AutoNation (NYSE:AN) CFO Thomas Szlosek Purchases 541 Shares of Stock

AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) CFO Thomas Szlosek purchased 541 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 6th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $184.56 per share, for a total transaction of $99,846.96. Following the purchase, the chief financial officer owned 21,166 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,906,396.96. The trade was a 2.62% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

AutoNation Trading Up 1.3%

NYSE AN opened at $186.31 on Tuesday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $175.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $192.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.74, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.18. AutoNation, Inc. has a 12 month low of $151.82 and a 12 month high of $235.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.98, a PEG ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 0.82.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 30th. The company reported $5.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.08 by $0.03. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.63% and a return on equity of 31.18%. The firm had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.93 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $5.01 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that AutoNation, Inc. will post 20.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of AutoNation

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Redwood Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of AutoNation by 1.1% during the first quarter. Redwood Investment Management LLC now owns 5,372 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,049,000 after buying an additional 61 shares during the period. Davis Capital Management increased its stake in shares of AutoNation by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Davis Capital Management now owns 9,712 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,529,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of AutoNation by 4.5% in the third quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 1,620 shares of the company’s stock worth $255,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its position in AutoNation by 33.0% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 306 shares of the company’s stock worth $59,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its stake in AutoNation by 73.9% during the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 193 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. 94.62% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More AutoNation News

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoNation this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CFO Thomas A. Szlosek bought 1,081 shares across November 5 and 6 for about $199,801, increasing his holdings. Director Jacqueline Travisano also purchased 530 shares for about $98,204. These open-market purchases may indicate confidence in AutoNation’s prospects. CFO SEC filing Director SEC filing
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target from $175 to $182 but kept an “equal weight” rating. The new target is still below the cited share price of $186.31, tempering the benefit of the increase. Morgan Stanley analyst recommendations

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AN has been the topic of several recent research reports. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of AutoNation from $255.00 to $240.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 3rd. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of AutoNation from $175.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on AutoNation from $202.00 to $224.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut AutoNation from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $185.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, November 4th. Finally, Argus raised their target price on AutoNation from $241.00 to $246.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $228.20.

About AutoNation

AutoNation, Inc is a U.S. automotive retailer that sells new and used vehicles through a network of dealerships. Its stores offer vehicles from a range of manufacturers, along with related products and services.

The company also provides vehicle maintenance and repair, parts, and collision-repair services. Its offerings include financing and insurance products, as well as online tools that support vehicle research and purchasing.

Founded in 1996, AutoNation operates dealerships across the United States, with a presence concentrated in the Sun Belt.