Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) Given Equal Weight Rating at Stephens

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "equal weight" rating reiterated by stock analysts at Stephens in a report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $460.00 target price on the stock. Stephens' target price would indicate a potential upside of 2.71% from the company's current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on GPI. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research report on Friday, December 13th. They set a "buy" rating and a $500.00 price target for the company. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Group 1 Automotive from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, November 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Group 1 Automotive from $425.00 to $420.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Guggenheim lifted their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $420.00 to $442.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Group 1 Automotive currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $447.83.

Group 1 Automotive Stock Down 1.9 %

Group 1 Automotive stock traded down $8.63 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $447.86. The stock had a trading volume of 128,206 shares, compared to its average volume of 124,394. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.18 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91. Group 1 Automotive has a 12-month low of $258.77 and a 12-month high of $471.28. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $431.34 and its 200-day moving average price is $387.91.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The company reported $10.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $8.77 by $1.25. Group 1 Automotive had a net margin of 2.47% and a return on equity of 18.25%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Group 1 Automotive will post 40.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Group 1 Automotive declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback plan on Tuesday, November 12th that permits the company to buyback $500.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to reacquire up to 9.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually an indication that the company's leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Group 1 Automotive

In related news, Director Lincoln Pereira sold 6,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $426.68, for a total transaction of $2,560,080.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 98,467 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,013,899.56. This represents a 5.74 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, VP Edward Mckissic sold 79 shares of Group 1 Automotive stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $374.01, for a total transaction of $29,546.79. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 6,259 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,340,928.59. The trade was a 1.25 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.70% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in GPI. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Group 1 Automotive by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 156,627 shares of the company's stock valued at $55,701,000 after purchasing an additional 3,507 shares in the last quarter. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG acquired a new stake in Group 1 Automotive in the third quarter worth about $3,286,000. Raymond James & Associates increased its stake in Group 1 Automotive by 14.7% during the 3rd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 46,483 shares of the company's stock valued at $17,805,000 after purchasing an additional 5,942 shares in the last quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC lifted its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 25.8% during the third quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC now owns 10,180 shares of the company's stock worth $3,899,000 after buying an additional 2,089 shares during the period. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC lifted its position in Group 1 Automotive by 9.8% during the 4th quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 2,355 shares of the company's stock worth $993,000 after acquiring an additional 210 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.92% of the company's stock.

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.