Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:ABG) Given Consensus Rating of "Hold" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analyst consensus: Eight brokerages give ABG a consensus rating of Hold (2 sell, 4 hold, 2 buy) with an average 12‑month price target of $248.29.
• Insider buying: Director B. Christopher Disantis purchased 500 shares at $202.30 (now owns 5,400 shares), a 10.2% increase in his stake, while insiders collectively own just 0.53% of the company.
• Recent results and valuation: The latest quarter missed EPS by $0.03 and revenue fell short of estimates; the stock trades near $185 with a PE of 7.38 and a 12‑month range of $184.61–$274.50.

Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:ABG - Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of "Hold" from the eight brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $248.2857.

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Asbury Automotive Group from $235.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a report on Friday. Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of Asbury Automotive Group in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Asbury Automotive Group from $250.00 to $230.00 and set a "reduce" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Asbury Automotive Group from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $230.00 price target on shares of Asbury Automotive Group in a research note on Monday, December 8th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Asbury Automotive Group

In related news, Director B. Christopher Disantis acquired 500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $202.30 per share, with a total value of $101,150.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 5,400 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,092,420. This represents a 10.20% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.53% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Asbury Automotive Group

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Asbury Automotive Group by 11.0% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 6,263 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,383,000 after purchasing an additional 619 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its position in Asbury Automotive Group by 49.1% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 278,760 shares of the company's stock valued at $61,561,000 after buying an additional 91,767 shares during the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association purchased a new stake in Asbury Automotive Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $265,000. Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in Asbury Automotive Group by 11.4% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 7,639 shares of the company's stock worth $1,687,000 after buying an additional 783 shares during the period. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its holdings in Asbury Automotive Group by 3.4% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 51,239 shares of the company's stock worth $11,316,000 after buying an additional 1,676 shares during the period.

Asbury Automotive Group Stock Performance

Shares of ABG opened at $185.06 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79. The firm has a market cap of $3.56 billion, a PE ratio of 7.38 and a beta of 0.81. Asbury Automotive Group has a 12 month low of $184.61 and a 12 month high of $274.50. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $223.63 and a 200-day moving average price of $233.49.

Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE:ABG - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $6.67 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $6.70 by ($0.03). Asbury Automotive Group had a return on equity of 14.51% and a net margin of 2.73%.The business had revenue of $4.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.93 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $7.26 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 3.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Asbury Automotive Group will post 26.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About Asbury Automotive Group

Asbury Automotive Group, Inc NYSE: ABG is one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States. Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, the company operates a network of franchised dealerships representing a diverse portfolio of automotive brands. Its core business activities include the sale of new and pre-owned vehicles, as well as the provision of vehicle finance, insurance and protection products to retail customers.

In addition to retail sales, Asbury offers a comprehensive suite of after-sales services, from scheduled maintenance and certified collision repair to parts distribution.

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