Lombard Odier Asset Management USA Corp Buys 4,641 Shares of AutoNation, Inc. $AN

Lombard Odier Asset Management USA Corp increased its position in AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) by 428.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,723 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 4,641 shares during the period. Lombard Odier Asset Management USA Corp’s holdings in AutoNation were worth $1,182,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in AN. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of AutoNation by 355.3% in the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 173 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of AutoNation by 37.4% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 235 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the period. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation in the 4th quarter valued at about $41,000. Employees Retirement System of Texas acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation in the 3rd quarter valued at about $48,000. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation in the 4th quarter valued at about $57,000. 94.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

AutoNation Stock Performance

NYSE AN opened at $195.60 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $196.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $201.52. AutoNation, Inc. has a 12-month low of $176.62 and a 12-month high of $228.92. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.62. The company has a market cap of $6.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.60, a PEG ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.74.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The company reported $4.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.71 by ($0.02). AutoNation had a net margin of 2.47% and a return on equity of 31.45%. The business had revenue of $6.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.65 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.68 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that AutoNation, Inc. will post 21.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at AutoNation

In other AutoNation news, CAO Kimberly Dees sold 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $204.91, for a total transaction of $512,275.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 1,456 shares in the company, valued at approximately $298,348.96. This trade represents a 63.20% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $240.00 target price on shares of AutoNation in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $240.00 to $255.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $269.00 to $287.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of AutoNation in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $234.00 price target for the company. Finally, Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of AutoNation in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $246.90.

About AutoNation

AutoNation, Inc is the largest automotive retailer in the United States, operating a network of franchised new vehicle dealerships, pre-owned vehicle superstores and collision-repair centers. The company offers a comprehensive range of automotive products and services, including the sale of new cars and light trucks from leading manufacturers, certified pre-owned vehicles and a wide selection of used models. In addition to retail vehicle sales, AutoNation provides financing, insurance and extended service contracts through its in-house financial services division, as well as genuine and aftermarket parts, factory-recommended maintenance and collision-repair services.

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, AutoNation was founded in 1996 by entrepreneur H.