Seaport upgrades Asbury Automotive Group stock to Buy

Published on 10/05/2026 at 03:36 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Adjusted earnings per share hit USD 6.82 versus USD 6.31 consensus. Nine analysts rate Asbury Automotive Group stock Hold, with 2 Buys and 1 Sell.

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Seaport Research Partners upgraded Asbury Automotive Group stock from Neutral to Buy and set a USD 300.00 price target in a research note dated September 8, 2026, as reported by MarketBeat. The upgrade contrasts with a broader Hold consensus and puts execution at the center of the debate.

Buy rating meets mixed results

Asbury reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted net income of USD 125.0 million, or adjusted earnings per share of USD 6.82, compared with USD 146.0 million and USD 7.43 in the second quarter of 2025, according to MarketBeat. The adjusted earnings-per-share decline was paired with a quarterly revenue increase of 0.30 percent to USD 4.38 billion.

The comparison with expectations was uneven. Adjusted earnings per share exceeded the USD 6.31 consensus by USD 0.51, while revenue came in below the USD 4.49 billion estimate, according to MarketBeat. That split matters because the Buy case depends on converting dealership scale and service capacity into more consistent revenue growth.

Dealership investment adds capacity

On September 25, 2026, Asbury celebrated the grand opening of an expanded Herb Chambers Toyota dealership in Medford, Massachusetts, according to Business Wire. The facility spans more than 200,000 square feet, includes 37 service bays and can add nearly 37 more, creating a concrete test of the company's fixed-operations strategy.

As of June 30, 2026, the company operated 158 new-vehicle dealerships, 202 franchises and 37 collision repair centers, the same Business Wire release said. The operating footprint gives the company a large base from which service, parts and finance products can offset pressure on vehicle margins.

Stock valuation and market snapshot

MarketBeat lists a consensus Hold rating from nine analysts, with two Buy ratings, six Holds and one Sell, alongside an average USD 237.83 target. The primary-exchange quote was USD 175.88 on October 2, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET, while the 52-week range was USD 169.02 to USD 258.75 and market capitalization was USD 3.3 billion on the same date.

The Lang & Schwarz prior close was EUR 156.50 on October 2, 2026. Asbury Automotive Group therefore enters the next Xetra session with the key tension clearly defined: adjusted earnings beat expectations in the second quarter, while revenue remained below consensus and the broader rating stayed at Hold.