AutoNation (NYSE:AN) CFO Thomas Szlosek Buys 541 Shares of Company Stock

Key Points

• CFO Thomas Szlosek bought 541 AutoNation shares at an average price of $184.56, spending about $99,847. The purchase increased his holdings by 2.62% to 21,166 shares.
• AutoNation’s latest quarterly results topped estimates, with EPS of $5.11 and revenue of $7.01 billion; revenue was down 0.4% year over year.
• Analysts’ consensus rating is Hold, with an average price target of $228.20. Shares traded up 1.3% to $186.31 on Monday.

AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) CFO Thomas Szlosek bought 541 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 6th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $184.56 per share, for a total transaction of $99,846.96. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief financial officer owned 21,166 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,906,396.96. This trade represents a 2.62% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

AutoNation Trading Up 1.3%

NYSE:AN traded up $2.31 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $186.31. 439,749 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 463,137. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.95, a PEG ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.74, a quick ratio of 0.17 and a current ratio of 0.77. The company has a fifty day moving average of $175.51 and a 200 day moving average of $192.98. AutoNation, Inc. has a 12 month low of $151.82 and a 12 month high of $235.81.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 30th. The company reported $5.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $5.08 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.93 billion. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.63% and a return on equity of 31.18%. The company's revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $5.01 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that AutoNation, Inc. will post 20.96 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AN. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of AutoNation by 153.3% in the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 646 shares of the company's stock worth $101,000 after purchasing an additional 391 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of AutoNation by 59.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,305 shares of the company's stock valued at $363,000 after purchasing an additional 855 shares in the last quarter. IFG Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of AutoNation during the third quarter valued at about $1,514,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its position in shares of AutoNation by 3.7% during the third quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 21,819 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,435,000 after buying an additional 779 shares during the period. Finally, Ritholtz Wealth Management increased its position in shares of AutoNation by 4.6% during the third quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 10,721 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,688,000 after buying an additional 474 shares during the period. 94.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on AN shares. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of AutoNation from $202.00 to $224.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, August 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded AutoNation from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $185.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, November 4th. Stephens upped their price target on AutoNation from $220.00 to $232.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Zacks Research cut AutoNation from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Friday, October 16th. Finally, Barclays cut their price objective on AutoNation from $230.00 to $220.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 3rd. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $228.20.

AutoNation Company Profile

AutoNation, Inc is a U.S. automotive retailer that sells new and used vehicles through a network of dealerships. Its stores offer vehicles from a range of manufacturers, along with related products and services.

The company also provides vehicle maintenance and repair, parts, and collision-repair services. Its offerings include financing and insurance products, as well as online tools that support vehicle research and purchasing.

Founded in 1996, AutoNation operates dealerships across the United States, with a presence concentrated in the Sun Belt.

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