Auto Trader Group (LON:AUTO) Shares Down 11.3% - Here's What Happened

Shares of Auto Trader Group plc (LON:AUTO - Get Free Report) traded down 11.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 769.40 ($10.40) and last traded at GBX 798.60 ($10.80). 11,321,527 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 53% from the average session volume of 7,387,826 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 900 ($12.17).

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AUTO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an "underweight" rating and set a GBX 746 ($10.09) price target on shares of Auto Trader Group in a research note on Thursday, March 20th. Berenberg Bank reissued a "hold" rating and set a GBX 830 ($11.22) target price on shares of Auto Trader Group in a research report on Thursday, May 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of GBX 864.25 ($11.68).

Auto Trader Group Trading Up 1.2%

The firm has a fifty day moving average of GBX 816.22 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 798.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.26, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 1.66. The stock has a market capitalization of £7.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.53, a P/E/G ratio of 3.99 and a beta of 0.78.

Auto Trader Group (LON:AUTO - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 29th. The company reported GBX 31.66 ($0.43) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Auto Trader Group had a return on equity of 47.03% and a net margin of 45.00%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Auto Trader Group plc will post 32.7973074 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Auto Trader Group news, insider Nathan Coe sold 2,083,252 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 386 ($5.22), for a total value of £8,041,352.72 ($10,871,100.07). 1.04% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About Auto Trader Group

About Auto Trader Auto Trader Group plc is the UK's largest automotive platform. It listed on the London Stock Exchange in March 2015 and is a member of the FTSE 100 Index. Auto Trader's purpose is Driving Change Together. Responsibly. Auto Trader is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture, it aims to build stronger partnerships with its customers and use its voice and influence to drive more environmentally friendly vehicle choices. With the largest number of car buyers and the largest choice of trusted stock, Auto Trader's marketplace sits at the heart of the UK car buying process.