AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) Shares Sold by QRG Capital Management Inc.

QRG Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) by 5.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,004 shares of the company’s stock after selling 301 shares during the quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in AutoNation were worth $850,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in AutoNation by 2.2% in the third quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,845 shares of the company’s stock worth $509,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue lifted its holdings in AutoNation by 7.3% during the 3rd quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 3,008 shares of the company’s stock worth $538,000 after buying an additional 205 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its position in shares of AutoNation by 189.2% in the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 29,775 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,327,000 after acquiring an additional 19,480 shares in the last quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. increased its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 80.8% in the 3rd quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. now owns 5,898 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,055,000 after acquiring an additional 2,636 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Financial Strategies Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $361,000. Institutional investors own 94.62% of the company’s stock.

AutoNation Trading Down 4.0 %

AutoNation stock opened at $175.05 on Tuesday. AutoNation, Inc. has a 52-week low of $143.88 and a 52-week high of $198.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.33, a PEG ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.25. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $182.32 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $174.54.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The company reported $4.97 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.26 by $0.71. AutoNation had a return on equity of 30.48% and a net margin of 2.59%. Sell-side analysts expect that AutoNation, Inc. will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AN has been the subject of a number of research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of AutoNation from $180.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Stephens lifted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $195.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of AutoNation in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on AutoNation from $170.00 to $194.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price target on AutoNation from $220.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, AutoNation currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $204.71.

About AutoNation

AutoNation, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Domestic, Import, and Premium Luxury. It offers a range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles; and parts and services, such as automotive repair and maintenance, and wholesale parts and collision services.