Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) have been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the six brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $450.33.

Several brokerages recently commented on GPI. Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and issued a $460.00 price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $495.00 to $435.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday. Finally, 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 target price for the company.

Group 1 Automotive Price Performance

NYSE:GPI opened at $376.32 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 1.03. The company has a 50-day moving average of $442.80 and a 200-day moving average of $412.94. Group 1 Automotive has a 52 week low of $262.31 and a 52 week high of $490.09. The company has a market capitalization of $4.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.24 and a beta of 1.33.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The company reported $10.02 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 18.09%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Group 1 Automotive will post 41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Group 1 Automotive Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.53%. This is a positive change from Group 1 Automotive’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. Group 1 Automotive’s dividend payout ratio is currently 5.44%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 1.1% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 152,923 shares of the company’s stock valued at $58,576,000 after purchasing an additional 1,735 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. boosted its position in Group 1 Automotive by 31.8% in the 3rd quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 28,341 shares of the company’s stock valued at $10,856,000 after buying an additional 6,842 shares during the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 59.5% in the 3rd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 7,909 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,029,000 after buying an additional 2,949 shares during the period. FMR LLC raised its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 133.0% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 407,930 shares of the company’s stock worth $156,253,000 after acquiring an additional 232,846 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cynosure Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Group 1 Automotive during the third quarter valued at $367,000. 99.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.