Autohome Inc. (NYSE:ATHM) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Reduce” by Brokerages

Shares of Autohome Inc. (NYSE:ATHM) have earned a consensus rating of “Reduce” from the five research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and three have issued a hold rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $17.15.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on ATHM shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Autohome from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, April 25th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Autohome in a report on Friday, July 17th. HSBC lowered Autohome from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $17.30 price objective for the company. in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Zacks Research cut Autohome from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Autohome from $20.00 to $17.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Yan Zeng sold 24,300 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.35, for a total value of $105,705.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 169,940 shares in the company, valued at approximately $739,239. The trade was a 12.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CTO Bibo Xiang sold 10,508 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.35, for a total transaction of $45,709.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 62,368 shares in the company, valued at $271,300.80. The trade was a 14.42% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. 5.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Autohome

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its position in shares of Autohome by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 9,168 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $236,000 after purchasing an additional 438 shares during the period. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD raised its position in Autohome by 10.1% in the fourth quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD now owns 5,714 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $127,000 after purchasing an additional 523 shares during the period. Guinness Asset Management LTD lifted its stake in Autohome by 20.7% during the fourth quarter. Guinness Asset Management LTD now owns 3,271 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $76,000 after purchasing an additional 560 shares in the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp lifted its stake in Autohome by 5.7% during the fourth quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 11,101 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $247,000 after purchasing an additional 601 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Autohome by 30.5% during the third quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 2,886 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $82,000 after buying an additional 674 shares during the period. 63.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Autohome Trading Up 1.4%

Autohome stock opened at $21.40 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $18.76 and a 200 day moving average price of $19.40. Autohome has a 12-month low of $15.57 and a 12-month high of $29.92. The stock has a market cap of $2.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.33 and a beta of 0.23.

Autohome Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.66 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 2nd. Autohome’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 183.97%.

Autohome Company Profile

Autohome Inc (NYSE: ATHM) operates one of China’s leading online destinations for automobile consumers, offering a comprehensive suite of digital platforms and services throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle. Headquartered in Beijing, the company’s core website and mobile applications deliver news, reviews, pricing information, photos, videos and interactive tools to help prospective buyers evaluate new and used vehicles. By aggregating rich editorial content with user-generated ratings and expert analyses, Autohome seeks to guide consumers through research, purchase and after-sales decision-making.

In addition to its consumer-facing properties, Autohome provides automakers, dealers and service providers with integrated digital marketing and e-commerce solutions.