Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) Upgraded to Hold at StockNews.com

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued on Friday.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Stephens began coverage on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $394.00 price objective for the company. Bank of America reduced their price objective on Group 1 Automotive from $445.00 to $435.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Group 1 Automotive from $420.00 to $425.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Group 1 Automotive from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and boosted their target price for the company from $285.00 to $430.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $397.80.

Group 1 Automotive Price Performance

Shares of GPI stock traded down $1.10 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $401.69. The stock had a trading volume of 124,778 shares, compared to its average volume of 135,042. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $367.21 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $334.34. Group 1 Automotive has a one year low of $255.73 and a one year high of $413.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.70, a PEG ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.26.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 30th. The company reported $9.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $9.87 by $0.03. Group 1 Automotive had a return on equity of 18.49% and a net margin of 2.68%. The business had revenue of $5.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.06 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $12.07 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Group 1 Automotive will post 38.99 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Edward Mckissic sold 79 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $374.01, for a total value of $29,546.79. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 6,259 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,340,928.59. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, VP Michael David Jones sold 1,200 shares of Group 1 Automotive stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.99, for a total value of $421,188.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 9,742 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,419,344.58. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, VP Edward Mckissic sold 79 shares of Group 1 Automotive stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $374.01, for a total value of $29,546.79. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 6,259 shares in the company, valued at $2,340,928.59. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Group 1 Automotive

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Assetmark Inc. lifted its position in Group 1 Automotive by 51.9% during the third quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 82 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive during the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive during the 3rd quarter valued at $46,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 53.7% in the 2nd quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 146 shares of the company's stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in Group 1 Automotive in the second quarter valued at about $48,000. 99.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Group 1 Automotive

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.