Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC) Downgraded by Wall Street Zen to Hold

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Honda Motor from “buy” to “hold.” Despite that move, MarketBeat reports an overall “Moderate Buy” consensus and a $34 average price target.
• Honda reported quarterly EPS of $0.32, below the $0.95 analyst consensus, while revenue of $39.13 billion exceeded estimates of $36.68 billion.
• Shares opened at $34.33, up 2.4%; the stock’s 52-week range is $23.25 to $36.88.

Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report released on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on HMC. Zacks Research raised Honda Motor from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. BNP Paribas Exane began coverage on Honda Motor in a research note on Friday, September 18th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $34.00 price target for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Honda Motor from a "sell (d)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Honda Motor presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $34.00.

Honda Motor Stock Up 2.4%

Shares of NYSE:HMC opened at $34.33 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. Honda Motor has a 1 year low of $23.25 and a 1 year high of $36.88. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $33.19 and a 200 day simple moving average of $29.15.

Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 10th. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.95 by ($0.63). Honda Motor had a negative net margin of 0.97% and a negative return on equity of 1.78%. The firm had revenue of $39.13 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $36.68 billion. On average, equities research analysts expect that Honda Motor will post 2.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Honda Motor

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of HMC. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Honda Motor by 4.9% during the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 8,200,275 shares of the company's stock valued at $259,129,000 after buying an additional 379,760 shares in the last quarter. Donald Smith & CO. Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Honda Motor during the 2nd quarter worth about $109,593,000. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of Honda Motor by 3.6% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 2,834,932 shares of the company's stock worth $68,917,000 after acquiring an additional 99,301 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Honda Motor by 35.2% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 2,655,980 shares of the company's stock worth $72,004,000 after acquiring an additional 691,165 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Honda Motor by 16.5% during the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,395,747 shares of the company's stock valued at $33,931,000 after acquiring an additional 197,431 shares during the last quarter. 5.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Honda Motor Company Profile

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and other mobility products. Its vehicle lineup includes passenger cars, SUVs and electrified models, while its motorcycle business serves consumers and commercial users in markets around the world. The company also makes power equipment, marine engines and other products, and provides financial services that support vehicle and equipment sales. Honda's aviation subsidiary, Honda Aircraft Company, develops and manufactures the HondaJet business aircraft.

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