AutoNation (NYSE:AN) Stock: Insider Thomas Szlosek Acquires 540 Shares

AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) CFO Thomas Szlosek purchased 540 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 5th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $185.10 per share, for a total transaction of $99,954.00. Following the acquisition, the chief financial officer directly owned 20,625 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,817,687.50. This represents a 2.69% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

AutoNation Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:AN opened at $184.40 on Wednesday. AutoNation, Inc. has a one year low of $151.82 and a one year high of $235.81. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $174.90 and a 200-day moving average of $192.64. The company has a market capitalization of $5.90 billion, a PE ratio of 8.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.74, a quick ratio of 0.17 and a current ratio of 0.77.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last issued its earnings results on Friday, October 30th. The company reported $5.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.08 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.93 billion. AutoNation had a return on equity of 31.18% and a net margin of 2.63%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $5.01 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that AutoNation, Inc. will post 20.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AN has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on AutoNation from $175.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday. Weiss Ratings downgraded AutoNation from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Monday, September 21st. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of AutoNation from $248.00 to $213.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of AutoNation from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $185.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, November 4th. Finally, Argus raised their target price on shares of AutoNation from $241.00 to $246.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $228.20.

Key AutoNation News

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoNation this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CFO Thomas A. Szlosek bought 1,081 shares over November 5–6 for about $199,801, and Director Jacqueline Travisano bought 530 shares for about $98,204. The purchases increased their respective holdings and may signal confidence in the company. AutoNation insider trading and filings
• Positive Sentiment: AutoNation’s Q3 earnings-call recap describes management as positive about growth, which could support investor sentiment. The recap also notes vehicle pressures. AutoNation earnings call highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target from $175 to $182 but maintained an “equal weight” rating; the revised target was still below the cited share price, limiting the positive implication. Morgan Stanley analyst recommendations
• Negative Sentiment: The earnings-call recap flags pressure in vehicle-related business, a potential headwind even as management highlighted growth. AutoNation earnings call highlights

Institutional Trading of AutoNation

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its position in shares of AutoNation by 73.9% in the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 193 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 82 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its position in AutoNation by 33.0% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 306 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLC acquired a new position in AutoNation during the second quarter valued at $63,000. Heritage Family Offices LLP purchased a new stake in AutoNation in the 3rd quarter worth about $67,000. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in AutoNation in the 3rd quarter worth about $85,000. 94.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.