Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) Downgraded to “Sell” at StockNews.com

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) was downgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday.

Several other research analysts have also commented on the company. Bank of America cut their price target on Group 1 Automotive from $445.00 to $435.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $360.00 to $420.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Stephens initiated coverage on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research report on Thursday. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $394.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $260.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $367.80.

Group 1 Automotive Stock Up 1.6 %

Shares of NYSE:GPI traded up $5.38 during trading on Thursday, hitting $345.52. 117,752 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 135,004. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $337.54 and its 200-day moving average price is $306.48. Group 1 Automotive has a 12-month low of $228.84 and a 12-month high of $379.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 0.26. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.16, a PEG ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.33.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The company reported $9.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $9.36 by $0.44. Group 1 Automotive had a net margin of 3.03% and a return on equity of 20.53%. The company had revenue of $4.70 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.68 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $11.73 earnings per share. Group 1 Automotive’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that Group 1 Automotive will post 39.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Michael David Jones sold 1,200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.99, for a total transaction of $421,188.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 9,742 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,419,344.58. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 1.70% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new position in Group 1 Automotive during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 53.7% in the 2nd quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 146 shares of the company’s stock worth $43,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares during the period. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in Group 1 Automotive in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $48,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 37.4% during the fourth quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 213 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in Group 1 Automotive by 47.5% during the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 270 shares of the company’s stock worth $79,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.92% of the company’s stock.

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.