Autohome (NYSE:ATHM) Upgraded by Wall Street Zen to "Hold" Rating

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Autohome from “sell” to “hold,” but the broader analyst consensus remains “Reduce,” with four Hold ratings and two Sell ratings and an average price target of $17.77.
• Autohome shares opened at $22.19, above the consensus target, with a market capitalization of approximately $2.56 billion and a 52-week trading range of $15.57 to $29.92.
• Executives sold shares to cover tax obligations tied to vested equity awards, while institutional investors own 63.08% of the company and insiders hold 5.70%.

Autohome (NYSE:ATHM - Get Free Report) was upgraded by Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued on Saturday.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Autohome from $20.00 to $17.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Bank of America cut shares of Autohome from a "neutral" rating to an "underperform" rating and set a $19.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday. Zacks Research raised shares of Autohome from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. HSBC lowered shares of Autohome from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $17.30 target price for the company. in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of Autohome in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Autohome currently has an average rating of "Reduce" and a consensus price target of $17.77.

Autohome Stock Performance

Shares of ATHM stock opened at $22.19 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $20.87 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $19.42. Autohome has a 52-week low of $15.57 and a 52-week high of $29.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.56 billion, a PE ratio of 19.13 and a beta of 0.23.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Yan Zeng sold 24,300 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.35, for a total value of $105,705.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 169,940 shares of the company's stock, valued at $739,239. This represents a 12.51% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CTO Bibo Xiang sold 10,508 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $4.35, for a total value of $45,709.80. Following the sale, the chief technology officer directly owned 62,368 shares of the company's stock, valued at $271,300.80. This represents a 14.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. 5.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Autohome

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Autohome in the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Autohome by 205.9% during the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,652 shares of the information services provider's stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 1,112 shares during the last quarter. Guinness Asset Management LTD boosted its position in Autohome by 20.7% during the fourth quarter. Guinness Asset Management LTD now owns 3,271 shares of the information services provider's stock valued at $76,000 after purchasing an additional 560 shares in the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its position in Autohome by 30.5% during the third quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 2,886 shares of the information services provider's stock valued at $82,000 after purchasing an additional 674 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Virtus Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Autohome in the third quarter valued at about $106,000. 63.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Autohome Company Profile

Autohome Inc NYSE: ATHM operates one of China’s leading online destinations for automobile consumers, offering a comprehensive suite of digital platforms and services throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle. Headquartered in Beijing, the company’s core website and mobile applications deliver news, reviews, pricing information, photos, videos and interactive tools to help prospective buyers evaluate new and used vehicles. By aggregating rich editorial content with user-generated ratings and expert analyses, Autohome seeks to guide consumers through research, purchase and after-sales decision-making.

In addition to its consumer-facing properties, Autohome provides automakers, dealers and service providers with integrated digital marketing and e-commerce solutions.

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