AutoNation (NYSE:AN) Price Target Raised to $200.00 at Stephens

Key Points

• Stephens has raised its price target for AutoNation (NYSE:AN) from $190.00 to $200.00, indicating a potential upside of 1.82% from its current price.
• The company's most recent quarterly earnings showed $5.46 earnings per share, which surpassed analyst expectations of $4.70.
• Market analysts have varied ratings on AutoNation, with a consensus of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $211.38.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) had its price target boosted by equities research analysts at Stephens from $190.00 to $200.00 in a report released on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "equal weight" rating on the stock. Stephens' price target indicates a potential upside of 4.94% from the company's current price.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of AutoNation from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 10th. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $225.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, June 16th. Citigroup raised shares of AutoNation to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of AutoNation from $209.00 to $221.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, Guggenheim dropped their price objective on shares of AutoNation from $212.00 to $183.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $211.38.

AutoNation Stock Down 1.1%

NYSE:AN traded down $2.06 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $190.58. The company's stock had a trading volume of 370,782 shares, compared to its average volume of 491,716. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.99. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $196.92 and a 200-day moving average of $183.77. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.84. AutoNation has a 52-week low of $148.33 and a 52-week high of $217.40.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 25th. The company reported $5.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.70 by $0.76. AutoNation had a return on equity of 31.12% and a net margin of 2.31%. The company had revenue of $6.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.77 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.99 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that AutoNation will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AutoNation

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of AN. Curat Global LLC bought a new stake in shares of AutoNation during the 1st quarter valued at about $36,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in AutoNation by 37.4% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 235 shares of the company's stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in AutoNation by 25.5% in the 4th quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 315 shares of the company's stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in AutoNation by 81.1% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 460 shares of the company's stock worth $74,000 after purchasing an additional 206 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC grew its position in AutoNation by 45.3% in the 2nd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 375 shares of the company's stock worth $74,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.62% of the company's stock.

AutoNation Company Profile

AutoNation, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Domestic, Import, and Premium Luxury. It offers a range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles; and parts and services, such as automotive repair and maintenance, and wholesale parts and collision services.