Berenberg Bank Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for WH Smith (LON:SMWH) Stock

Key Points

• Berenberg Bank raised its WH Smith price target from GBX 420 to GBX 440 while maintaining a “hold” rating, implying approximately 19.9% upside from the current price.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: three firms rate WH Smith “buy” and four rate it “hold,” with an average price target of GBX 566.43.
• WH Smith shares opened at GBX 367, near their 52-week low of GBX 345.60, while insiders recently purchased shares, including a £49,959 acquisition by Helen Rose.

WH Smith (LON:SMWH - Get Free Report) had its target price increased by equities research analysts at Berenberg Bank from GBX 420 to GBX 440 in a research report issued on Thursday, Digital Look reports. The brokerage presently has a "hold" rating on the stock. Berenberg Bank's price target indicates a potential upside of 19.89% from the stock's current price.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their price objective on shares of WH Smith from GBX 680 to GBX 555 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price objective on shares of WH Smith from GBX 550 to GBX 390 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of WH Smith from GBX 700 to GBX 575 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. Finally, UBS Group restated a "neutral" rating and issued a GBX 600 target price on shares of WH Smith in a research report on Friday, June 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of GBX 566.43.

WH Smith Price Performance

Shares of SMWH opened at GBX 367 on Thursday. WH Smith has a 52 week low of GBX 345.60 and a 52 week high of GBX 712. The company has a current ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 846.40. The firm has a market cap of £552.34 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.80, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.93. The stock has a 50 day moving average of GBX 411.93 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 481.10.

Insider Buying and Selling at WH Smith

In other WH Smith news, insider Helen Rose purchased 11,102 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 450 per share, with a total value of £49,959. Also, insider Simon Emeny purchased 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 26th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 398 per share, for a total transaction of £19,900. Corporate insiders own 1.05% of the company's stock.

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.

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