Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI - Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report released on Saturday.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on GPI. Guggenheim downgraded Group 1 Automotive from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 14th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $463.00 to $495.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $495.00 to $435.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $454.43.

Group 1 Automotive Stock Up 2.7%

NYSE:GPI traded up $11.70 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $442.59. 107,562 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 142,920. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $415.15 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $427.03. The firm has a market cap of $5.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.04 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 1.03. Group 1 Automotive has a twelve month low of $279.86 and a twelve month high of $490.09.

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

Insider Activity at Group 1 Automotive

In related news, VP Michael David Jones sold 1,613 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $405.57, for a total transaction of $654,184.41. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 8,260 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,350,008.20. This represents a 16.34% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 2.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in GPI. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its holdings in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 4.2% in the fourth quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 571 shares of the company's stock valued at $241,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp lifted its stake in Group 1 Automotive by 24.8% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 146 shares of the company's stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in Group 1 Automotive by 2.7% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,144 shares of the company's stock worth $437,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Group 1 Automotive by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 2,718 shares of the company's stock worth $1,038,000 after acquiring an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Xponance Inc. boosted its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 2.5% during the first quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 1,302 shares of the company's stock worth $497,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. 99.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.