Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. Sells 4,333 Shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN)

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Free Report) by 1.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 249,541 shares of the company's stock after selling 4,333 shares during the quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. owned about 0.63% of AutoNation worth $42,382,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of AN. Fortitude Family Office LLC increased its holdings in AutoNation by 581.8% in 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 period. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in AutoNation by 150.8% in the 4th quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 158 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 95 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in AutoNation by 403.6% in the 3rd quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 282 shares of the company's stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 226 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in shares of AutoNation by 54.0% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 311 shares of the company's stock valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NBC Securities Inc. boosted its stake in shares of AutoNation by 28.1% in the 3rd quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 802 shares of the company's stock valued at $143,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 94.62% of the company's stock.

AutoNation Price Performance

NYSE AN traded up $0.85 on Thursday, hitting $192.46. 525,169 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 466,602. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58. AutoNation, Inc. has a 1-year low of $136.35 and a 1-year high of $198.50. The company has a market cap of $7.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.10, a P/E/G ratio of 3.71 and a beta of 1.25. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $179.12 and a two-hundred day moving average of $173.37.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The company reported $4.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.26 by $0.71. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.74% and a return on equity of 32.01%. On average, equities analysts predict that AutoNation, Inc. will post 16.74 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Guggenheim restated a "buy" rating on shares of AutoNation in a research note on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of AutoNation from $170.00 to $194.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Stephens boosted their target price on shares of AutoNation from $195.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of AutoNation from $190.00 to $180.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of AutoNation from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, AutoNation presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $199.71.

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.