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

Shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve brokerages that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $250.00.

AN has been the subject of several recent research reports. 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 research report on Thursday, August 6th. Argus lifted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $241.00 to $246.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of AutoNation from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Northcoast Research raised shares of AutoNation from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $240.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on AutoNation from $235.00 to $210.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th.

AutoNation Trading Up 0.8%

Shares of NYSE:AN opened at $200.35 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.28, a PEG ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.68, a quick ratio of 0.18 and a current ratio of 0.78. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $201.30 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $197.40. AutoNation has a 52-week low of $176.62 and a 52-week high of $235.81.

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

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of AutoNation by 37.4% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 235 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. Employees Retirement System of Texas purchased a new stake in AutoNation in the 3rd quarter worth $48,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in AutoNation by 49.7% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 259 shares of the company’s stock valued at $54,000 after acquiring an additional 86 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of AutoNation by 33.0% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 306 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of AutoNation in the second quarter worth about $63,000. 94.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.