AutoNation, Inc. $AN Holdings Boosted by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP

Key Points

• Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in AutoNation, Inc. by 0.2%, now holding approximately 4.24% of the company, valued at $258.66 million.
• AutoNation's recent earnings report revealed $5.46 earnings per share, exceeding analysts' estimates, and a revenue of $6.97 billion, marking a 7.6% increase year-over-year.
• Wall Street analysts have varying ratings for AutoNation, with a consensus target price of $223.25 and recent upgrades from several firms, indicating a generally positive outlook.

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Free Report) by 0.2% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,597,562 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 2,416 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned 4.24% of AutoNation worth $258,657,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fox Run Management L.L.C. acquired a new position in AutoNation during the first quarter worth $1,073,000. Boston Partners raised its stake in AutoNation by 8.3% in the first quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,964,187 shares of the company's stock valued at $318,749,000 after buying an additional 149,959 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 197.5% during the first quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 15,786 shares of the company's stock worth $2,555,000 after purchasing an additional 10,480 shares during the last quarter. CCM Investment Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the first quarter worth about $507,000. Finally, Nuveen LLC purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the first quarter worth about $36,060,000. 94.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

AutoNation Stock Performance

NYSE AN traded up $0.6230 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $210.2230. The company's stock had a trading volume of 303,339 shares, compared to its average volume of 481,507. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $201.32 and a 200 day simple moving average of $185.33. The stock has a market cap of $7.93 billion, a PE ratio of 13.17, a PEG ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.84. AutoNation, Inc. has a 52 week low of $148.33 and a 52 week high of $217.40.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 25th. The company reported $5.46 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.70 by $0.76. The company had revenue of $6.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.77 billion. AutoNation had a return on equity of 31.12% and a net margin of 2.31%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $3.99 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that AutoNation, Inc. will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have weighed in on AN. Wall Street Zen raised AutoNation from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, May 10th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on AutoNation from $195.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 14th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on AutoNation from $209.00 to $221.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 28th. Guggenheim reduced their price target on AutoNation from $230.00 to $228.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 11th. Finally, Citigroup upgraded AutoNation to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $223.25.

About AutoNation

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.