Wickes Group (LON:WIX) Stock Price Up 0.7% – Here’s What Happened

Wickes Group plc (LON:WIX) shares were up 0.7% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as GBX 216.67 and last traded at GBX 215. Approximately 317,110 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 73% from the average daily volume of 1,166,295 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 213.50.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Shore Capital restated a “buy” rating and set a GBX 250 price target on shares of Wickes Group in a report on Thursday, October 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Wickes Group to a “sell” rating and cut their target price for the stock from GBX 205 to GBX 195 in a research note on Tuesday, August 26th. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Wickes Group from GBX 202 to GBX 200 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 11th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 250 price target on shares of Wickes Group in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of GBX 223.75.

Wickes Group Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 456.98, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 0.58. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is GBX 216.97 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 217.10. The company has a market capitalization of £481.53 million, a PE ratio of 22.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 0.78.

Wickes Group (LON:WIX) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, September 30th. The company reported GBX 15.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Wickes Group had a net margin of 2.01% and a return on equity of 19.39%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Wickes Group plc will post 16.2278978 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Wickes Group

In other news, insider Michael Iddon acquired 15,317 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, September 12th. The shares were bought at an average price of GBX 196 per share, with a total value of £30,021.32. 0.38% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Wickes Group

Wickes is one of the UK’s best known home improvement retailers. Having opened our first store in 1972 we now have 228 stores across the UK, employing 7,400 colleagues and offering products ranging from kitchens and bathrooms, to paint, tools and timber.

Wickes is a successful, growing, cash generative and profitable business, operating in the large and growing £27 billion UK Home Improvement market.