Auction Technology Group (LON:ATG) Trading Up 12.6% – Should You Buy?

Shares of Auction Technology Group plc (LON:ATG) shot up 12.6% during trading on Saturday . The stock traded as high as GBX 370 and last traded at GBX 362. 1,920,300 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 100% from the average session volume of 958,306 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 321.50.

Key Headlines Impacting Auction Technology Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Auction Technology Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FitzWalter has increased its takeover bid/indicated it will consider a higher offer, driving renewed buying interest in ATG shares. Auction Technology shares rise as FitzWalter increases takeover bid
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage notes a shareholder (linked to FitzWalter) has tabled a further offer proposal, which directly prompted the intraday jump in the stock as investors price in a higher takeover premium. Auction Technology Shares Jump After Shareholder Indicates Higher Offer Proposal
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple reports put the revised bid value at roughly £491m (reported equivalently as about $658m), giving a concrete headline valuation that likely underpins the rally. FitzWalter Capital raises buyout bid for UK’s Auction Technology to $658 million
• Positive Sentiment: Financial news services (ShareCast, Investing.com and others) are widely reporting the update, increasing visibility and trading momentum as investors and arbitrageurs react. Auction Technology surges as FitzWalter considers increased takeover offer
• Neutral Sentiment: Heightened price reflects takeover speculation but the outcome remains uncertain — any deal still needs formal offers, board/shareholder approvals and regulatory clearances; there may be further negotiation or competing bids. (No single article yet confirms a final, signed agreement.)

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have commented on ATG shares. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of Auction Technology Group from GBX 415 to GBX 315 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Berenberg Bank reduced their price target on shares of Auction Technology Group from GBX 560 to GBX 460 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 27th. Peel Hunt decreased their price objective on shares of Auction Technology Group from GBX 730 to GBX 460 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Auction Technology Group from GBX 690 to GBX 695 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of GBX 549.

Auction Technology Group Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of £438.34 million, a P/E ratio of -3.06 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a current ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.16. The company’s fifty day moving average is GBX 291.14 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 339.95.

About Auction Technology Group

Auction Technology Group plc (“ATG”) is the operator of the world’s leading marketplaces and auction services for curated online auctions, seamlessly connecting bidders from around the world to over 3,800 trusted auction houses across two major sectors: Industrial & Commercial (“I&C”) and Art & Antiques (“A&A”).

The Group powers eight online marketplaces and listing sites using its proprietary auction platform technology, hosting in excess of 70,000 live and timed auctions each year. ATG has been supporting the auction industry since 1971 and the Group has offices in the UK, US and Germany.