Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report) shares shot up 6.9% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $379.48 and last traded at $379.48. 59,700 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 55% from the average session volume of 133,474 shares. The stock had previously closed at $355.02.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several equities research analysts have issued reports on GPI shares. Stephens assumed coverage on Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $394.00 price target for the company. Bank of America cut their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $445.00 to $435.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Group 1 Automotive from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $285.00 to $430.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. StockNews.com raised shares of Group 1 Automotive from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $360.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 10th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $396.80.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on GPI
Group 1 Automotive Trading Up 6.6 %
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's 50 day moving average price is $364.82 and its 200 day moving average price is $328.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.99, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 1.32.
Group 1 Automotive Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This represents a $1.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.50%. Group 1 Automotive's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 4.44%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, VP Michael David Jones sold 1,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.99, for a total value of $421,188.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 9,742 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,419,344.58. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 1.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Group 1 Automotive in the first quarter worth approximately $887,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 15.2% in the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 22,236 shares of the company's stock worth $6,498,000 after purchasing an additional 2,927 shares in the last quarter. PAX Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive in the 1st quarter worth $650,000. SG Americas Securities LLC bought a new position in Group 1 Automotive in the 1st quarter worth $1,305,000. Finally, Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Group 1 Automotive during the second quarter valued at $452,000. 99.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Group 1 Automotive Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
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.
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