Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) have been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the five brokerages that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $367.80.

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. Stephens started coverage on Group 1 Automotive in a report on Thursday, September 12th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $394.00 price target on the stock. Bank of America dropped their price target on Group 1 Automotive from $445.00 to $435.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Group 1 Automotive from $260.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. StockNews.com lowered Group 1 Automotive from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $360.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 10th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Group 1 Automotive

In other news, VP Michael David Jones sold 1,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.99, for a total value of $421,188.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 9,742 shares in the company, valued at $3,419,344.58. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its holdings in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 22.0% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 639,142 shares of the company’s stock valued at $190,004,000 after acquiring an additional 115,143 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Group 1 Automotive during the 4th quarter valued at $46,923,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 150,754 shares of the company’s stock worth $45,941,000 after purchasing an additional 614 shares in the last quarter. Woodson Capital Management LP lifted its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 114.6% in the 1st quarter. Woodson Capital Management LP now owns 142,500 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,643,000 after purchasing an additional 76,102 shares during the period. Finally, Hennessy Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 18.1% during the 2nd quarter. Hennessy Advisors Inc. now owns 108,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,255,000 after purchasing an additional 16,600 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.92% of the company’s stock.

Group 1 Automotive Trading Up 0.1 %

NYSE:GPI opened at $364.84 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $4.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.61, a P/E/G ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.33. Group 1 Automotive has a 1 year low of $228.84 and a 1 year 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’s fifty day moving average price is $340.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $308.06.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The company reported $9.80 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 firm had revenue of $4.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.68 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $11.73 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Group 1 Automotive will post 39.26 EPS for the current year.

Group 1 Automotive Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Monday, September 2nd were given a dividend of $0.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This represents a $1.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.52%. Group 1 Automotive’s payout ratio is 4.44%.

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.