LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ:LKQ) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ:LKQ) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the six ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $36.6250.

A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of LKQ from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Barclays dropped their price target on LKQ from $33.00 to $30.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Stephens lowered their target price on LKQ from $39.00 to $36.50 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded LKQ from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Monday, May 4th.

Trending Headlines about LKQ

Here are the key news stories impacting LKQ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Some large institutional investors increased their LKQ positions during the first quarter, including Capital World Investors and BlackRock. Analysts’ previously published price targets of $33 and $37 also remain well above the recent trading level, although neither represents a new catalyst. LKQ Q2 2026 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional trading was mixed: 241 investors added shares while 274 reduced positions. This suggests continued interest in LKQ but no clear consensus among large shareholders. LKQ Institutional Activity
• Negative Sentiment: LKQ reported quarterly adjusted earnings of $0.67 per share, below estimates ranging from $0.71 to $0.73 and down from $0.87 a year earlier. Revenue was approximately $3.41 billion, below estimates near $3.48 billion to $3.51 billion and down 3% year over year. LKQ Q2 Earnings and Revenues Lag Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: The company’s fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $2.60 to $2.90 has a midpoint of $2.75, below the approximately $2.98 analyst consensus. The weaker outlook reinforces concerns about profitability and demand in LKQ’s auto-parts business. LKQ Announces Second-Quarter 2026 Results

LKQ Stock Down 16.0%

Shares of LKQ traded down $4.21 on Thursday, hitting $22.18. 1,213,904 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,786,509. The company has a market capitalization of $5.65 billion, a PE ratio of 10.99 and a beta of 0.83. LKQ has a one year low of $21.17 and a one year high of $37.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 1.54. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $25.95 and a 200 day simple moving average of $29.25.

LKQ (NASDAQ:LKQ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The auto parts company reported $0.67 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.71 by ($0.04). LKQ had a return on equity of 11.65% and a net margin of 3.71%.The business had revenue of $3.41 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.48 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.87 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. LKQ has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.600-2.900 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that LKQ will post 3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On LKQ

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of LKQ. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC grew its holdings in LKQ by 260.0% during the first quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 900 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 650 shares during the period. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in LKQ during the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. Essential Partners LLC purchased a new position in LKQ during the first quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Torren Management LLC bought a new position in shares of LKQ in the fourth quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC raised its position in shares of LKQ by 142.4% during the 1st quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 1,217 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 715 shares during the period. 95.63% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

LKQ Company Profile

LKQ Corporation is a leading provider of alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. The company supplies a broad range of replacement components, including recycled original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, aftermarket parts, refurbished and remanufactured items. Its products support collision repair, mechanical repair and performance enhancement needs across passenger cars, heavy trucks and recreational vehicles.

Through a combination of in-house operations and strategic acquisitions, LKQ has developed a comprehensive product portfolio that extends beyond core replacement parts.