Stephens Issues Positive Forecast for AutoNation (NYSE:AN) Stock Price

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) had its price target lifted by stock analysts at Stephens from $195.00 to $200.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Stephens’ price objective indicates a potential upside of 4.33% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of AutoNation from $190.00 to $180.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Guggenheim dropped their price target on shares of AutoNation from $190.00 to $189.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $169.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, AutoNation currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $196.29.

AutoNation Stock Down 1.8 %

Shares of NYSE:AN opened at $191.70 on Wednesday. AutoNation has a 52-week low of $136.35 and a 52-week high of $198.50. The company has a market capitalization of $7.60 billion, a PE ratio of 11.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.71 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a current ratio of 0.80. The company has a fifty day moving average of $178.93 and a 200-day moving average of $173.24.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The company reported $4.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.26 by $0.71. AutoNation had a return on equity of 32.01% and a net margin of 2.74%. On average, equities analysts predict that AutoNation will post 16.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AutoNation

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Fortitude Family Office LLC boosted its stake in AutoNation by 581.8% during the fourth quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 150 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 150.8% during the fourth quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 158 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the period. Venturi Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 403.6% during the third quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 282 shares of the company’s stock valued at $50,000 after purchasing an additional 226 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its position in shares of AutoNation by 54.0% during the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 311 shares of the company’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of AutoNation by 77.1% in the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 494 shares of the company’s stock valued at $84,000 after buying an additional 215 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.62% of the company’s stock.

AutoNation Company Profile

AutoNation, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Domestic, Import, and Premium Luxury. It offers a range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles; and parts and services, such as automotive repair and maintenance, and wholesale parts and collision services.