Analysts Set AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) Price Target at $201.86

Shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) have been assigned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the seven ratings firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $201.86.

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of AutoNation in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on AutoNation from $170.00 to $194.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of AutoNation from $195.00 to $175.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of AutoNation from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Finally, Evercore ISI boosted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $220.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th.

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AutoNation Price Performance

Shares of AutoNation stock traded down $3.65 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $160.25. The stock had a trading volume of 128,284 shares, compared to its average volume of 457,516. AutoNation has a twelve month low of $148.33 and a twelve month high of $198.50. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.29 billion, a PE ratio of 9.46, a PEG ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.15. The stock's 50 day moving average is $173.04 and its 200 day moving average is $172.88.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 11th. The company reported $4.97 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.26 by $0.71. AutoNation had a return on equity of 30.48% and a net margin of 2.59%. Equities analysts expect that AutoNation will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of AutoNation

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brave Warrior Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in AutoNation by 50.3% in the fourth quarter. Brave Warrior Advisors LLC now owns 1,461,213 shares of the company's stock valued at $248,172,000 after acquiring an additional 488,904 shares during the last quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. raised its position in AutoNation by 422.7% in the fourth quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. now owns 575,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $97,658,000 after purchasing an additional 465,000 shares during the period. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. lifted its stake in shares of AutoNation by 63.0% in the 4th quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 1,104,934 shares of the company's stock valued at $187,662,000 after purchasing an additional 426,882 shares during the last quarter. Cartenna Capital LP purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the 4th quarter worth $56,831,000. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation during the 4th quarter worth about $38,136,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.62% of the company's stock.

About AutoNation

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.