Covalis Capital LLP Buys Shares of 157,178 AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN)

Covalis Capital LLP purchased a new stake in AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 157,178 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $26,695,000. AutoNation makes up about 3.9% of Covalis Capital LLP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest holding. Covalis Capital LLP owned approximately 0.40% of AutoNation at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Fortitude Family Office LLC grew its position in shares of AutoNation by 581.8% during the 4th quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 150 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 128 shares during the last quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 150.8% in the 4th quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 158 shares of the company's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its position in AutoNation by 25.5% during the 4th quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 315 shares of the company's stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its stake in AutoNation by 77.1% during the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 494 shares of the company's stock worth $84,000 after buying an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. Finally, McIlrath & Eck LLC increased its position in AutoNation by 16.4% in the third quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 964 shares of the company's stock worth $172,000 after buying an additional 136 shares during the period. 94.62% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AN has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. StockNews.com cut AutoNation from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on AutoNation from $195.00 to $175.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of AutoNation in a research note on Wednesday. They issued a "buy" rating and a $217.00 price objective on the stock. Evercore ISI raised their target price on shares of AutoNation from $220.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on AutoNation from $194.00 to $176.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, AutoNation currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $200.75.

AutoNation Stock Up 2.3 %

NYSE:AN traded up $3.85 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $172.75. The stock had a trading volume of 337,542 shares, compared to its average volume of 509,055. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.21. The stock has a market cap of $6.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.20, a PEG ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.15. The business's 50 day moving average is $169.85 and its 200 day moving average is $172.55. AutoNation, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $148.33 and a fifty-two week high of $198.50.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The company reported $4.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.26 by $0.71. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.59% and a return on equity of 30.48%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that AutoNation, Inc. will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current year.

AutoNation Company Profile

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.