Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) Given New $397.00 Price Target at Wells Fargo & Company

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) had its target price lifted by Wells Fargo & Company from $346.00 to $397.00 in a report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 2.24% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other research analysts have also commented on LAD. Benchmark initiated coverage on shares of Lithia Motors in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. They set a “buy” rating and a $400.00 price target on the stock. Guggenheim increased their target price on shares of Lithia Motors from $380.00 to $418.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Lithia Motors from $405.00 to $400.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 17th. StockNews.com upgraded Lithia Motors from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, Stephens boosted their target price on shares of Lithia Motors from $360.00 to $405.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $362.50.

Lithia Motors Stock Up 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE LAD traded up $2.59 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $388.30. The company had a trading volume of 45,177 shares, compared to its average volume of 402,168. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $363.18 and a two-hundred day moving average of $333.72. Lithia Motors has a 12-month low of $243.00 and a 12-month high of $405.67. The company has a market capitalization of $10.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.23, a PEG ratio of 4.90 and a beta of 1.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.27 and a current ratio of 1.18.

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $7.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.33 by $0.46. Lithia Motors had a net margin of 2.31% and a return on equity of 12.95%. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Lithia Motors will post 29.23 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lithia Motors

In related news, CFO Tina Miller sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $392.72, for a total value of $392,720.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 10,403 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,085,466.16. This represents a 8.77 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Bryan B. Deboer sold 11,627 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $390.00, for a total value of $4,534,530.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 181,187 shares in the company, valued at approximately $70,662,930. This trade represents a 6.03 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 19,611 shares of company stock worth $7,716,702. 1.79% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lithia Motors

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of LAD. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Lithia Motors during the fourth quarter worth $34,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC bought a new stake in Lithia Motors in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Lithia Motors during the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in shares of Lithia Motors by 69.9% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 124 shares of the company’s stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rakuten Securities Inc. grew its position in Lithia Motors by 1,420.0% in the fourth quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 152 shares of the company’s stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 142 shares in 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. Its Financing Operations segment provides financing to customers buying and leasing retail vehicles.