Zacks Research Estimates AutoNation's Q2 Earnings (NYSE:AN)

Key Points

• Zacks Research trimmed AutoNation’s Q2 2026 EPS estimate slightly to $5.40 from $5.43, while also updating longer-term forecasts that generally point to higher earnings ahead.
• AutoNation’s latest quarterly results missed expectations, with EPS of $4.69 versus $4.71 expected and revenue of $6.55 billion versus $6.65 billion expected; revenue also fell 2.1% year over year.
• Wall Street remains broadly positive on AN, with eight Buy ratings, two Hold ratings, and a consensus “Moderate Buy” target price of $248.33, even as the stock recently traded below that level.

AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN - Free Report) - Research analysts at Zacks Research reduced their Q2 2026 earnings estimates for AutoNation in a report issued on Friday, May 15th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the company will post earnings of $5.40 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $5.43. The consensus estimate for AutoNation's current full-year earnings is $21.24 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for AutoNation's Q3 2026 earnings at $5.49 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $5.57 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $5.51 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $6.50 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $6.10 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $6.12 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $24.23 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $26.37 EPS.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The company reported $4.69 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.71 by ($0.02). AutoNation had a return on equity of 31.45% and a net margin of 2.47%.The business had revenue of $6.55 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.65 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.68 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year.

AN has been the subject of several other reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded AutoNation from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Bank of America initiated coverage on AutoNation in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on AutoNation from $207.00 to $208.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Stephens lifted their price objective on AutoNation from $228.00 to $232.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on AutoNation from $240.00 to $255.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, AutoNation has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $248.33.

AutoNation Stock Down 0.0%

NYSE:AN opened at $184.13 on Monday. AutoNation has a twelve month low of $176.25 and a twelve month high of $228.92. The company has a market cap of $6.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.79. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $196.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $202.84. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.62.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AutoNation

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in AutoNation in the third quarter valued at about $37,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake in AutoNation by 355.3% in the third quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 173 shares of the company's stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in AutoNation by 37.4% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 235 shares of the company's stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. purchased a new position in AutoNation in the fourth quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Employees Retirement System of Texas purchased a new position in AutoNation in the third quarter valued at about $48,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.62% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at AutoNation

In other AutoNation news, CAO Kimberly Dees sold 2,500 shares of AutoNation stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $204.91, for a total value of $512,275.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 1,456 shares in the company, valued at $298,348.96. The trade was a 63.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 1.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Trending Headlines about AutoNation

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoNation this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised several of its future earnings estimates for AutoNation, including FY2027 EPS to $24.23 from $23.17 and multiple 2026-2027 quarterly forecasts, signaling stronger expected profitability ahead.
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues to carry a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating from brokerages, suggesting Wall Street remains broadly constructive on AutoNation (AN).
• Positive Sentiment: AutoNation also received some positive public-relations attention after partnering with Habitat for Humanity on a Florida homeownership effort, which may help brand sentiment but is unlikely to move the stock materially.
• Neutral Sentiment: Some Zacks estimates were only modestly changed, while FY2028 EPS was trimmed to $26.37 from $26.94, making the overall analyst picture mixed rather than uniformly bullish.
• Negative Sentiment: AutoNation’s most recent earnings report missed consensus on both EPS and revenue, and quarterly sales fell year over year, which remains a headwind for investor sentiment.

AutoNation Company Profile

AutoNation, Inc is the largest automotive retailer in the United States, operating a network of franchised new vehicle dealerships, pre-owned vehicle superstores and collision-repair centers. The company offers a comprehensive range of automotive products and services, including the sale of new cars and light trucks from leading manufacturers, certified pre-owned vehicles and a wide selection of used models. In addition to retail vehicle sales, AutoNation provides financing, insurance and extended service contracts through its in-house financial services division, as well as genuine and aftermarket parts, factory-recommended maintenance and collision-repair services.

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, AutoNation was founded in 1996 by entrepreneur H.

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