAH

Feb 23, 2018

Received

SAH

82,222 shares

SAH

Feb 12, 2017

Received

SAH

108,784 shares

SAH

Feb 16, 2016

Received

SAH

$3.12M

SAH at $25.02/share

Oct 30, 2015

Sale

SAH

$938.42K

SAH at $25.02/share

Mar 23, 2015

Sale

Compensation History

See how much did B. Scott Smith make over time.

During his time as CEO of Sonic Automotive, B. Scott Smith's compensation reflected the company's performance. In 2016, he earned about $4.2 million, driven by a $1.08 million salary, a hefty bonus of $1.65 million, and significant stock awards worth over $1.2 million. His compensation structure was closely tied to performance metrics like earnings per share and customer satisfaction scores. This alignment incentivized Scott to boost Sonic's financial health. In contrast, his compensation dropped to around $875,000 in 2018 after he stepped down, marking a drastic shift in earnings post-CEO role. Such fluctuations highlight how closely executive compensation can relate to both personal and corporate performance metrics over the years.

Year

2018

Total Compensation

$900.00K

Salary

$600.00K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy aligns with company performance, focusing on long-term shareholder value and competitive benchmarking against peers to retain top talent.

Bonus

$150.00K

Board Justification

The bonus is based on the company's performance metrics, including revenue growth and profitability, paid out in cash for the year 2018.

Other

$25.00K

Board Justification

Other compensation includes health benefits and retirement contributions paid out in 2018.

Restricted Stock

$125.00K(5K RSU)

Board Justification

The stock that vested in 2018 was part of a long-term incentive plan, with shares vesting based on performance criteria met in the previous years.

Performance Metrics

Performance metrics include revenue growth, net income, and operational efficiency targets.

Other Sonic Automotive CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Sonic Automotive

O. Bruton Smith

Founder and Ex-CEO of Sonic Automotive

January 1997 - September 2018

David Bruton Smith

CEO of Sonic Automotive

September 2018 - Present