AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) have earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $250.00.

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $248.00 price objective on shares of AutoNation in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Seaport Research Partners restated a “buy” rating and issued a $255.00 target price on shares of AutoNation in a report on Monday, August 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of AutoNation from $235.00 to $210.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $240.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, Northcoast Research upgraded shares of AutoNation from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $240.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th.

Insider Transactions at AutoNation

In other news, Director Lisa Lutoff-Perlo sold 900 shares of AutoNation stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total transaction of $198,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 7,989 shares in the company, valued at $1,757,580. The trade was a 10.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in AutoNation by 37.4% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 235 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the period. Employees Retirement System of Texas acquired a new position in AutoNation during the third quarter worth about $48,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in AutoNation by 49.7% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 259 shares of the company’s stock worth $54,000 after acquiring an additional 86 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its position in AutoNation by 33.0% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 306 shares of the company’s stock worth $59,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC acquired a new stake in AutoNation in the 2nd quarter valued at about $63,000. 94.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

AutoNation Stock Up 0.5%

AN opened at $201.02 on Tuesday. AutoNation has a twelve month low of $176.62 and a twelve month high of $235.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.68. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $201.56 and a 200 day moving average price of $197.27. The company has a market cap of $6.65 billion, a PE ratio of 9.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.71.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The company reported $5.56 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.48 by $0.08. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.82% and a return on equity of 31.24%. The firm had revenue of $6.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.26 earnings per share. AutoNation’s quarterly revenue was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that AutoNation will post 21.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

AutoNation Company Profile

AutoNation, Inc is the largest automotive retailer in the United States, operating a network of franchised new vehicle dealerships, pre-owned vehicle superstores and collision-repair centers. The company offers a comprehensive range of automotive products and services, including the sale of new cars and light trucks from leading manufacturers, certified pre-owned vehicles and a wide selection of used models. In addition to retail vehicle sales, AutoNation provides financing, insurance and extended service contracts through its in-house financial services division, as well as genuine and aftermarket parts, factory-recommended maintenance and collision-repair services.

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, AutoNation was founded in 1996 by entrepreneur H.