WH Smith (LON:SMWH) Reaches New 12-Month Low – Here’s Why

WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as GBX 549.50 and last traded at GBX 552.50, with a volume of 589555 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 561.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Berenberg Bank reduced their price objective on WH Smith from GBX 700 to GBX 667 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on WH Smith from GBX 750 to GBX 800 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Peel Hunt reiterated a “buy” rating and set a GBX 800 target price on shares of WH Smith in a report on Friday, December 19th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, WH Smith presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of GBX 868.60.

WH Smith Stock Down 1.0%

The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 651.35 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 658.82. The company has a market capitalization of £692.68 million, a PE ratio of -4.90, a P/E/G ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 872.78, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.39.

WH Smith (LON:SMWH) last released its earnings results on Friday, December 19th. The company reported GBX (14.20) EPS for the quarter. WH Smith had a negative net margin of 9.27% and a negative return on equity of 62.07%. Equities research analysts anticipate that WH Smith PLC will post 100.9372747 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at WH Smith

In related news, insider Max Izzard acquired 25,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 29th. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 675 per share, with a total value of £168,750. Also, insider Helen Rose acquired 7,972 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 8th. The shares were bought at an average cost of GBX 627 per share, with a total value of £49,984.44. Insiders purchased 32,992 shares of company stock worth $21,886,244 over the last ninety days. 1.03% of the stock is currently owned by corporate 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.