Bryan Scott Smith Form 5 SONIC AUTOMOTIVE / BRYAN SCOTT SMITH ownership change

SEC Form 5

FORM 5

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Form 3 Holdings Reported.

X

Form 4 Transactions Reported.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

SMITH BRYAN SCOTT

(Last) (First) (Middle)

C/O SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC.

4401 COLWICK ROAD

(Street)

CHARLOTTE NC 28211

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC [ SAH ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

Director	X	10% Owner
Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)

3. Statement for Issuer's Fiscal Year Ended (Month/Day/Year)
12/31/2019

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)	4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned at end of Issuer's Fiscal Year (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Class A Common Stock	02/20/2019		D4	50,889(1)	D	$0.00	345,395(2)	D
Class A Common Stock	02/20/2019		F4	12,547(3)	D	$15.94	345,395(2)	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)	5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
					(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

1. Represents the forfeiture of restricted stock units granted pursuant to the Sonic Automotive, Inc. 2012 Stock Incentive Plan on February 20, 2019 based on the achievement of performance criteria for fiscal year 2018.

2. Due to an administrative error, transactions which occurred after Mr. Scott ceased to be a officer and director of Sonic Automotive, Inc. were not previously reported.

3. Represents shares delivered by the reporting person to Sonic Automotive, Inc. to satisfy withholding tax obligations due upon vesting of restricted stock units.

Remarks:

	/s/ B. Scott Smith	01/21/2020
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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