AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eleven analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $246.90.

A number of analysts have commented on AN shares. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $240.00 price objective on shares of AutoNation in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. UBS Group initiated coverage on AutoNation in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $234.00 target price for the company. Citigroup raised their target price on AutoNation from $269.00 to $287.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $240.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of AutoNation from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th.

AutoNation Stock Down 0.0%

NYSE AN opened at $186.34 on Monday. AutoNation has a twelve month low of $176.62 and a twelve month high of $228.92. The stock has a market cap of $6.23 billion, a PE ratio of 10.09, a PEG ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 0.75. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $192.85 and a 200 day simple moving average of $199.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.62, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a current ratio of 0.81.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The company reported $4.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.71 by ($0.02). AutoNation had a net margin of 2.47% and a return on equity of 31.45%. The firm had revenue of $6.55 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.65 billion. The company’s revenue was down 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.68 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that AutoNation will post 21.24 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at AutoNation

In other news, CAO Kimberly Dees sold 2,500 shares of AutoNation stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $204.91, for a total transaction of $512,275.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 1,456 shares in the company, valued at approximately $298,348.96. The trade was a 63.20% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AN. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in AutoNation by 37.4% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 235 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new position in shares of AutoNation in the 4th quarter worth approximately $41,000. Employees Retirement System of Texas acquired a new position in shares of AutoNation in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $48,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 49.7% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 259 shares of the company’s stock worth $54,000 after buying an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC bought a new position in shares of AutoNation during the 4th quarter worth approximately $57,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.62% of the company’s stock.

AutoNation Company Profile

AutoNation, Inc is the largest automotive retailer in the United States, operating a network of franchised new vehicle dealerships, pre-owned vehicle superstores and collision-repair centers. The company offers a comprehensive range of automotive products and services, including the sale of new cars and light trucks from leading manufacturers, certified pre-owned vehicles and a wide selection of used models. In addition to retail vehicle sales, AutoNation provides financing, insurance and extended service contracts through its in-house financial services division, as well as genuine and aftermarket parts, factory-recommended maintenance and collision-repair services.

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, AutoNation was founded in 1996 by entrepreneur H.