Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) Price Target Cut to $435.00 by Analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) had its price target decreased by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $495.00 to $435.00 in a research report sent to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the stock.

A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a report on Friday, December 13th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $500.00 price objective on the stock. Stephens reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $460.00 price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Two equities research 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, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $450.33.

Group 1 Automotive Price Performance

NYSE GPI opened at $394.32 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 0.24. Group 1 Automotive has a 1-year low of $262.31 and a 1-year high of $490.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.73 and a beta of 1.33. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $444.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $412.78.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The company reported $10.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $8.77 by $1.25. Group 1 Automotive had a return on equity of 18.09% and a net margin of 2.47%. On average, equities analysts predict that Group 1 Automotive will post 41 earnings per share for the current year.

Group 1 Automotive Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.51%. This is an increase from Group 1 Automotive’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. Group 1 Automotive’s payout ratio is currently 5.44%.

Institutional Trading of Group 1 Automotive

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of GPI. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 156,627 shares of the company’s stock worth $55,701,000 after buying an additional 3,507 shares during the period. Boston Partners lifted its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 3.3% in the fourth quarter. Boston Partners now owns 74,844 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,653,000 after acquiring an additional 2,405 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 154,923 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,297,000 after acquiring an additional 2,000 shares during the period. Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive during the fourth quarter worth about $295,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Group 1 Automotive during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $21,608,000. 99.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Group 1 Automotive

Group 1 Automotive, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates in the automotive retail industry in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company sells new and used cars, light trucks, and vehicle parts, as well as service and insurance contracts; arranges related vehicle financing; and offers automotive maintenance and repair services.