Franklin Resources Inc. Grows Position in Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI)

Franklin Resources Inc. increased its position in Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI - Free Report) by 0.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 157,515 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 888 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. owned about 1.18% of Group 1 Automotive worth $66,389,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Group 1 Automotive during the 4th quarter worth about $65,721,000. Wealthfront Advisers LLC bought a new position in shares of Group 1 Automotive in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,119,000. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 111.1% in the fourth quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 161,216 shares of the company's stock valued at $67,949,000 after acquiring an additional 84,832 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Group 1 Automotive during the 4th quarter worth approximately $21,608,000. Finally, Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 244.7% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 56,319 shares of the company's stock valued at $21,573,000 after purchasing an additional 39,982 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.92% of the company's stock.

Group 1 Automotive Price Performance

Shares of NYSE GPI traded up $9.21 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $393.84. 61,822 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 166,078. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $435.17 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $414.50. The company has a market capitalization of $5.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.71 and a beta of 1.05. Group 1 Automotive, Inc. has a 52-week low of $262.31 and a 52-week high of $490.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92.

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Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The company reported $10.02 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.77 by $1.25. Group 1 Automotive had a net margin of 2.47% and a return on equity of 18.09%. Equities research analysts forecast that Group 1 Automotive, Inc. will post 41 EPS for the current year.

Group 1 Automotive Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were given a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.51%. This is a positive change from Group 1 Automotive's previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 3rd. Group 1 Automotive's dividend payout ratio is presently 5.44%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They set a "buy" rating and a $500.00 price objective for the company. Stephens reiterated an "equal weight" rating and set a $460.00 price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $495.00 to $435.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $450.33.

Group 1 Automotive Profile

Group 1 Automotive, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates in the automotive retail industry in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company sells new and used cars, light trucks, and vehicle parts, as well as service and insurance contracts; arranges related vehicle financing; and offers automotive maintenance and repair services.