AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) Receives Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts

Shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) have earned a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the seven analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $204.71.

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on AN shares. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of AutoNation in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. StockNews.com upgraded AutoNation from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. Stephens upped their price objective on AutoNation from $195.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on shares of AutoNation from $220.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of AutoNation from $180.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AutoNation

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of AN. Retirement Systems of Alabama boosted its stake in shares of AutoNation by 142.2% in the 3rd quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 73,429 shares of the company's stock valued at $13,138,000 after purchasing an additional 43,113 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of AutoNation during the third quarter worth $585,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 6.3% during the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 320,888 shares of the company's stock worth $57,413,000 after buying an additional 19,015 shares in the last quarter. Whalen Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation during the 4th quarter valued at $255,000. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. bought a new stake in AutoNation during the 4th quarter worth $13,239,000. Institutional investors own 94.62% of the company's stock.

Remove Ads

AutoNation Stock Up 0.8 %

AN traded up $1.33 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $167.02. The company had a trading volume of 201,595 shares, compared to its average volume of 436,759. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $181.01 and its 200 day moving average price is $173.60. AutoNation has a one year low of $150.08 and a one year high of $198.50. The company has a market capitalization of $6.56 billion, a PE ratio of 9.86, a PEG ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results 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%. As a group, equities analysts expect that AutoNation will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current year.

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.