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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Unusual Risks and Uncertainties | COVID 19 – The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the global economy beginning in the first quarter of 2020. During the first half of 2020, the impact on the economy affected both consumer demand and supply of manufactured goods as many countries around the world and states in the United States (the "U.S.") mandated restrictions on citizen movements (i.e. shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders) or on retail trade or manufacturing activities at physical locations. As a result, many businesses curtailed operations and furloughed or terminated many positions. In the U.S., the government passed several measures through the legislature that were signed by the President and enacted into law. Those measures include the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Both such acts attempt to provide short-term relief to families and businesses as a result of the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic and related shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders, we have transitioned many of our teammates to remote work arrangements. In situations where a teammate's role does not permit remote work (i.e., service repair technicians), we have implemented staggered work hours and other social distancing measures to promote the health and safety of our teammates and guests. As a result of the systems and infrastructure we had in place prior to the pandemic, we have been able to effectively maintain our back-office operations, financial reporting and internal control processes with minimal disruption. All of our store operations have been impacted by the crisis to varying degrees. As of March 31, 2020, the majority of our stores were not permitted to conduct retail sales of new and used vehicles at our physical locations. Those locations could offer virtual sales transactions with “contactless” delivery to customers. As of June 30, 2020, most of such restrictions have been relaxed; however, our stores remain subject to certain health and safety policies and practices that may affect the way we sell vehicles and interact with our guests. Due to the critical nature of automotive repair, our fixed operations were deemed “essential” by governmental agencies and have been able to continue to conduct business throughout the pandemic to date, but must maintain certain local standards for social distancing to promote the health and safety of our teammates and guests. As a result of these restrictions and their effect on consumer behavior, in the last several weeks of March 2020, we experienced 30%-50% declines in unit sales of new and used vehicles (as compared to the prior year period) and 15%-30% reductions in repair order activity in fixed operations. The entire month of April 2020 was more severely impacted, with new and used vehicle same store unit sales volume 30%-40% below the prior year period and fixed operations same store gross profit approximately 45% below the prior year period. Beginning in May 2020, new and used vehicle unit sales volume and fixed operations repair activity began to improve as state and local jurisdictions relaxed their shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders and consumer activity began to recover. For the month of June 2020, new vehicle same store unit sales volume was down approximately 15%, used vehicle same store unit sales volume was up approximately 9%, and fixed operations same store gross profit was down approximately 2%, in each case when compared to the prior year period. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve. While we currently expect to see continued recovery in the second half of 2020, the outbreak may cause changes in customer behaviors, including a potential reduction in consumer spending for vehicles and automotive repairs. This may lead to increased asset recovery and valuation risks, such as impairment of additional long-lived assets. In addition, uncertainties in the global economy may negatively impact our suppliers and other business partners, which may interrupt our supply chain and require other changes to our operations. These and other factors may adversely impact our revenues, operating income and earnings per share financial measures. Based on the events and circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic, during the first quarter of 2020, we evaluated our long-lived assets for impairment. This evaluation included reviews of fixed assets and related right-of-use assets, franchise assets and goodwill. As a result of this evaluation, we determined the carrying values of all long-lived assets to be recoverable at March 31, 2020 with the exception of goodwill related to our franchised dealership reporting unit, resulting in a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $268.0 million. One of the primary factors which contributed to the conclusion that goodwill was impaired was the decline in the market value of Sonic's stock between the announcement date of the pandemic on March 11, 2020 to March 31, 2020. See Note 5 for further discussion. Recent Accounting Pronouncements – In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” The amendment in this update replaced the previous incurred loss impairment methodology of recognizing credit losses when a loss is probable, with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to assess credit loss estimates. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. We adopted this ASU as of January 1, 2020 and the effects of this ASU did not materially impact our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the nature of the unusual risk or uncertainty, if estimable, such as the threat of expropriation of its assets by a foreign government, rapid technological obsolescence in the industry, risk of natural disaster from earthquake or weather events, and availability of or continuation of a labor force at a reasonable cost. + References No definition available. + Details
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