Brokerages Set Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) Price Target at $447.67

Shares of Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) have earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seven brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $449.86.

Several research firms have recently weighed in on GPI. Guggenheim decreased their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $502.00 to $426.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $495.00 to $435.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Stephens restated an “equal weight” rating and set a $460.00 price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a report on Wednesday. They issued a “buy” rating and a $463.00 price objective for the company.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Barclays PLC lifted its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 244.7% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 56,319 shares of the company’s stock worth $21,573,000 after purchasing an additional 39,982 shares in the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Group 1 Automotive during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $272,000. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 156,627 shares of the company’s stock worth $55,701,000 after buying an additional 3,507 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its position in Group 1 Automotive by 70.4% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 121 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the period. Finally, Range Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Group 1 Automotive in the fourth quarter worth $416,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.92% of the company’s stock.

Group 1 Automotive Price Performance

Shares of NYSE GPI opened at $406.97 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 1.03. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $412.62 and a 200 day moving average of $416.07. The firm has a market cap of $5.39 billion, a PE ratio of 11.07 and a beta of 1.05. Group 1 Automotive has a one year low of $279.86 and a one year high of $490.09.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The company reported $10.17 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $9.68 by $0.49. The business had revenue of $5.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.37 billion. Group 1 Automotive had a net margin of 2.47% and a return on equity of 18.09%. As a group, research analysts predict that Group 1 Automotive will post 41 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Group 1 Automotive Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were given a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.49%. This is a boost from Group 1 Automotive’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. Group 1 Automotive’s dividend payout ratio is presently 5.44%.

Group 1 Automotive Company Profile

Group 1 Automotive, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates in the automotive retail industry in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company sells new and used cars, light trucks, and vehicle parts, as well as service and insurance contracts; arranges related vehicle financing; and offers automotive maintenance and repair services.