Shell Asset Management Co. Boosts Holdings in Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD)

Shell Asset Management Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD) by 114.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,908 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,018 shares during the period. Shell Asset Management Co.’s holdings in Lithia Motors were worth $574,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Denali Advisors LLC increased its position in Lithia Motors by 5,050.0% during the fourth quarter. Denali Advisors LLC now owns 103 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new position in Lithia Motors in the 4th quarter valued at about $49,000. Rise Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Lithia Motors by 80.2% during the first quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 191 shares of the company’s stock worth $57,000 after buying an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda acquired a new position in shares of Lithia Motors in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $67,000. Finally, Mather Group LLC. purchased a new position in shares of Lithia Motors during the first quarter valued at approximately $114,000.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have weighed in on LAD shares. StockNews.com upgraded Lithia Motors from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Craig Hallum decreased their price target on Lithia Motors from $350.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 25th. Guggenheim downgraded shares of Lithia Motors from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Lithia Motors from $290.00 to $248.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 25th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Lithia Motors from $320.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Lithia Motors presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $314.45.

Lithia Motors Stock Up 0.4 %

LAD traded up $1.05 during trading on Friday, hitting $258.85. The company had a trading volume of 71,465 shares, compared to its average volume of 239,670. The company has a market cap of $7.10 billion, a PE ratio of 7.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 1.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 0.28. Lithia Motors, Inc. has a 1-year low of $231.36 and a 1-year high of $331.96. The business has a 50-day moving average of $256.33 and a 200-day moving average of $274.75.

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 24th. The company reported $6.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.85 by ($1.74). The firm had revenue of $8.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.58 billion. Lithia Motors had a net margin of 2.87% and a return on equity of 15.62%. The business’s revenue was up 22.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $8.44 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Lithia Motors, Inc. will post 28.07 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Shauna Mcintyre sold 138 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $254.42, for a total value of $35,109.96. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 2,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $566,847.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 1.79% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Lithia Motors Company Profile

Lithia Motors, Inc operates as an automotive retailer worldwide. It operates in two segments, Vehicle Operations and Financing Operations. The company's Vehicle Operations segment sells new and used vehicles; provides parts, repair, and maintenance services; vehicle finance; and insurance products.