AutoNation (NYSE:AN) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.71 EPS

AutoNation (NYSE:AN) released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $4.97 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.26 by $0.71, Zacks reports. AutoNation had a net margin of 2.74% and a return on equity of 32.01%.

AutoNation Stock Performance

NYSE AN opened at $191.90 on Tuesday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $178.64 and its 200-day moving average is $173.12. The firm has a market cap of $7.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.71 and a beta of 1.25. AutoNation has a 12-month low of $136.35 and a 12-month high of $197.18. The company has a quick ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have commented on AN. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of AutoNation from $190.00 to $180.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Guggenheim decreased their price target on AutoNation from $190.00 to $189.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Bank of America cut their price objective on AutoNation from $220.00 to $215.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 14th. Stephens raised their target price on AutoNation from $192.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of AutoNation from $169.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $195.57.

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.