Autohome (NYSE:ATHM) Trading Up 3.8% – Here’s Why

Autohome Inc. (NYSE:ATHM) shares traded up 3.8% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $26.14 and last traded at $25.97. 65,093 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 86% from the average session volume of 481,760 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.02.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ATHM has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. StockNews.com cut shares of Autohome from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 19th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded Autohome to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Autohome to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, CLSA lowered shares of Autohome from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Autohome has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $28.00.

Autohome Trading Up 2.6 %

The firm has a market capitalization of $3.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.77 and a beta of 0.20. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $27.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $27.41.

Autohome Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a Variable dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be paid a $1.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 31st. This is a positive change from Autohome’s previous Variable dividend of $0.57. This represents a yield of 5.8%. Autohome’s dividend payout ratio is 83.58%.

Autohome announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, September 4th that allows the company to repurchase $0.00 in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the information services provider to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Autohome

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of ATHM. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd boosted its position in Autohome by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd now owns 37,907 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $1,238,000 after acquiring an additional 394 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its stake in Autohome by 23.5% in the second quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 7,098 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $195,000 after purchasing an additional 1,351 shares during the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Autohome by 16.7% in the third quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC now owns 15,488 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $505,000 after purchasing an additional 2,221 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning lifted its position in shares of Autohome by 14.2% during the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 20,938 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $683,000 after buying an additional 2,603 shares during the last quarter. Finally, DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale boosted its holdings in shares of Autohome by 93.9% in the 2nd quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 5,397 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $146,000 after buying an additional 2,614 shares in the last quarter. 63.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Autohome

Autohome Inc operates as an online destination for automobile consumers in the People’s Republic of China. The company delivers interactive content and tools to automobile consumers through its three websites, autohome.com.cn, che168.com, and ttpai.cn on PCs, mobile devices, mobile applications, and mini apps.