Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) Sets New 52-Week High – Should You Buy?

Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $344.80 and last traded at $344.80, with a volume of 105 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $341.12.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on LAD shares. Stephens raised their target price on shares of Lithia Motors from $360.00 to $405.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Lithia Motors from $315.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 10th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Lithia Motors from $299.00 to $343.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on shares of Lithia Motors from $300.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, Guggenheim raised their target price on shares of Lithia Motors from $350.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $350.80.

Lithia Motors Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.64 and a beta of 1.64. The business’s 50 day moving average is $302.12 and its 200-day moving average is $276.25.

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The company reported $8.21 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.60 by $0.61. Lithia Motors had a net margin of 2.52% and a return on equity of 13.84%. The firm had revenue of $9.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.46 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $9.25 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Lithia Motors, Inc. will post 28.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lithia Motors Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 8th will be given a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 8th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.61%. Lithia Motors’s dividend payout ratio is currently 7.24%.

Insider Transactions at Lithia Motors

In other news, Director Shauna Mcintyre sold 306 shares of Lithia Motors stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $289.65, for a total transaction of $88,632.90. Following the transaction, the director now owns 1,922 shares in the company, valued at approximately $556,707.30. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, COO Chris Holzshu sold 8,520 shares of Lithia Motors stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $335.21, for a total transaction of $2,855,989.20. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 32,054 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,744,821.34. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Shauna Mcintyre sold 306 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $289.65, for a total transaction of $88,632.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 1,922 shares in the company, valued at approximately $556,707.30. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 31,541 shares of company stock worth $9,390,606. Company insiders own 1.79% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lithia Motors

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in Lithia Motors in the third quarter valued at $35,000. Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in shares of Lithia Motors by 83.6% during the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 134 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC increased its position in shares of Lithia Motors by 23.9% during the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 249 shares of the company’s stock worth $79,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Lithia Motors by 12,500.0% during the second quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 252 shares of the company’s stock worth $64,000 after acquiring an additional 250 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. purchased a new stake in Lithia Motors in the 2nd quarter valued at about $80,000.

Lithia Motors Company Profile

Lithia Motors, Inc operates as an automotive retailer worldwide. It operates in two segments, Vehicle Operations and Financing Operations. The company’s Vehicle Operations segment sells new and used vehicles; provides parts, repair, and maintenance services; vehicle finance; and insurance products. Its Financing Operations segment provides financing to customers buying and leasing retail vehicles.