WH Smith (LON:SMWH) Sets New 52-Week Low – Here’s What Happened

Shares of WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as GBX 378.20 and last traded at GBX 379, with a volume of 253593 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 384.82.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on SMWH shares. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a GBX 600 price target on shares of WH Smith in a report on Friday, June 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of WH Smith from GBX 700 to GBX 575 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Berenberg Bank reduced their target price on shares of WH Smith from GBX 574 to GBX 420 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 16th. Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their target price on WH Smith from GBX 680 to GBX 555 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on WH Smith from GBX 550 to GBX 390 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of GBX 570.

WH Smith Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 846.40, a current ratio of 0.33 and a quick ratio of 0.42. The firm has a market cap of £578.22 million, a P/E ratio of -3.97, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.93. The stock’s 50 day moving average is GBX 416.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 493.89.

Insider Activity at WH Smith

In related news, insider Simon Emeny bought 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 26th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 398 per share, for a total transaction of £19,900. Also, insider Helen Rose acquired 11,102 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 10th. The shares were bought at an average price of GBX 450 per share, with a total value of £49,959. 1.05% of the stock is 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.