Trending auto stocks as new car registrations grow in September

Highlights:

• New car sales grew for the second month in a row in September, the latest data shows.
• Compared with the pre-pandemic period, new registrations were down 34.4% last month.

Despite the cost-living crisis, September turned out to be a good month for the auto industry as it saw growth in registrations of new cars.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that new car registrations jumped by 4.6% in September against the same month last year. About 225,269 new cars were registered, SMMT said.

Besides, registrations grew for the second straight month in September. Due to the release of new number plates, September is generally the auto sector's biggest month of the year. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, the number of registrations last month was 34.4% down as the industry continues to struggle with supply chain issues.

Image Source: © Roza | Megapixl.com

So far, the sales of new cars this year are down 8.2% compared to the same period last year.

In terms of electric cars, over a million new plug-in cars have been registered in the country so far. This year alone, a total of 249,575 cars have been registered.

In the wake of the latest numbers from SMMT, let us explore a few FTSE-listed stocks that deal in the auto sector.

Auto Trader Group Plc (LON: AUTO)

The British automotive classified business lists new and used cars and is listed on the FTSE 100 index, and has a market capitalisation of £5,029.90 million. Its earnings per share or EPS is in the positive territory at 0.26, and over the 12 months, the share price has slumped by -7.59%. Its year-to-date or YTD return stands at -27.62%. The company's turnover (on book) is currently at £3,748,973.25. As of 12:09 pm GMT+1 on Wednesday, the shares of AUTO were trading at GBX 535.20, down 0.11%.

Vertu Motors Plc (LON: VTU)

Shares of the AIM-listed car dealership rallied over 6% on Wednesday and were trading at GBX 45.90 as of 12:15 pm GMT+1. The company currently holds a market cap of £150.92 million and has a 12-month return of -6.40%. The YTD return is even lower at -34.12%. Vertu Motors has an EPS of 0.04.

Pendragon Plc (LON: PDG)

The company retails in new and used vehicles such as cars, bikes, trucks, etc. Holding a market cap of £379.97 million, the stock's 12-month return currently stands at 50.56%. On a YTD basis, the stock value has appreciated by nearly 17%. PDG stocks were trading at GBX 27.00, down 0.74% as of 12:21 pm GMT+1 on Wednesday.

Note: The above content constitutes a very preliminary observation or view based on market trends and is of limited scope without any in-depth fundamental valuation or technical analysis. Any interest in stocks or sectors should be thoroughly evaluated taking into consideration the associated risks.