Short Interest in O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:ORLY) Expands By 23.3%

O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:ORLY) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 14,930,309 shares, a growth of 23.3% from the December 15th total of 12,107,375 shares. Approximately 1.8% of the company’s shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 5,371,194 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.8 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 5,371,194 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.8 days. Approximately 1.8% of the company’s shares are sold short.

Insider Activity at O’Reilly Automotive

In related news, SVP Christopher Andrew Mancini sold 2,355 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.31, for a total transaction of $238,585.05. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 28 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,836.68. This represents a 98.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Philip M. Hopper sold 3,500 shares of O’Reilly Automotive stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.25, for a total value of $354,375.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 4,792 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $485,190. This represents a 42.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 8,980 shares of company stock worth $882,335. 1.01% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Oakworth Capital Inc. raised its stake in shares of O’Reilly Automotive by 1,257.1% during the 2nd quarter. Oakworth Capital Inc. now owns 285 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 264 shares in the last quarter. HighMark Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in O’Reilly Automotive by 1,400.0% during the second quarter. HighMark Wealth Management LLC now owns 300 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 280 shares during the period. Canton Hathaway LLC raised its position in O’Reilly Automotive by 1,400.0% in the second quarter. Canton Hathaway LLC now owns 300 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC raised its position in O’Reilly Automotive by 839.4% in the second quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 310 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 277 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nemes Rush Group LLC lifted its holdings in O’Reilly Automotive by 1,400.0% in the second quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 315 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 294 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.00% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ORLY has been the subject of several recent research reports. Mizuho set a $112.00 price target on shares of O’Reilly Automotive in a research report on Monday, October 20th. Robert W. Baird set a $115.00 target price on O’Reilly Automotive and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $120.00 target price (up from $115.00) on shares of O’Reilly Automotive in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Morgan Stanley set a $110.00 price target on O’Reilly Automotive and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group set a $121.00 price objective on O’Reilly Automotive and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, O’Reilly Automotive presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $111.80.

O’Reilly Automotive Stock Performance

NASDAQ:ORLY opened at $95.24 on Wednesday. O’Reilly Automotive has a 1 year low of $82.04 and a 1 year high of $108.71. The stock has a market cap of $80.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 0.63. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $95.39 and a 200-day simple moving average of $98.69.

O’Reilly Automotive (NASDAQ:ORLY) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The specialty retailer reported $0.85 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $4.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.69 billion. O’Reilly Automotive had a negative return on equity of 206.86% and a net margin of 14.23%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $11.41 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that O’Reilly Automotive will post 43.94 EPS for the current year.

O’Reilly Automotive Company Profile

O’Reilly Automotive, Inc is a leading retailer and distributor in the automotive aftermarket, supplying parts, tools, supplies and accessories for both professional service providers and do‑it‑yourself (DIY) customers. The company’s product assortment covers replacement parts, maintenance items, performance parts, collision components and shop equipment, complemented by diagnostic tools, batteries, chemicals and consumables. O’Reilly serves customers through company-operated retail stores, commercial sales programs for repair shops and maintenance fleets, and digital channels that support parts lookup, ordering and fulfillment.

The company operates a broad supply chain that includes regional distribution centers to support rapid replenishment of store inventory and commercial deliveries.