O. Bruton Smith was the CEO of Sonic Automotive, a leader in the automotive retail industry. He has a Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was born on March 3, 1930. Under his leadership, Sonic...

O. Bruton Smith was the CEO of Sonic Automotive, a leader in the automotive retail industry. He has a Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was born on March 3, 1930. Under his leadership, Sonic Automotive expanded significantly. Notably, in 2018, he earned a total compensation of $2.25 million, which included a base salary of $1 million and a bonus tied to company performance metrics. In 2016, his bonus alone was almost $1.9 million, demonstrating the impact he had on the company’s growth. Smith was also known for his family connections within the company; his son B. Scott Smith took over as CEO after him, showing a legacy of leadership. An exciting point in Smith's career was being appointed Executive Chairman in 2015 after serving as CEO, marking a transition that allowed him to continue influencing the company's strategic direction.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Sonic Automotive CEOs

S

O. Bruton Smith

Founder and 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

March 3, 1930 - 95 years ago

CEO of Sonic Automotive for

21 years 8 months (Jan 1997 - Sep 2018)

Previous Experience

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sonic Automotive, Inc.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of O. Bruton 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 O. Bruton Smith make over time.

O. Bruton Smith's holdings in Sonic Automotive reflect a solid investment in the automotive sector. Over the years, Smith's stock holdings fluctuated with the company's performance. At one point, he had vested stocks totaling up to $1.5 million. His commitment...

O. Bruton Smith's holdings in Sonic Automotive reflect a solid investment in the automotive sector. Over the years, Smith's stock holdings fluctuated with the company's performance. At one point, he had vested stocks totaling up to $1.5 million. His commitment to the company is evident as he opted for a mix of performance-based compensation in the form of restricted stock units and stock options, which often depended on the company's financial success. Smith also made strategic moves, like retaining a significant percentage of his wealth tied to Sonic’s stock, reinforcing his belief in the company's potential. At various times, his net worth was significantly influenced by the market value of Sonic's stocks, emphasizing a typical executive risk-reward dynamic.

Mar 18, 2025

S

shares

SAH @ $59.81

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of O. Bruton Smith.

SAH

55,449 shares

SAH

Feb 9, 2022

Received

SAH

50,753 shares

SAH

Feb 10, 2021

Received

SAH

71,257 shares

SAH

Feb 12, 2020

Received

SAH

145,967 shares

SAH

Mar 8, 2019

Received

SAH

$321.16K

SAH at $21.41/share

May 25, 2018

Purchase

SAH

107,123 shares

SAH

Feb 23, 2018

Received

SAH

$357.51K

SAH at $18.55/share

May 3, 2017

Purchase

SAH

$2.03M

SAH at $20.26/share

Mar 20, 2017

Purchase

SAH

95,195 shares

SAH

Feb 12, 2017

Received

SAH

$841.62K

SAH at $16.83/share

Aug 24, 2016

Purchase

Compensation History

See how much did O. Bruton Smith make over time.

Throughout his time as CEO, O. Bruton Smith's compensation highlighted his strong connection to Sonic Automotive's performance. In 2018, he earned $2.25 million, which included a $1 million base salary, a $500,000 bonus based on company performance, and $600,000 in vested stock. His highest reported total compensation came in 2016, reaching nearly $4.8 million, primarily driven by a high-performance bonus and stock awards. This pay structure reflects Sonic Automotive's philosophy of linking executive compensation to performance metrics such as revenue growth and profitability, ensuring that Smith’s interests were closely aligned with those of shareholders. Over the years, his compensation also included other benefits like retirement contributions, emphasizing a comprehensive approach to executive remuneration.

Year

2018

Total Compensation

$2.25M

Salary

$1.00M

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy aligns with company performance, peer benchmarking, and retention strategies, ensuring that the CEO's interests are aligned with those of shareholders.

Bonus

$500.00K

Board Justification

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

Other

$150.00K

Board Justification

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

Restricted Stock

$600.00K(20K RSU)

Board Justification

The vested stock consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) that were granted in previous years and vested in 2018, reflecting the company's stock performance.

Performance Metrics

Performance metrics include revenue growth, net income, and return on equity.

Other Sonic Automotive CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Sonic Automotive

B. Scott Smith

Ex-CEO of Sonic Automotive

July 2015 - September 2018