Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) Upgraded by StockNews.com to Hold

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Friday.

Several other research firms have also weighed in on LAD. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $375.00 price objective on shares of Lithia Motors in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Bank of America raised their price objective on Lithia Motors from $380.00 to $385.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Lithia Motors from $290.00 to $248.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Lithia Motors from $220.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, Craig Hallum decreased their target price on Lithia Motors from $350.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $320.82.

Lithia Motors Stock Up 3.8 %

Shares of LAD stock opened at $257.73 on Friday. Lithia Motors has a 1 year low of $206.69 and a 1 year high of $331.96. The stock has a market cap of $7.10 billion, a PE ratio of 7.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.58. The business’s fifty day moving average is $284.15 and its 200-day moving average is $283.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 1.41.

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 24th. The company reported $6.11 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.85 by ($1.74). The company had revenue of $8.56 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.58 billion. Lithia Motors had a return on equity of 17.33% and a net margin of 3.22%. The business’s revenue was up 22.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $8.44 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Lithia Motors will post 34.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Shauna Mcintyre sold 135 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $297.84, for a total transaction of $40,208.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,662 shares in the company, valued at $495,010.08. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 1.79% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lithia Motors

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new position in Lithia Motors during the third quarter valued at about $32,000. Denali Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Lithia Motors by 5,050.0% during the fourth quarter. Denali Advisors LLC now owns 103 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Lithia Motors by 509.5% during the third quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 128 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC bought a new position in Lithia Motors during the fourth quarter valued at about $49,000. Finally, Rise Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Lithia Motors by 80.2% during the first quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 191 shares of the company’s stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 85 shares in the last quarter.

About Lithia Motors

Lithia Motors, Inc operates as an automotive retailer worldwide. It operates in two segments, Vehicle Operations and Financing Operations. The company's Vehicle Operations segment sells new and used vehicles; provides parts, repair, and maintenance services; vehicle finance; and insurance products.