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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation – The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of Sonic Automotive, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (“Sonic,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our”) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, are unaudited and have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect, in the opinion of management, all material normal recurring adjustments necessary to fairly state the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire fiscal year or future interim periods, because the first quarter normally contributes less operating profit than the second, third and fourth quarters. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in Sonic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. Recent Accounting Pronouncements – In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-03 to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs. The amendments in this ASU require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts and premiums. The ASU also requires that the amortization of debt issuance costs be reported as interest expense. For public companies, this ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015 (early adoption is permitted). The adoption of this ASU will impact the presentation of certain items in Sonic’s consolidated financial position and other disclosures. Also in April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-05 related to customer’s accounting for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015 (early adoption is permitted). Sonic does not expect this ASU to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11 to clarify the subsequent measurement of inventory. This ASU requires an entity to measure inventory within the scope of this update at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. The ASU excludes inventory measured using last-in, first-out and the retail inventory method. For public companies, this ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 (early adoption is permitted). Sonic does not expect this ASU to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Principles of Consolidation – All of Sonic’s dealership and non-dealership subsidiaries are wholly-owned and consolidated in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements, except for one 50% - owned dealership that is accounted for under the equity method. All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. Lease Exit Accruals – Lease exit accruals relate to facilities Sonic has ceased using in its operations. The accruals represent the present value of the lease payments, net of estimated or actual sublease proceeds, for the remaining life of the operating leases and other accruals necessary to satisfy the lease commitment to the landlord. These situations could include the relocation of an existing facility or the sale of a dealership whereby the buyer will not be subleasing the property for either the remaining term of the lease or for an amount of rent equal to Sonic’s obligation under the lease. See Note 12, “Commitments and Contingencies,” of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in Sonic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 for further discussion. A summary of the activity of these operating lease exit accruals consists of the following:
|  | (In thousands) |
Balance at December 31, 2014 |  | $ | 18,962 |
Lease exit expense (1) |  |  | 1,485 |
Payments (2) |  |  | (4,671 | )
Balance at September 30, 2015 |  | $ | 15,776 |
(1) | Expense of approximately $0.1 million is recorded in interest expense, other, net, expense of approximately $0.2 million is recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses and expense of approximately $1.2 million is recorded in income (loss) from discontinued operations before taxes, in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of income.
(2) | Amount is recorded as an offset to rent expense, with approximately $0.5 million in selling, general and administrative expenses, and $4.2 million in income (loss) from discontinued operations before taxes, in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of income.
Income Tax Expense – The overall effective tax rate from continuing operations was 40.0% and 39.5% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and was 38.0% and 38.7% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively. The effective tax rate in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 was higher than the prior year periods primarily due to a discrete tax benefit in the three months ended September 30, 2014. Sonic’s effective tax rate varies from year to year based on the distribution of taxable income between states in which Sonic operates and other tax adjustments. Sonic expects the effective tax rate in future periods to fall within a range of 38.0% to 40.0% before the impact, if any, of changes in valuation allowances related to deferred income tax assets or unusual discrete tax adjustments.

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