WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the five research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is GBX 868.60.

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of WH Smith from GBX 750 to GBX 800 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Berenberg Bank dropped their target price on shares of WH Smith from GBX 700 to GBX 667 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 19th. Finally, Peel Hunt restated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 800 price target on shares of WH Smith in a research report on Friday, December 19th.

WH Smith Price Performance

Shares of SMWH stock opened at GBX 677 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of £844.19 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -5.97, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.67. WH Smith has a 12 month low of GBX 585.50 and a 12 month high of GBX 1,315. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 253.13. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 653.11 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 746.51.

WH Smith (LON:SMWH) last issued its earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported GBX (14.20) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. WH Smith had a net margin of 3.44% and a return on equity of 17.78%. Research analysts expect that WH Smith will post 100.9372747 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at WH Smith

In other news, insider Helen Rose purchased 7,972 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 8th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 627 per share, for a total transaction of £49,984.44. Also, insider Max Izzard sold 1,704 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 637, for a total transaction of £10,854.48. 1.01% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

WH Smith Company Profile

WH Smith PLC operates as a retailer in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates in two segments, Travel and High Street. The Travel segment offers news, books, and convenience for travelling customers. It operates stores in airports, hospitals, railway stations, and motorway service areas. The High Street segment sells stationery products, including greeting cards, general stationery, art and craft, and gifting products; news and impulse products, such as newspapers, magazines, confectionery, and drinks; and books.