Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) Upgraded by StockNews.com to Hold

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) was upgraded by equities research analysts at StockNews.com from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Bank of America increased their target price on Lithia Motors from $380.00 to $385.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Guggenheim lowered their target price on Lithia Motors from $320.00 to $297.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Lithia Motors from $220.00 to $230.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Lithia Motors from $300.00 to $334.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, Craig Hallum decreased their price objective on Lithia Motors from $350.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $320.82.

Lithia Motors Trading Up 3.8 %

Lithia Motors stock opened at $257.73 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. Lithia Motors has a 12 month low of $206.69 and a 12 month high of $331.96. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $284.15 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $283.85. The firm has a market cap of $7.10 billion, a PE ratio of 7.10, a P/E/G ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.58.

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 24th. The company reported $6.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.85 by ($1.74). Lithia Motors had a net margin of 3.22% and a return on equity of 17.33%. The business had revenue of $8.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.58 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $8.44 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 22.7% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that Lithia Motors will post 34.78 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Shauna Mcintyre sold 135 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $297.84, for a total value of $40,208.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,662 shares in the company, valued at $495,010.08. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.79% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lithia Motors

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Denali Advisors LLC increased its stake in Lithia Motors by 5,050.0% in the fourth quarter. Denali Advisors LLC now owns 103 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in Lithia Motors during the third quarter worth about $32,000. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Lithia Motors by 509.5% during the third quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 128 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC acquired a new stake in Lithia Motors during the fourth quarter worth about $49,000. Finally, Rise Advisors LLC increased its stake in Lithia Motors by 80.2% during the first quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 191 shares of the company’s stock worth $57,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the last quarter.

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.