Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) Stock Rating Lowered by Zacks Research

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) was downgraded by Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report issued on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Lithia Motors’ Q2 2027 earnings at $9.17 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $8.92 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $41.77 EPS.

LAD has been the subject of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Lithia Motors from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $335.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Lithia Motors from $358.00 to $355.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Lithia Motors in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. They issued a “neutral” rating for the company. Barclays reduced their price objective on Lithia Motors from $390.00 to $380.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Lithia Motors from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 28th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $382.33.

Lithia Motors Stock Up 1.1%

Shares of LAD stock opened at $257.03 on Wednesday. Lithia Motors has a 12 month low of $239.78 and a 12 month high of $360.55. The company has a quick ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46. The firm has a market cap of $6.01 billion, a PE ratio of 8.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 1.20. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $293.72 and a 200-day moving average of $312.27.

Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The company reported $6.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $8.09 by ($1.35). Lithia Motors had a return on equity of 12.76% and a net margin of 2.18%.The company had revenue of $9.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.19 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $7.79 EPS. The company’s revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Lithia Motors will post 34.45 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lithia Motors

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. CoreCap Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lithia Motors during the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC grew its stake in Lithia Motors by 111.4% during the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 93 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Eastern Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Lithia Motors during the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Lithia Motors in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Lithia Motors in the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000.

About Lithia Motors

Lithia Motors, Inc is an American automotive retailer headquartered in Medford, Oregon. Founded in 1946 as a small auto body and glass shop, the company has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions to become one of the largest automotive retail networks in North America. Lithia operates dealerships across the United States and Canada, offering a broad portfolio of new and pre-owned vehicles from more than 40 different manufacturers.

The company’s core business activities include vehicle sales, financing, insurance, parts and service.