Genuine Parts (NYSE:GPC) Trading 13% Higher – Still a Buy?

Genuine Parts Company (NYSE:GPC) rose 13% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $132.59 and last traded at $132.6380. Approximately 2,374,089 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 40% from the average daily volume of 1,697,309 shares. The stock had previously closed at $117.40.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have weighed in on GPC shares. DA Davidson started coverage on shares of Genuine Parts in a report on Tuesday, June 16th. They set a “strong-buy” rating and a $145.00 price objective on the stock. Zacks Research raised Genuine Parts from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, May 25th. Truist Financial reduced their target price on shares of Genuine Parts from $127.00 to $124.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Genuine Parts in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, UBS Group lowered their target price on shares of Genuine Parts from $135.00 to $125.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Genuine Parts has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $143.88.

Genuine Parts Stock Up 0.5%

The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The stock has a market cap of $18.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 309.85 and a beta of 0.63. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $104.37 and its two-hundred day moving average is $115.74.

Genuine Parts (NYSE:GPC) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The specialty retailer reported $1.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.75 by $0.02. Genuine Parts had a net margin of 0.24% and a return on equity of 22.28%. The firm had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.17 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.75 earnings per share. Genuine Parts’s revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Genuine Parts has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.500-8.000 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Genuine Parts Company will post 7.69 EPS for the current year.

Genuine Parts Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 5th were issued a dividend of $1.0625 per share. This represents a $4.25 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 5th. Genuine Parts’s dividend payout ratio is presently 988.37%.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider James F. Howe sold 415 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.33, for a total value of $43,296.95. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 25,589 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,669,700.37. This trade represents a 1.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Genuine Parts

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. United Asset Strategies Inc. raised its position in shares of Genuine Parts by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc. now owns 4,492 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $552,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the period. J2 Capital Management Inc grew its position in Genuine Parts by 1.9% during the fourth quarter. J2 Capital Management Inc now owns 4,136 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $509,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the period. Capital Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Genuine Parts by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 14,173 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,743,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Genuine Parts by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,644 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $571,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Matrix Trust Co lifted its stake in shares of Genuine Parts by 27.6% in the 4th quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 393 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.83% of the company’s stock.

About Genuine Parts

Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC) is a global distributor of automotive replacement parts, industrial parts and business products with a history dating back to 1928. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company operates a broad distribution network and retail presence serving repair shops, independent retailers, industrial customers and commercial accounts. Its business model centers on stocking and delivering a wide range of parts and supplies to support aftermarket and maintenance needs across multiple end markets.

Genuine Parts conducts its operations through several well-known operating groups and subsidiaries.