AutoNation (NYSE:AN) Trading Down 4.2% - Here's Why

Shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) fell 4.2% on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $196.08 and last traded at $195.90. 142,483 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 69% from the average session volume of 458,223 shares. The stock had previously closed at $204.40.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on AN. Bank of America upped their target price on AutoNation from $225.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, June 16th. Guggenheim lowered their target price on AutoNation from $212.00 to $183.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Cfra Research upgraded AutoNation to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Friday, April 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on AutoNation from $195.00 to $175.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Citigroup upgraded AutoNation to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $209.88.

AutoNation Stock Down 3.8%

The company has a 50-day moving average of $194.31 and a 200-day moving average of $181.73. The company has a market capitalization of $7.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.72.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 25th. The company reported $4.68 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.35 by $0.33. The business had revenue of $6.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.53 billion. AutoNation had a return on equity of 30.08% and a net margin of 2.51%. The company's revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.49 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that AutoNation, Inc. will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of AutoNation

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in AutoNation in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $7,836,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank grew its holdings in AutoNation by 9.3% in the fourth quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 6,427 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,092,000 after purchasing an additional 548 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC grew its holdings in AutoNation by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 3,866 shares of the company's stock valued at $657,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its holdings in AutoNation by 77.1% in the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 494 shares of the company's stock valued at $84,000 after purchasing an additional 215 shares during the period. Finally, Natixis Advisors LLC grew its holdings in AutoNation by 5.3% in the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 17,058 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,897,000 after purchasing an additional 861 shares during the period. 94.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat's editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.