Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) Stock Price Expected to Rise, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Analyst Says

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Free Report) had its target price upped by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $420.00 to $425.00 in a research report released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Morgan Stanley upgraded Group 1 Automotive from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $285.00 to $430.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. StockNews.com upgraded Group 1 Automotive from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 31st. Bank of America decreased their price target 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. Finally, Stephens began coverage on Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $394.00 price target on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $397.80.

Group 1 Automotive Price Performance

Group 1 Automotive stock traded up $7.65 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $375.83. 105,290 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 134,524. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $365.22 and a 200-day simple moving average of $331.64. Group 1 Automotive has a 12 month low of $255.73 and a 12 month high of $393.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 0.26. The firm has a market cap of $5.04 billion, a PE ratio of 9.72, a PEG ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.33.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 30th. The company reported $9.90 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $9.87 by $0.03. Group 1 Automotive had a return on equity of 18.83% and a net margin of 2.68%. The firm had revenue of $5.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.06 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $12.07 EPS. The company's revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Group 1 Automotive will post 38.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Group 1 Automotive Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Monday, September 2nd were given a dividend of $0.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This represents a $1.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.50%. Group 1 Automotive's dividend payout ratio is currently 5.01%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Group 1 Automotive news, VP Michael David Jones sold 1,200 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.99, for a total value of $421,188.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 9,742 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,419,344.58. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 1.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its stake in Group 1 Automotive by 22.0% during the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 639,142 shares of the company's stock worth $190,004,000 after buying an additional 115,143 shares during the period. Woodson Capital Management LP grew its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 114.6% during the first quarter. Woodson Capital Management LP now owns 142,500 shares of the company's stock valued at $41,643,000 after purchasing an additional 76,102 shares during the period. Hennessy Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 18.1% during the second quarter. Hennessy Advisors Inc. now owns 108,500 shares of the company's stock valued at $32,255,000 after purchasing an additional 16,600 shares during the period. Shellback Capital LP grew its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 27.1% during the second quarter. Shellback Capital LP now owns 95,302 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,331,000 after purchasing an additional 20,302 shares during the period. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 57.4% during the third quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 63,236 shares of the company's stock worth $24,222,000 after acquiring an additional 23,051 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.92% of the company's stock.

Group 1 Automotive Company 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.