Analysts Set AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) PT at $200.75

AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) has been given a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" by the nine ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $200.75.

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of AutoNation from $194.00 to $176.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 21st. Evercore ISI increased their price target on shares of AutoNation from $220.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on AutoNation from $195.00 to $175.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Cfra Research raised AutoNation to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Finally, Guggenheim dropped their target price on AutoNation from $212.00 to $183.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AutoNation

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AN. Brave Warrior Advisors LLC grew its position in AutoNation by 50.3% in the 4th quarter. Brave Warrior Advisors LLC now owns 1,461,213 shares of the company's stock worth $248,172,000 after purchasing an additional 488,904 shares during the last quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. boosted its position in shares of AutoNation by 422.7% during the fourth quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. now owns 575,000 shares of the company's stock worth $97,658,000 after buying an additional 465,000 shares during the period. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. increased its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 63.0% in the fourth quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 1,104,934 shares of the company's stock valued at $187,662,000 after purchasing an additional 426,882 shares during the last quarter. Cartenna Capital LP acquired a new position in shares of AutoNation in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $56,831,000. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in AutoNation in the fourth quarter valued at $38,136,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.62% of the company's stock.

AutoNation Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of AutoNation stock traded up $0.14 on Wednesday, hitting $179.77. The stock had a trading volume of 268,453 shares, compared to its average volume of 455,829. The stock has a market cap of $6.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.61, a PEG ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.00. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $167.93 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $173.44. AutoNation has a one year low of $148.33 and a one year high of $198.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 25th. The company reported $4.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.35 by $0.33. The firm had revenue of $6.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.53 billion. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.59% and a return on equity of 30.48%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.49 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that AutoNation will post 18.15 EPS for the current year.

AutoNation Company Profile

AutoNation, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Domestic, Import, and Premium Luxury. It offers a range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles; and parts and services, such as automotive repair and maintenance, and wholesale parts and collision services.