Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) SVP Gillian Hobson Sells 2,000 Shares of Stock

Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) SVP Gillian Hobson sold 2,000 shares of Group 1 Automotive stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $258.24, for a total transaction of $516,480.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 7,543 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,947,904.32. The trade was a 20.96% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Group 1 Automotive Stock Up 3.8%

Group 1 Automotive stock opened at $258.99 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.92. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $254.68 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $308.12. Group 1 Automotive, Inc. has a 1-year low of $224.65 and a 1-year high of $429.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 28th. The company reported $9.36 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $9.50 by ($0.14). Group 1 Automotive had a return on equity of 15.18% and a net margin of 1.75%. The business had revenue of $5.40 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.58 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $10.45 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was down 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Group 1 Automotive, Inc. will post 37.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Group 1 Automotive Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st were paid a dividend of $0.55 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. Group 1 Automotive’s payout ratio is 6.96%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Group 1 Automotive

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Corient Private Wealth LP raised its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 6.2% in the second quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP now owns 702 shares of the company’s stock valued at $204,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 7,734 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,556,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the period. Salomon & Ludwin LLC grew its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 445.8% during the 3rd quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 131 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the period. Anchor Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 112.0% in the 2nd quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 212 shares of the company’s stock worth $62,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sage Rhino Capital LLC raised its stake in Group 1 Automotive by 24.0% in the 1st quarter. Sage Rhino Capital LLC now owns 652 shares of the company’s stock valued at $216,000 after acquiring an additional 126 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.92% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently commented on GPI. Seaport Research Partners set a $420.00 price objective on Group 1 Automotive in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Citigroup dropped their target price on Group 1 Automotive from $387.00 to $357.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, September 28th. Morgan Stanley cut Group 1 Automotive from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and cut their target price for the company from $300.00 to $232.00 in a research report on Monday, October 5th. DA Davidson set a $425.00 price target on Group 1 Automotive in a report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, KeyCorp set a $425.00 price target on Group 1 Automotive in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Group 1 Automotive currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $340.33.

Group 1 Automotive News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Group 1 Automotive this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Investors are refocusing on Group 1 Automotive’s potentially undervalued valuation following the Q3 report. The company remains profitable, and its earnings multiple is relatively modest, which could support the stock if operating conditions stabilize. Group 1 Automotive Q3 Results Put Its Undervalued Narrative Back In Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Recent purchases by Conifer Management, totaling 79,529 shares across two reported transactions, signal that an investment holder sees value in GPI despite near-term earnings weakness. Conifer Management Buys 34,529 Shares
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS lowered its price target from $271 to $259 and maintained a neutral rating, indicating limited expected upside based on current valuation. UBS Group Stock Recommendations
• Negative Sentiment: Third-quarter adjusted earnings of $9.36 per share missed analysts’ estimates, while revenue of $5.40 billion fell short of the roughly $5.58 billion consensus and declined 6.7% year over year. EPS also dropped from $10.45 in the prior-year quarter. Group 1 Automotive Q3 Earnings and Revenues Miss Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Management’s earnings-call commentary highlighted continued growth opportunities but also strain on margins, a concern for an auto retailer operating with a net margin of just 1.31%. Group 1 Automotive Earnings Call Highlights Growth Amid Strain
• Negative Sentiment: Senior Vice President Gillian A. Hobson sold 2,000 shares for approximately $516,480, reducing her direct ownership by about 21%. Although not necessarily a broader management signal, the sale adds a modest negative headline. Group 1 Automotive Insider Sold Shares Worth $516,480

About Group 1 Automotive

Group 1 Automotive, Inc is an international automotive retailer headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company operates dealerships that sell new and used automobiles and light trucks from a broad range of manufacturers.

In addition to vehicle sales, Group 1 Automotive provides automotive financing and insurance products, vehicle maintenance and repair, collision services, replacement parts, and other related services. Its dealerships also market vehicles through digital retailing platforms.

Founded in 1997, Group 1 Automotive serves customers through a network of dealerships and automotive service locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.