{"schema_version":"secwatch.filing_event.v1","accession":"0001043509-23-000004","form_type":"8-K","ticker":"SAH","cik":"0001043509","company_name":"SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC","filed_at":"2023-03-21T23:59:59+00:00","discovered_at":"2026-05-14T18:03:43.643113+00:00","generated_at":"2026-06-17T21:58:56.663468+00:00","sec_items":["4.01","9.01"],"event_type":"regulatory","sentiment":"neutral","materiality_score":0.3,"calibrated_materiality_score":0.3,"confidence":"high","headline":"Sonic Automotive dismisses KPMG, appoints Grant Thornton as auditor","bullets":["Audit Committee dismissed KPMG as independent auditor effective March 17, 2023 after a competitive process.","KPMG's reports for FY2021 and FY2022 were unqualified; no disagreements or reportable events.","Previously disclosed material weakness in revenue recognition at a single dealership was remediated as of Dec 31, 2022.","Grant Thornton appointed as new auditor for fiscal year ending Dec 31, 2023."],"urls":{"canonical":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001043509-23-000004","json":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001043509-23-000004.json","markdown":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001043509-23-000004.md","text":"https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001043509-23-000004.txt","edgar_index":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1043509/000104350923000004/0001043509-23-000004-index.htm","edgar_primary_document":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1043509/000104350923000004/sah-20230317.htm"},"model":{"generated_by":"deepseek-v4-flash:cloud@v2","generated_at":"2026-06-17T21:58:56.663468+00:00"},"review":{"review_status":"machine_generated","human_reviewed":false,"corrected":false,"correction_note":null,"correction_timestamp":null,"superseded_by":null,"related_filings":[]},"source_grounded_claims":[{"claim_id":"0b4fdefc0f86c51c810624c7f5bc395373bdab6a","claim":"SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC engaged Grant Thornton LLP as its auditor.","evidence_excerpt":"(b) As a result of the competitive process noted above, the Audit Committee has engaged Grant Thornton LLP (“Grant Thornton”) as the Company’s new independent registered public accounting firm, effective as of March 21, 2023. Grant Thornton’s engagement will be for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 and related interim periods.","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 4.01/4.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1043509/000104350923000004/0001043509-23-000004-index.htm","confidence":0.9,"family_label":"Auditor Changes","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"engagement"},{"label":"Auditor","value":"Grant Thornton LLP"}],"fact_type":"auditor_change"},{"claim_id":"b0eb8a0b5bb9250ad8fbdec0e8e58990dd432e59","claim":"SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC dismissed KPMG LLP as its auditor.","evidence_excerpt":"on March 17, 2023, the Audit Committee approved the dismissal of KPMG as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, effective immediately","evidence_source":"SEC 8-K Item 4.01/4.02","evidence_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1043509/000104350923000004/0001043509-23-000004-index.htm","confidence":0.9,"family_label":"Auditor Changes","details":[{"label":"Action","value":"dismissal"},{"label":"Auditor","value":"KPMG LLP"},{"label":"Successor","value":"Grant Thornton LLP"}],"fact_type":"auditor_change"}],"license":"Source filings: public domain (SEC EDGAR). Summaries (headline + bullets): CC-BY-4.0; attribute https://secwatch.observer"}