AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) Shares Purchased by Natixis Advisors LLC

Natixis Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) by 5.3% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 17,058 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 861 shares during the quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC’s holdings in AutoNation were worth $2,897,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fortitude Family Office LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 581.8% in the fourth quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 150 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares during the period. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 150.8% in the fourth quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 158 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 95 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 77.1% in the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 494 shares of the company’s stock valued at $84,000 after acquiring an additional 215 shares during the period. McIlrath & Eck LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AutoNation by 16.4% in the third quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 964 shares of the company’s stock valued at $172,000 after acquiring an additional 136 shares during the period. Finally, Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of AutoNation in the third quarter valued at approximately $201,000. 94.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on AN shares. StockNews.com raised AutoNation from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Stephens increased their price objective on AutoNation from $195.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on AutoNation from $170.00 to $194.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on AutoNation from $180.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. Finally, Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating on shares of AutoNation in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, AutoNation currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $204.71.

AutoNation Price Performance

AutoNation stock opened at $167.02 on Monday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $180.94 and a 200-day simple moving average of $173.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.56 billion, a PE ratio of 9.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.21. AutoNation, Inc. has a 12 month low of $150.08 and a 12 month high of $198.50.

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 11th. The company reported $4.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.26 by $0.71. AutoNation had a return on equity of 30.48% and a net margin of 2.59%. Equities analysts predict that AutoNation, Inc. will post 18.15 earnings per share for the current year.

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.