Nuveen Asset Management LLC Acquires 1,897 Shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN)

Nuveen Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Free Report) by 0.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 241,513 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 1,897 shares during the quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC owned about 0.61% of AutoNation worth $41,019,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in AN. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in AutoNation by 25.5% during the fourth quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 315 shares of the company's stock valued at $54,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its stake in AutoNation by 5.6% during the fourth quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 1,290 shares of the company's stock valued at $219,000 after buying an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC raised its stake in AutoNation by 2.0% during the fourth quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 3,472 shares of the company's stock valued at $590,000 after buying an additional 69 shares during the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its stake in AutoNation by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 11,171 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,897,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Finally, HighTower Advisors LLC raised its stake in AutoNation by 2.0% during the fourth quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 3,866 shares of the company's stock valued at $657,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. 94.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

AutoNation Stock Performance

AutoNation stock traded up $1.64 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $182.23. 423,290 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 459,321. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.87 billion, a PE ratio of 10.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.21. AutoNation, Inc. has a 12-month low of $148.33 and a 12-month high of $198.50. The business's 50-day moving average is $172.51 and its 200-day moving average is $175.53.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 25th. The company reported $4.68 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.35 by $0.33. AutoNation had a return on equity of 30.48% and a net margin of 2.59%. The company had revenue of $6.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.53 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.49 earnings per share. AutoNation's revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that AutoNation, Inc. will post 18.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on AN shares. Cfra Research upgraded AutoNation to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Friday, April 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on AutoNation from $195.00 to $175.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on AutoNation from $220.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on AutoNation from $194.00 to $176.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded AutoNation from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 10th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $200.75.

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.