Should I buy AutoNation (AN) stock or is it too late?

AutoNation · Consumer Discretionary · price $199

⭐ What the most reliable analysts say · those who beat their sector, targets replayed on real prices

⭐ The most reliable of them, either direction: Stephens & Co. — 71% of its targets hit on this sector (56 calls tested). It aims for $232 (+17 %), call made on August 11, 2026, maturing on August 11, 2027 (17 d ago).

The 2 reliable analysts $228+15 %

The 6 other firms $248+25 %

How to read it: the 2 reliable firms are not filtered by optimism — 2 aim above the price, 0 below, hence their $228 median. “The 6 others” are the firms that don't pass our reliability filter on this sector.

Firm-by-firm track record on AutoNation

Here the hit rate is measured <b>on this stock specifically</b> (matured targets replayed against real prices, minimum 5 calls tested) — the green block above measures reliability <b>across the whole sector</b>, which is the criterion behind JPI selections. “Aims for” = the firm's most recent target on this stock; “—” means it hasn't published one recently.

Firm	% right	Gain vs sector	Calls	Aims for
B of A Securities	91 %	+31.4 %	11	$250 +26%
Wells Fargo	100 %	+28.3 %	5	$224 +13%
Guggenheim	91 %	+20.6 %	11	$228 +15%
JP Morgan	60 %	+17.8 %	5	$210 +6%
Morgan Stanley	16 %	-52.3 %	25	$250 +26%

In short — Should you invest in AutoNation? Is it too late, still worth it? Analysts are fairly positive (75% buy, median target $240, i.e. +21%), and the most reliable on AN targets even higher. But the stock is volatile, it pays virtually no dividend. We give you both sides, with the numbers — not advice.

✅ Reasons to believe

75% of analysts rate it a buy (Buy consensus, 8 ratings) — a sign of market conviction.
Median price target $240, i.e. +21% from the current price ($199).
The most reliable firm on AN, Wells Fargo (100% hit rate, 5 scored calls), targets $224 (call made on August 3, 2026, maturing on August 3, 2027) (+13%) in its most recent call, and $220 (call made on October 15, 2025, maturing on October 15, 2026) (+11%) in the one coming due soonest.

⚠️ Reasons to hesitate

The consensus is not unanimous: of 8 ratings, 2 are neutral.
A 12-month target is not a guaranteed path: the price can fall in the meantime.
Volatile stock: sharp swings — including steep drops — are part of its profile.
No dividend: your return depends only on price appreciation.

The analyst consensus on AN

Median target $240 (+21%) · 8 ratings · Buy consensus

Strong Buy00%

Buy675%

Hold225%

Sell00%

Strong Sell00%

⚠️ Information, not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Analyst targets on a ~12-month horizon.

Frequently asked questions

Should you invest in AutoNation now?

We won't decide for you. The facts: 75% of analysts rate it a buy, median target $240 (+21%), and Wells Fargo (most reliable on AN, 100%) targets $224. Weigh that against valuation and volatility. This is not personalized advice.

Is it too late to invest in AutoNation?

Not according to analysts: the median target ($240) is still +21% above the current price ($199) (most reliable on AN: Wells Fargo, 100%). The real question isn't "too late" but the price-to-value gap and risk. Not advice.

Is AutoNation still worth investing in?

It depends on the gap between the price ($199) and its estimated value: analysts target $240 on median (+21%), with 75% buys (most reliable on AN: Wells Fargo, 100%). Cross-check with their real reliability on AN and the cautions above. Information, not advice.

What's the main risk in buying AN?

The consensus is not unanimous: of 8 ratings, 2 are neutral.

→ Go deeper: the full AutoNation profile (consensus, analyst reliability, price target, performance).