Auto Trader Group (LON:AUTO) Stock Passes Above Fifty Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Auto Trader Group shares rose above their 50-day moving average, reaching GBX 553.80 before closing at GBX 548.80 on trading volume of 6.6 million shares.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: the stock carries an average “Reduce” rating and a GBX 549.50 price target, with recent firms including JPMorgan, RBC, Berenberg and UBS cutting targets or maintaining negative ratings.
• Company insiders sold shares in July, including Nathan Coe’s £348,685 sale and Jamie Warner’s £161,431 sale; insiders collectively own 3.54% of the company.

Auto Trader Group plc (LON:AUTO - Get Free Report) shares crossed above its 50-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 511.23 and traded as high as GBX 553.80. Auto Trader Group shares last traded at GBX 548.80, with a volume of 6,615,660 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently issued reports on AUTO. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Auto Trader Group from GBX 445 to GBX 440 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Auto Trader Group from GBX 830 to GBX 535 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Berenberg Bank cut their target price on shares of Auto Trader Group from GBX 580 to GBX 510 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a "sell" rating and issued a GBX 470 price target on shares of Auto Trader Group in a report on Monday, May 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of GBX 549.50.

Auto Trader Group Stock Performance

The business has a 50 day moving average of GBX 511.23 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 490.04. The company has a market capitalization of £4.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.99 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a quick ratio of 1.50, a current ratio of 1.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 51.83.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Nathan Coe sold 70,158 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 497, for a total transaction of £348,685.26. Also, insider Jamie Warner sold 32,481 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 497, for a total value of £161,430.57. Corporate insiders own 3.54% of the company's stock.

About Auto Trader Group

Autotrader Group plc is the UK's largest automotive marketplace and a leading digital platform for the automotive industry. Listed on the London Stock Exchange since March 2015, the company is a member of the FTSE 100 Index. Autotrader's purpose is Driving Change Together. Responsibly. The company uses advanced data science, artificial intelligence and scalable technology to improve how vehicles are bought and sold, while building stronger partnerships with its customers and the wider automotive ecosystem.

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