AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) Shares Purchased by Foster & Motley Inc.

Key Points

• Foster & Motley Inc. increased its stake in AutoNation by 75.4% by purchasing an additional 8,772 shares in the first quarter, bringing its total ownership to approximately $3.3 million.
• AutoNation reported earnings of $5.46 per share for the last quarter, exceeding analyst expectations of $4.70 and achieving a 7.6% revenue growth year-over-year.
• Research analysts have recently raised their price targets for AutoNation, with Bank of America increasing its target from $225 to $255 and currently holding a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy".

Foster & Motley Inc. grew its holdings in AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Free Report) by 75.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 20,412 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 8,772 shares during the quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. owned 0.05% of AutoNation worth $3,305,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in AN. Natixis Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 1.7% during the first quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 17,352 shares of the company's stock worth $2,810,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares during the period. Arkadios Wealth Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation during the first quarter worth about $206,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation during the first quarter worth about $242,000. GSA Capital Partners LLP lifted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 30.9% during the first quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP now owns 12,661 shares of the company's stock worth $2,050,000 after purchasing an additional 2,992 shares during the period. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 42.1% during the first quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 2,441 shares of the company's stock worth $395,000 after purchasing an additional 723 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.62% of the company's stock.

AutoNation Stock Performance

Shares of AN stock traded down $2.06 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $190.58. The company had a trading volume of 370,782 shares, compared to its average volume of 541,365. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $197.09 and its 200 day simple moving average is $183.86. AutoNation, Inc. has a 52-week low of $148.33 and a 52-week high of $217.40. The stock has a market cap of $7.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.94, a PEG ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.84, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.22.

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on AN shares. Wall Street Zen raised AutoNation from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, May 10th. Citigroup upgraded AutoNation to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Bank of America upped their price target on AutoNation from $225.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, June 16th. Stephens increased 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, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on AutoNation from $209.00 to $221.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, July 28th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $211.38.

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.