Autohome Inc. (NYSE:ATHM) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Autohome Inc. (NYSE:ATHM) saw a large increase in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,249,740 shares, an increase of 21.9% from the December 15th total of 1,845,391 shares. Currently, 2.0% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 494,335 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4.6 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 494,335 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4.6 days. Currently, 2.0% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Autohome Stock Down 1.5%

Shares of NYSE ATHM opened at $22.74 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $23.32 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $26.23. Autohome has a 52-week low of $21.78 and a 52-week high of $32.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.38 and a beta of 0.08.

Autohome Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be issued a $1.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 31st. Autohome’s payout ratio is currently 102.94%.

Institutional Trading of Autohome

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Aberdeen Group plc lifted its position in shares of Autohome by 6.3% in the 4th quarter. Aberdeen Group plc now owns 409,689 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $9,120,000 after buying an additional 24,338 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its holdings in Autohome by 210.0% in the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 56,595 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $1,260,000 after acquiring an additional 38,341 shares during the last quarter. AIA Group Ltd boosted its stake in Autohome by 37.3% in the third quarter. AIA Group Ltd now owns 53,906 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $1,539,000 after acquiring an additional 14,657 shares during the period. BlueCrest Capital Management Ltd boosted its stake in Autohome by 468.8% in the third quarter. BlueCrest Capital Management Ltd now owns 45,500 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $1,299,000 after acquiring an additional 37,500 shares during the period. Finally, Danske Bank A S bought a new position in shares of Autohome during the third quarter valued at approximately $536,000. 63.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on ATHM shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Autohome in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research raised Autohome from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Autohome from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $36.00 to $28.00 in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.00.

About Autohome

Autohome Inc (NYSE: ATHM) operates one of China’s leading online destinations for automobile consumers, offering a comprehensive suite of digital platforms and services throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle. Headquartered in Beijing, the company’s core website and mobile applications deliver news, reviews, pricing information, photos, videos and interactive tools to help prospective buyers evaluate new and used vehicles. By aggregating rich editorial content with user-generated ratings and expert analyses, Autohome seeks to guide consumers through research, purchase and after-sales decision-making.

In addition to its consumer-facing properties, Autohome provides automakers, dealers and service providers with integrated digital marketing and e-commerce solutions.