AutoNation Inc (AN): Today's Featured Specialty Retail Winner

AutoNation (AN) pushed the Specialty Retail industry higher today making it today's featured specialty retail winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.3%. By the end of trading, AutoNation rose 53 cents (1.5%) to $35.56 on average volume. Throughout the day, 854,237 shares of AutoNation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 986,500 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $35.04-$35.85 after having opened the day at $35.15 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $35.03. Other companies within the Specialty Retail industry that increased today were: Trans World Entertainment (TWMC), up 8.5%, Sport Chalet (SPCHA), up 7.2%, Sport Chalet (SPCHB), up 4.4%, and Zale Corporation (ZLC), up 3.6%.

AutoNation, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. AutoNation has a market cap of $4.2 billion and is part of the services sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 16.9, equal to the average specialty retail industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 5% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there are no analysts that rate AutoNation a buy, one analyst rates it a sell, and 11 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates AutoNation as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, notable return on equity, impressive record of earnings per share growth, increase in net income and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally poor debt management on most measures that we evaluated.

• You can view the full AutoNation Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Bluefly (BFLY), down 6.1%, Netflix (NFLX), down 5.6%, Big five Sporting Goods Corporation (BGFV), down 5.2%, and Charles & Colvard (CTHR), down 3.3%, were all losers within the specialty retail industry with Coinstar (CSTR) being today's specialty retail industry loser.

• Use our specialty retail section to find industry-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the specialty retail industry could consider SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) while those bearish on the specialty retail industry could consider ProShares Ultra Sht Consumer Goods (SZK).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on AutoNation Inc click any of the following:

• AutoNation Inc Stock Price

• AutoNation Inc Analyst Ratings

• AutoNation Inc Key Stats & Profile

• AutoNation Inc Earnings

• AutoNation Inc Ratio Comparison

• AutoNation Inc Growth Rates

• AutoNation Inc Balance Sheet

• AutoNation Inc Cash Flow

• AutoNation Inc Income Statement