AutoNation (NYSE:AN) Given New $169.00 Price Target at Guggenheim

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) had its price target raised by Guggenheim from $165.00 to $169.00 in a research report report published on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. Guggenheim currently has a buy rating on the stock.

AN has been the topic of a number of other reports. Bank of America decreased their price target on AutoNation from $220.00 to $215.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Morgan Stanley raised AutoNation from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and raised their price target for the company from $117.00 to $140.00 in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Evercore ISI started coverage on AutoNation in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. They set an outperform rating and a $185.00 price target on the stock. StockNews.com lowered AutoNation from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on AutoNation from $144.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $173.00.

AutoNation Price Performance

Shares of AutoNation stock opened at $152.37 on Wednesday. AutoNation has a one year low of $123.81 and a one year high of $182.08. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $152.71 and its 200 day moving average is $143.98. The stock has a market cap of $6.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.77.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The company reported $5.02 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.85 by $0.17. The company had revenue of $6.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.67 billion. AutoNation had a return on equity of 48.76% and a net margin of 3.79%. AutoNation’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $6.37 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that AutoNation will post 18.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, major shareholder Edward S. Lampert sold 100,000 shares of AutoNation stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.26, for a total value of $16,126,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 4,167,270 shares in the company, valued at $672,013,960.20. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, major shareholder Edward S. Lampert sold 380,497 shares of AutoNation stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $143.12, for a total value of $54,456,730.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 4,278,664 shares in the company, valued at $612,362,391.68. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Edward S. Lampert sold 100,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.26, for a total value of $16,126,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 4,167,270 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $672,013,960.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 501,776 shares of company stock worth $73,818,692. Corporate insiders own 0.74% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Point72 Europe London LLP purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. First United Bank & Trust purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Private Wealth Management Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Anchor Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.62% of the company’s stock.

AutoNation Company Profile

AutoNation, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Domestic, Import, and Premium Luxury. It offers a range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles; and parts and services, such as automotive repair and maintenance, and wholesale parts and collision services.