Investors may be tracking sell-side analyst opinions on shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN). According to analysts polled by Zacks Research, the current consensus target price is $44.2. Analysts and financial institutions may use different methods to value a particular stock. Because of the use of alternate methods, individual price targets may be widely varied. Viewing the consensus target price can help provide a general sense of where the sell-side sees the stock heading in the future. Investors can take a look at the target projections and decide for themselves if they agree with the Street. Investors tend to take a closer look at shares when analysts provide update to price targets.
Doing standard fundamental stock analysis is fairly straightforward. These days, investors have easy access to large amounts of available data. The biggest problem for the average investor may be dedicating the time to actually doing the research. One goal of studying the fundamentals is to establish the true value of a stock compared to how it is currently trading in the marketplace. Many investors believe that identifying quality stocks should be a cornerstone of portfolio construction. Obtaining as much knowledge as possible about a stock can help make the buying decisions a little easier. Some investors may trust other people or products to do the required research, but others may wish to roll up the sleeves and do all the analysis themselves.
Street analysts often provide stock recommendations for companies that they track. According to analysts polled by Zacks Research, the current average rating on shares of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) is 3.18. This average rating includes analysts who have given Buy, Sell and Hold ratings on the name. This rating uses a numerical scale from 1 to 5. A 1 would indicate a Buy recommendation, and a score of 5 would point to a Sell recommendation. Out of all the analysts offering recommendations, 1 have rated the stock a Strong Buy or Buy.
Covering analysts are looking for AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) to report a current quarter EPS of 1.15 when the company issues their next earnings report. This is the consensus estimate using analysts taken into consideration by Zacks Research. This estimate includes 7 sell-side analysts. For the previous reporting period, the company posted a quarterly EPS of 1.2. Investors will be closely tracking how close the actual comes to the consensus estimate after the next report. Analysts covering the stock are usually very busy during earnings periods. Before the release, they might be revising estimates. After the earnings release, they will closely review the information and update accordingly.
Looking at some recent stock price activity for AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN), we have spotted shares trading near the $46.27 level. Looking at some popular historical levels, we note that the 52-week high is presently $48.97, and the 52-week low is currently $32.87. When the stock is trading close to the 52-week high or 52-week low, investors may pay extra attention to see if there will be a move through that level. Looking back over the last 12 weeks, the stock has moved 15.72%. Heading back to the start of the year, we can see that shares have moved 32.97%. Over the past 4 weeks, shares have seen a change of -3.06%. Over the last 5 trading sessions, the stock has moved -0.17%.
Investors might be preparing to do a portfolio evaluation as we move towards the close of the year. There may be plenty of big winners from the first half of the year, but there may also be some underperformers that need to be reviewed. Making sure that the portfolio stays in balance can help prepare the investor for success over the next few quarters. With the stock market still riding high, investors may be wondering how to play the market into the near future. If market momentum starts to shift, investors may need to be ready to make some tougher decisions. Being prepared for any market situation can help the investor cope with rough waters when the time comes.
