Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH Reduces Holdings in Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD)

Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH decreased its position in Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD - Free Report) by 38.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 10,104 shares of the company's stock after selling 6,339 shares during the quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH's holdings in Lithia Motors were worth $2,966,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in LAD. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Lithia Motors during the fourth quarter worth $34,000. NBC Securities Inc. bought a new position in shares of Lithia Motors in the first quarter worth $59,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its position in Lithia Motors by 63.7% in the first quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 203 shares of the company's stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC grew its position in Lithia Motors by 30.1% in the first quarter. CWM LLC now owns 212 shares of the company's stock valued at $62,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of Lithia Motors by 50.9% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 252 shares of the company's stock worth $74,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the last quarter.

Insider Activity at Lithia Motors

In other Lithia Motors news, Director Shauna Mcintyre sold 337 shares of Lithia Motors stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $295.94, for a total transaction of $99,731.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 1,632 shares in the company, valued at approximately $482,974.08. This trade represents a 17.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.87% of the company's stock.

Lithia Motors Stock Performance

NYSE:LAD traded down $3.23 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $286.54. 653,041 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 301,419. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $326.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $324.30. Lithia Motors, Inc. has a one year low of $255.32 and a one year high of $405.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. The firm has a market cap of $7.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.46.

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 29th. The company reported $10.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $9.78 by $0.46. The business had revenue of $9.58 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.56 billion. Lithia Motors had a return on equity of 13.21% and a net margin of 2.39%. Research analysts anticipate that Lithia Motors, Inc. will post 34.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lithia Motors Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 8th will be given a dividend of $0.55 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 8th. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.77%. Lithia Motors's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 6.93%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on LAD. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Lithia Motors in a report on Tuesday, June 3rd. They set a "neutral" rating and a $340.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Lithia Motors from $345.00 to $335.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Lithia Motors from $364.00 to $317.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Bank of America upped their price target on Lithia Motors from $430.00 to $500.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, June 16th. Finally, Guggenheim dropped their price target on Lithia Motors from $417.00 to $356.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Lithia Motors has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $377.80.

About Lithia Motors

Lithia Motors, Inc operates as an automotive retailer worldwide. It operates in two segments, Vehicle Operations and Financing Operations. The company's Vehicle Operations segment sells new and used vehicles; provides parts, repair, and maintenance services; vehicle finance; and insurance products. Its Financing Operations segment provides financing to customers buying and leasing retail vehicles.