Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CAR) Given Average Recommendation of "Reduce" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Analysts remain cautious on Avis Budget Group: Nine analysts give the stock an average “Reduce” rating, including three sells and six holds, with an average 12-month price target of $135.57.
• CAR opened at $138.73, below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, after the company reported quarterly EPS of $0.98 versus the $2.05 consensus estimate and a 1.3% year-over-year revenue decline.
• A securities class-action lawsuit notice and September 29, 2026 lead-plaintiff deadline may add litigation and reputational risks, while institutional investors collectively own 96.35% of the stock.

Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CAR - Get Free Report) has received an average rating of "Reduce" from the nine analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a hold rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $135.5714.

A number of analysts have weighed in on CAR shares. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Avis Budget Group from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, August 1st. Barclays set a $160.00 price target on shares of Avis Budget Group and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, June 8th. Zacks Research raised Avis Budget Group from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Avis Budget Group from $155.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Avis Budget Group in a research report on Monday, August 17th.

Avis Budget Group News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Avis Budget Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded Avis Budget Group from “strong sell” to “hold,” which may reduce some extreme bearish sentiment and offer limited support for the shares. Zacks rating upgrade report
• Neutral Sentiment: A head-to-head review comparing Avis Budget Group with Lyft provides sector context but does not appear to announce a material change to Avis’s operations, financial outlook, or valuation. Avis Budget Group versus Lyft review
• Negative Sentiment: Several investor-rights firms publicized a securities class action and a September 29, 2026 lead-plaintiff deadline involving Pentwater Capital Management and CEO Matthew Halbower. The filings allege that Pentwater accumulated and then sold Avis shares, causing substantial investor losses; the allegations have not been proven. The notices may weigh on CAR because of potential litigation costs, uncertainty, and reputational risk. Rosen Law Firm lawsuit deadline notice

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Avis Budget Group

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Parallel Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Avis Budget Group by 11.6% during the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 587 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $86,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Avis Budget Group by 19.6% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 427 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $72,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in Avis Budget Group by 26.5% during the third quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 363 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $58,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund increased its holdings in Avis Budget Group by 3.0% during the 1st quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 3,474 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $507,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State of Michigan Retirement System increased its stake in shares of Avis Budget Group by 2.5% in the first quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 4,073 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $594,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. 96.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Avis Budget Group Stock Performance

NASDAQ:CAR opened at $138.73 on Monday. Avis Budget Group has a one year low of $85.96 and a one year high of $847.70. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $149.07 and its 200 day simple moving average is $171.08. The stock has a market cap of $4.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.64 and a beta of 1.91.

Avis Budget Group (NASDAQ:CAR - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The business services provider reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.05 by ($1.07). The firm had revenue of $3 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.10 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.10 earnings per share. The business's revenue was down 1.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Avis Budget Group will post 1.36 EPS for the current year.

Avis Budget Group Company Profile

Avis Budget Group, Inc operates as a leading global provider of vehicle rental and mobility solutions. Through its two core brands, Avis® and Budget®, the company offers a broad range of rental options including daily, weekly and monthly car rentals for leisure and business travelers. In addition to traditional airport and off-airport car rental services, Avis Budget Group delivers innovative mobility platforms such as car-sharing programs and connected fleet solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of corporate, government and individual customers.

The company's roots trace back to Avis Rent a Car, founded in 1946, and Budget Rent a Car, established in 1958.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.