HighPoint Advisor Group LLC Increases Stock Position in Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI)

HighPoint Advisor Group LLC raised its position in Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI) by 2.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,536 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 41 shares during the quarter. HighPoint Advisor Group LLC’s holdings in Group 1 Automotive were worth $647,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in Group 1 Automotive by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 156,627 shares of the company’s stock valued at $55,701,000 after purchasing an additional 3,507 shares during the period. Boston Partners grew its position in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Boston Partners now owns 74,844 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,653,000 after buying an additional 2,405 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Group 1 Automotive by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 154,923 shares of the company’s stock valued at $65,297,000 after buying an additional 2,000 shares during the period. Paradigm Asset Management Co. LLC bought a new position in shares of Group 1 Automotive during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $295,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in Group 1 Automotive in the fourth quarter worth $21,608,000. 99.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Group 1 Automotive from $495.00 to $435.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Stephens reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $460.00 price target on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Group 1 Automotive in a report on Friday, December 13th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $500.00 price objective for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $450.33.

Group 1 Automotive Stock Up 1.9 %

NYSE:GPI opened at $389.34 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $440.31 and its 200-day moving average price is $414.35. The company has a market capitalization of $5.16 billion, a PE ratio of 10.59 and a beta of 1.33. Group 1 Automotive, Inc. has a 1-year low of $262.31 and a 1-year high of $490.09.

Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The company reported $10.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $8.77 by $1.25. Group 1 Automotive had a net margin of 2.47% and a return on equity of 18.09%. On average, equities analysts predict that Group 1 Automotive, Inc. will post 41 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Group 1 Automotive Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This is a boost from Group 1 Automotive’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.51%. Group 1 Automotive’s payout ratio is presently 5.44%.

Group 1 Automotive Profile

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.