StockNews.com Lowers Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) to Sell

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

GPI has been the subject of a number of other reports. Stephens began coverage on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Thursday, September 12th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $394.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley raised Group 1 Automotive from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $285.00 to $430.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. Bank of America cut their price target on Group 1 Automotive from $445.00 to $435.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Group 1 Automotive from $360.00 to $420.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $396.80.

Group 1 Automotive Stock Performance

Shares of GPI stock traded up $5.05 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $368.87. 87,898 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 136,858. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 0.26. Group 1 Automotive has a 1 year low of $228.84 and a 1 year high of $393.93. The company has a market cap of $4.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.33. The company’s 50 day moving average is $361.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $318.59.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The company reported $9.80 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $4.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.68 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $11.73 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Group 1 Automotive will post 39.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Group 1 Automotive

In other Group 1 Automotive news, VP Michael David Jones sold 1,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.99, for a total value of $421,188.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 9,742 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,419,344.58. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.70% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of GPI. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 53.7% during the 2nd quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 146 shares of the company’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in Group 1 Automotive during the second quarter worth about $48,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 17.1% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 267 shares of the company’s stock worth $79,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 47.5% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 270 shares of the company’s stock valued at $79,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 1,452.8% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 559 shares of the company’s stock worth $164,000 after purchasing an additional 523 shares during the period. 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.