AN (AutoNation Inc) vs S&P 500 Comparison

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AutoNation Inc
Glance View

Economic Moat

None

Market Cap

6.9B USD

Industry

Retail

AutoNation Inc., a prominent player in the automotive retail industry, has carved a niche for itself as a top destination for vehicle buyers in the United States. Founded in 1996 by entrepreneur Wayne Huizenga, this Fortune 500 company transformed the conventional car buying process with a focus on transparency and customer satisfaction. Spanning across numerous states, AutoNation operates countless franchises under a variety of brand names, becoming a one-stop shop for consumers looking to purchase new and used vehicles. While the company deals with a range of popular automakers, they also offer a slew of subsidiary services such as financing, insurance products, and extended warranties, creating a comprehensive and streamlined experience for customers. The essence of AutoNation's business model lies in its robust dealership network, where revenue flows through several streams. Primarily, it generates income from the sale of new and used vehicles, positioning itself as a critical interface between manufacturers and consumers. Beyond vehicle sales, AutoNation boasts a lucrative service department, offering maintenance and repairs, which ensures recurring customer engagement and adds a layer of stability to its revenue structure. Additionally, through accessories sales, part replacements, and ancillary offerings like financing and insurance, the company maximizes its revenue potential. By coupling this with its burgeoning online presence, AutoNation adapts to changing consumer habits, bolstering its place as a leading figure in the auto retail landscape.

View AN Analysis

AN Intrinsic Value

What is Intrinsic Value?

Economic Moat is a concept popularized by Warren Buffett to describe a company's durable competitive advantage. It represents the 'moat' that protects a company from competitors and helps it sustain profitability over the long term. Our analysis of the past 10 years showed that companies with a wide economic moat significantly outperformed the market, delivering +645% returns compared to +189% for the S&P 500.

Our research into Economic Moat performance spans the past 10 years and focuses on companies with a wide economic moat. For this analysis, we calculated the average stock price returns of these companies, comparing them to the performance of the S&P 500 index over the same period.

The results were compelling: wide moat stocks achieved a remarkable +645% average return, compared to +188% for the broader market. This difference highlights the long-term benefits of investing in businesses that can maintain their market position and pricing power over time.

Note: This research does not account for survivorship bias. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Determining whether a company has an economic moat requires both a deep dive into financial metrics and a qualitative assessment of its competitive position. Our analysts conduct a rigorous evaluation that focuses on identifying structural advantages that enable a company to sustain profitability and defend its market share over the long term.

The process begins with an analysis of a company’s historical financial performance. We assess how consistently the company has generated returns above its cost of capital and whether those returns have been stable or improving. However, financial performance alone doesn’t reveal the full picture. To understand the sources of these advantages, we evaluate five key drivers of economic moats:

Network Effect: We analyze whether the value of a company’s product or service grows as its user base expands. Platforms like payment systems or marketplaces benefit from this self-reinforcing.

Switching Costs: We assess whether customers face significant costs or disruptions when switching to a competitor’s product or service. High switching costs create customer stickiness and provide pricing power.

Intangible Assets: Strong brands, patents, and regulatory licenses can protect a company’s market position by creating barriers for competitors or enabling premium pricing. For example, a well-recognized consumer brand may command higher customer loyalty and margins.

Efficient scale: Occurs when a market is optimally served by one or a few players, making it unprofitable for new entrants to compete. This typically happens in industries with high fixed costs or geographic constraints, such as utilities or pipelines.

Cost Advantage: Companies with structural cost advantages can produce goods or services at a lower cost than their competitors, enabling them to offer competitive pricing or maintain higher margins. These advantages often arise from economies of scale, superior supply chain management, or proprietary technology. Firms like Walmart leverage their massive scale to negotiate better terms with suppliers, allowing them to undercut competitors on price.

By examining these factors in combination with a company’s financial performance and market positioning, we classify each company into one of three categories:

This rigorous evaluation ensures that our moat ratings are both comprehensive and reliable, giving investors the tools they need to make well-informed, long-term decisions.

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AN

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AN vs S&P 500

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AN vs S&P 500

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AN vs S&P 500

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AN vs S&P 500

Stocks Performance AN vs S&P 500

Performance Gap AN vs S&P 500

Performance By Year AN vs S&P 500

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AN

vs

S&P 500

Stocks Performance
AN vs S&P 500

Performance Gap
AN vs S&P 500

Performance By Year
AN vs S&P 500

Competitors Performance
AutoNation Inc vs Peers

AutoNation Inc
Glance View