Analysts Set AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) Target Price at $246.18

Shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) have received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve analysts that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and ten have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $246.1818.

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. UBS Group started coverage on AutoNation in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $234.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings raised AutoNation from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Northcoast Research raised AutoNation from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $240.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Citigroup increased their target price on AutoNation from $269.00 to $287.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $240.00 target price on shares of AutoNation in a research note on Thursday, May 7th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AutoNation

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in AutoNation by 8.9% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 18,953 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,070,000 after acquiring an additional 1,551 shares during the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association purchased a new stake in AutoNation in the 1st quarter worth $265,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 10.9% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 98,610 shares of the company’s stock valued at $15,967,000 after purchasing an additional 9,656 shares during the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth boosted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 17.3% during the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 3,472 shares of the company’s stock valued at $562,000 after purchasing an additional 511 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in shares of AutoNation by 37.4% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 235 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.62% of the company’s stock.

AutoNation News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoNation this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Adjusted second-quarter EPS rose to $5.56, exceeding the roughly $5.43–$5.48 analyst consensus. Net income increased 111% year over year to $182.1 million, helped by improved profitability. Revenue Miss, EV Sales Slump Send AutoNation Stock Lower
• Positive Sentiment: After-sales produced a record gross profit, customer-pay revenue grew 7%, and Customer Financial Services gross profit per unit increased 3%, demonstrating resilience in AutoNation’s higher-margin operations. The company also repurchased $457 million of stock during the first half and acquired four dealerships representing approximately $600 million in annual revenue. AutoNation Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management expects adjusted EPS growth in the second half and is targeting SG&A at 66% to 67% of gross profit by year-end, signaling a focus on operating leverage and expense discipline. AutoNation outlines SG&A target and second-half EPS growth
• Neutral Sentiment: AutoNation’s luxury-vehicle strategy is accelerating. While this could improve margins and mix over time, it also increases investor attention on demand trends in a more cyclical and potentially softer market. AutoNation beats on profit but misses revenue as luxury pivot accelerates
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue declined approximately 1% year over year to $6.93 billion, below the roughly $7 billion consensus. Lower new-vehicle sales and a slump in electric-vehicle sales reinforced concerns about softer dealership demand and ongoing macroeconomic pressure. AutoNation Revenue Falls on Lower New-Vehicle Sales

AutoNation Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE AN opened at $213.22 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $7.13 billion, a PE ratio of 9.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.71. AutoNation has a 1 year low of $176.62 and a 1 year high of $235.81. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $195.64 and a 200-day moving average price of $198.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.62, a current ratio of 0.81 and a quick ratio of 0.20.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last released its earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The company reported $5.56 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.48 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $6.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7 billion. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.82% and a return on equity of 30.91%. AutoNation’s revenue for the quarter was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.26 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that AutoNation will post 21.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

AutoNation Company Profile

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.