Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) Shares Bought by UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC

UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI - Free Report) by 17.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 39,420 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 5,850 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC owned about 0.30% of Group 1 Automotive worth $16,615,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Shellback Capital LP increased its holdings in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 15.0% during the fourth quarter. Shellback Capital LP now owns 92,025 shares of the company's stock valued at $38,787,000 after purchasing an additional 12,025 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 44.5% during the 4th quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 3,986 shares of the company's stock worth $1,680,000 after purchasing an additional 1,227 shares in the last quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP raised its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 4.2% in the 4th quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 1,193 shares of the company's stock valued at $503,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. NorthRock Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Group 1 Automotive in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $499,000. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 4.1% in the 4th quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 7,539 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,178,000 after buying an additional 296 shares during the last quarter. 99.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Group 1 Automotive Trading Up 0.1%

NYSE GPI traded up $0.25 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $424.08. 119,273 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 143,398. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $409.87 and a 200 day simple moving average of $426.08. The firm has a market cap of $5.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.54 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92. Group 1 Automotive, Inc. has a 1-year low of $279.86 and a 1-year high of $490.09.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The company reported $10.17 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $9.68 by $0.49. The company had revenue of $5.51 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.37 billion. Group 1 Automotive had a return on equity of 18.09% and a net margin of 2.47%. Group 1 Automotive's revenue was up 23.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $9.49 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Group 1 Automotive, Inc. will post 41 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Group 1 Automotive Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 16th. Investors of record on Monday, June 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 2nd. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.47%. Group 1 Automotive's dividend payout ratio is presently 5.61%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Group 1 Automotive news, VP Michael David Jones sold 1,613 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $405.57, for a total value of $654,184.41. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 8,260 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,350,008.20. This trade represents a 16.34% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 2.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Group 1 Automotive from $495.00 to $435.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Stephens reaffirmed an "equal weight" rating and set a $460.00 price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Guggenheim downgraded Group 1 Automotive from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on Group 1 Automotive from $463.00 to $495.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 13th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $454.43.

Group 1 Automotive Company Profile

Group 1 Automotive, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates in the automotive retail industry in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company sells new and used cars, light trucks, and vehicle parts, as well as service and insurance contracts; arranges related vehicle financing; and offers automotive maintenance and repair services.