XML 92 R21.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies |
12. | Commitments and Contingencies
Facility and Equipment Leases Of the approximate $4.3 million of lease exit expense recorded for the year ended December 31, 2012, $1.1 million related to adjustments to lease exit accruals recorded in previous years for the present value of the lease payments, net of estimated sublease rentals, for the remaining life of the operating leases and other accruals necessary to satisfy the lease commitment to the landlord. The remaining $3.2 million lease exit expense was related to interest charges for dealerships for which lease exit accruals exist. A summary of the activity of these operating lease accruals consists of the following:
|  | (In thousands) |
Balance, December 31, 2011 |  | $ | 39,118 |
Lease exit expense(1) |  |  | 4,286 |
Payments(2) |  |  | (8,764 | )
Lease buyout(3) |  |  | (1,657 | )
Balance, December 31, 2012 |  | $ | 32,983 |
(1) | Expense of approximately $0.4 million is recorded in interest expense, other, net. A benefit of approximately $0.4 million is recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses. Expense of approximately $4.3 million is recorded to income (loss) from operations and the sale of dealerships in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income.
(2) | Amount is recorded as an offet to rent expense in selling, general and administrative expenses, with approximately $1.3 million in continuing operations and $7.4 million as a reduction to income (loss) from operations and the sale of dealerships in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income.
(3) | Amount represents write-off of accrual related to an early lease buyout agreement which was completed and paid, relieving Sonic of any future lease obligation.
Sonic leases facilities for the majority of its dealership operations under operating lease arrangements. These facility lease arrangements normally have fifteen to twenty year terms with one or two ten year renewal options and do not contain provisions for contingent rent related to dealership’s operations. Many of the leases are subject to the provisions of a guaranty and subordination agreement that contains financial and affirmative covenants. Sonic was in compliance with these covenants at December 31, 2012. Approximately 20% of these facility leases have payments that vary based on interest rates. Minimum future lease payments for facility leases and future receipts from subleases as required under non-cancelable operating leases for both continuing and discontinued operations based on current interest rates in effect are as follows:
Year Ending December 31, |  | Future Minimum Lease Payments, Net |  |  | Receipts from Future Subleases |
|  | (In thousands) |
2013 |  | $ | 104,159 |  |  | $ | (19,243 | )
2014 |  |  | 91,735 |  |  |  | (19,013 | )
2015 |  |  | 78,793 |  |  |  | (17,445 | )
2016 |  |  | 75,090 |  |  |  | (15,095 | )
2017 |  |  | 68,261 |  |  |  | (9,700 | )
Thereafter |  |  | 230,977 |  |  |  | (33,388 | )
Total lease expense for continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 was approximately $102.4 million, $103.2 million and $106.0 million, respectively. Total lease expense for discontinued operations for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 was approximately $6.2 million, $5.7 million and $9.5 million, respectively. The total net contingent rent benefit related to a decrease in interest rates since the underlying leases commenced was approximately $2.4 million and $0.5 million for continuing and discontinued operations, respectively, for each of the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. Many of Sonic’s facility operating leases are subject to affirmative and financial covenant provisions related to a subordination and guaranty agreement executed with the landlord of many of its facility properties. On March 12, 2009, Sonic amended this guaranty and subordination agreement with the landlord. This amendment adjusted the calculation of the consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio covenant contained in the original guaranty and subordination agreement and added two additional financial covenants: a consolidated liquidity ratio covenant and a consolidated total senior secured debt to EBITDA ratio covenant. The required financial covenants related to the amended subordination and guaranty agreement are as follows:
|  | Covenant |
|  | Minimum Consolidated Liquidity Ratio |  |  | Minimum Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio |  |  | Maximum Consolidated Total Lease Adjusted Leverage Ratio |  |  | Minimum EBTDAR to Rent Ratio |
Required ratio |  |  | 1.05 |  |  |  | 1.20 |  |  |  | 5.50 |  |  |  | 1.50 |
December 31, 2012 actual |  |  | 1.15 |  |  |  | 1.69 |  |  |  | 3.94 |  |  |  | 3.14 |
Guarantees and Indemnifications In accordance with the terms of Sonic’s operating lease agreements, Sonic’s dealership subsidiaries, acting as lessees, generally agree to indemnify the lessor from certain exposure arising as a result of the use of the leased premises, including environmental exposure and repairs to leased property upon termination of the lease. In addition, Sonic has generally agreed to indemnify the lessor in the event of a breach of the lease by the lessee. In connection with dealership dispositions, certain of Sonic’s dealership subsidiaries have assigned or sublet to the buyer its interests in real property leases associated with such dealerships. In general, the subsidiaries retain responsibility for the performance of certain obligations under such leases, including rent payments, and repairs to leased property upon termination of the lease, to the extent that the assignee or sub-lessee does not perform. These obligations are included within the future minimum lease payments, net, in the table above. In the event the sub-lessees do not perform under their obligations Sonic remains liable for the lease payments. The total amount relating to this risk is approximately $113.9 million, which is the total of the receipts from future subleases in the table under the heading “Facility and Equipment Leases” above. However, there are situations where Sonic has assigned a lease to the buyer and Sonic was not able to obtain a release from the landlord. In these situations, although Sonic is no longer the primary obligor, Sonic is contingently liable if the buyer does not perform under the lease terms. The total estimated minimum lease payments remaining related to these leases totaled approximately $9.1 million at December 31, 2012. However, in accordance with the terms of the assignment and sublease agreements, the assignees and sub-lessees have generally agreed to indemnify Sonic and its subsidiaries in the event of non-performance. Additionally, in connection with certain dispositions, Sonic has obtained indemnifications from the parent company or owners of these assignees and sub-lessees in the event of non-performance. In accordance with the terms of agreements entered into for the sale of Sonic’s dealerships, Sonic generally agrees to indemnify the buyer from certain liabilities and costs arising subsequent to the date of sale, including environmental exposure and exposure resulting from the breach of representations or warranties made in accordance with the agreement. While Sonic’s exposure with respect to environmental remediation and repairs is difficult to quantify, Sonic’s maximum exposure associated with these general indemnifications was approximately $23.8 million at December 31, 2012. These indemnifications expire within a period of one to two years following the date of sale. The estimated fair value of these indemnifications was not material and the amount recorded for this contingency was not significant at December 31, 2012. Legal Matters Sonic is involved, and expects to continue to be involved, in numerous legal and administrative proceedings arising out of the conduct of its business, including regulatory investigations and private civil actions brought by plaintiffs purporting to represent a potential class or for which a class has been certified. Although Sonic vigorously defends itself in all legal and administrative proceedings, the outcomes of pending and future proceedings arising out of the conduct of Sonic’s business, including litigation with customers, employment related lawsuits, contractual disputes, class actions, purported class actions and actions brought by governmental authorities, cannot be predicted with certainty. An unfavorable resolution of one or more of these matters could have a material adverse effect on Sonic’s business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or prospects. Included in other accrued liabilities at December 31, 2011 was approximately $7.3 million in reserves that Sonic was holding for pending proceedings. As a result of a litigation settlement on October 2, 2012, Sonic decreased the reserve balance for pending proceedings to approximately $3.4 million as of December 31, 2012. Except as reflected in such reserves, Sonic is currently unable to estimate a range of reasonably possible loss, or a range of reasonably possible loss in excess of the amount accrued, for pending proceedings.

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 14 -Paragraph 3 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25287-109308 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6449706&loc=d3e16207-108621 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration