Private Advisor Group LLC Cuts Stake in AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN)

Private Advisor Group LLC lessened its holdings in shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) by 13.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,591 shares of the company’s stock after selling 249 shares during the quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC’s holdings in AutoNation were worth $258,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AN. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in AutoNation by 25.5% during the fourth quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 315 shares of the company’s stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 104.2% in the 1st quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 5,882 shares of the company’s stock worth $952,000 after buying an additional 3,001 shares during the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC raised its position in shares of AutoNation by 95.3% during the 1st quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 5,247 shares of the company’s stock valued at $850,000 after buying an additional 2,561 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth purchased a new stake in shares of AutoNation during the 4th quarter valued at about $503,000. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 9.7% in the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 987 shares of the company’s stock valued at $160,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares during the last quarter. 94.62% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

AutoNation Stock Down 1.1%

Shares of AN opened at $190.58 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.94, a P/E/G ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.89. AutoNation, Inc. has a 12-month low of $148.33 and a 12-month high of $217.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.84. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $197.09 and a 200-day moving average price of $183.85.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 25th. The company reported $5.46 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.70 by $0.76. The company had revenue of $6.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.77 billion. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.31% and a return on equity of 31.12%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.99 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that AutoNation, Inc. will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have issued reports on AN. Wall Street Zen upgraded AutoNation from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 10th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on AutoNation from $209.00 to $221.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, July 28th. Stephens boosted their price objective on shares of AutoNation from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of AutoNation from $225.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, June 16th. Finally, Guggenheim dropped their price target 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 assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $211.38.

AutoNation 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.