Empowered Funds LLC Sells 2,058 Shares of AutoNation, Inc. $AN

Key Points

• Empowered Funds LLC reduced its shares in AutoNation by 9.6% in the first quarter, holding approximately 0.05% of the company worth $3.14 million after selling over 2,000 shares.
• AutoNation reported an EPS of $5.46 for the last quarter, surpassing estimates, and its revenue increased by 7.6% year-over-year to $6.97 billion.
• Multiple analysts adjusted their price targets for AutoNation, with consensus now at $222.63, reflecting a "Moderate Buy" rating from the market.

Empowered Funds LLC lowered its position in shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Free Report) by 9.6% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 19,397 shares of the company's stock after selling 2,058 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC owned about 0.05% of AutoNation worth $3,141,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. United Services Automobile Association acquired a new position in AutoNation in the first quarter valued at about $265,000. Caxton Associates LLP acquired a new position in AutoNation in the first quarter valued at about $3,781,000. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new position in AutoNation in the first quarter valued at about $569,000. Financial Strategies Group Inc. raised its stake in AutoNation by 21.0% in the first quarter. Financial Strategies Group Inc. now owns 3,336 shares of the company's stock valued at $547,000 after purchasing an additional 579 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Parkwood LLC acquired a new position in AutoNation in the first quarter valued at about $6,150,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.62% of the company's stock.

AutoNation Trading Up 1.0%

Shares of AutoNation stock traded up $2.14 on Thursday, reaching $222.64. 92,654 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 473,924. The firm's 50-day moving average is $209.57 and its two-hundred day moving average is $189.83. AutoNation, Inc. has a 52 week low of $148.33 and a 52 week high of $228.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.84, a quick ratio of 0.21 and a current ratio of 0.81. The company has a market capitalization of $8.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 0.89.

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on AutoNation from $185.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 5th. Wall Street Zen downgraded AutoNation from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, September 13th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on AutoNation from $209.00 to $221.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, July 28th. Stephens boosted their target price on AutoNation from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 29th. Finally, Bank of America lowered their target price on AutoNation from $255.00 to $250.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, September 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $222.63.

AutoNation 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.