Q3 Earnings Estimate for AutoNation Issued By Zacks Research

AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) – Zacks Research boosted their Q3 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for AutoNation in a report issued on Friday, August 14th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the company will post earnings per share of $5.58 for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of $5.49. The consensus estimate for AutoNation’s current full-year earnings is $21.69 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for AutoNation’s Q4 2026 earnings at $5.69 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $21.52 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $5.28 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $5.95 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $6.24 EPS and Q2 2028 earnings at $6.53 EPS.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Stephens boosted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $220.00 to $232.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Seaport Research Partners reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $255.00 target price on shares of AutoNation in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of AutoNation from $240.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of AutoNation from $202.00 to $224.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of AutoNation from $235.00 to $210.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, AutoNation currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $250.00.

AutoNation Stock Down 3.7%

Shares of AN opened at $197.41 on Monday. AutoNation has a 52-week low of $176.62 and a 52-week 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 stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $200.16 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $197.91. The company has a market capitalization of $6.53 billion, a PE ratio of 9.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 0.71.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last released its quarterly earnings data 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. The company had revenue of $6.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7 billion. AutoNation had a return on equity of 31.24% and a net margin of 2.82%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.26 earnings per share.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AutoNation

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AutoNation in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $283,000. Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,517,000. Glenview Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,301,000. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in AutoNation in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $422,000. Finally, Equitable Holdings Inc. acquired a new stake in AutoNation in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $518,000. 94.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at AutoNation

In related news, Director Lisa Lutoff-Perlo sold 900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total value of $198,000.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 7,989 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,757,580. The trade was a 10.12% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

About AutoNation

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.