AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) CEO Cheryl Miller sold 4,331 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.97, for a total transaction of $216,420.07. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 19,165 shares in the company, valued at $957,675.05. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.
Shares of AutoNation stock traded up $0.16 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $48.86. 805,101 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 412,514. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $51.37 and a 200-day simple moving average of $47.91. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.88, a PEG ratio of 4.73 and a beta of 1.02. AutoNation, Inc. has a 52-week low of $32.83 and a 52-week high of $53.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.22 and a current ratio of 0.85.
AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 29th. The company reported $1.10 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.11 by ($0.01). AutoNation had a return on equity of 14.37% and a net margin of 1.82%. The firm had revenue of $5.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.38 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.24 EPS. AutoNation’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that AutoNation, Inc. will post 4.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Several research analysts have issued reports on AN shares. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of AutoNation from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. ValuEngine downgraded shares of AutoNation from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on AutoNation from $45.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Finally, Cfra raised AutoNation from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. AutoNation currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $45.18.
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Cerebellum GP LLC purchased a new position in AutoNation in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. lifted its position in AutoNation by 123.2% during the second quarter. Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,038 shares of the company’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 573 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC lifted its position in AutoNation by 31.9% during the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 888 shares of the company’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 215 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. acquired a new position in AutoNation during the third quarter worth $65,000. Finally, Pearl River Capital LLC acquired a new position in AutoNation during the second quarter worth $129,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.16% of the company’s stock.
AutoNation Company 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.