NEXT (LON:NXT) Posts Earnings Results

NEXT (LON:NXT - Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported GBX 364.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, Digital Look Earnings reports. NEXT had a net margin of 12.87% and a return on equity of 52.86%.

NEXT Stock Performance

NXT stock opened at £147.35 on Thursday. NEXT has a 1-year low of £112 and a 1-year high of £161.75. The business's 50-day moving average price is £151.15 and its two-hundred day moving average price is £139.51. The firm has a market cap of £16.82 billion, a PE ratio of 19.77, a P/E/G ratio of 5.66 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 108.79.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

NXT has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Peel Hunt reiterated a "hold" rating and issued a £139 target price on shares of NEXT in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "hold" rating and issued a £140 price objective on shares of NEXT in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on NEXT from £130.30 to £140.40 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Shore Capital Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a £175 price objective on shares of NEXT in a report on Thursday. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on shares of NEXT from £132 to £155 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of £153.55.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Jonathan Blanchard sold 18,012 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of £148.02, for a total value of £2,666,136.24. Also, insider Jeni Mundy bought 160 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of £155.45 per share, with a total value of £24,872. Insiders own 1.47% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting NEXT

Here are the key news stories impacting NEXT this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly profitability reported: NEXT delivered earnings per share of 364.30 pence for the quarter, alongside a 52.86% return on equity and a 12.87% net margin. The strong profitability metrics may reassure investors about the retailer’s earnings power.
• Positive Sentiment: Buy rating and £175 target reaffirmed: Shore Capital maintained its “buy” recommendation and £175 price target, implying approximately 19% upside from the reported £146.81 reference price. The endorsement provides a positive catalyst and reinforces confidence in NEXT’s outlook. Shore Capital reaffirms NEXT buy rating and price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and trading context: NEXT has a market capitalization of about £16.76 billion and trades at roughly 19.7 times earnings. Its shares are close to the upper end of their 52-week range, which could limit near-term gains unless earnings growth continues to justify the valuation.

NEXT Company Profile

Founded as a tailoring business in Leeds in 1864 by Joseph Hepworth and Son, today, the company offers clothing, footwear, accessories, beauty and home products to our UK and International customers. NEXT has over 500 stores in the United Kingdom and Eire, and over 180 franchise branches across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The company's main divisions are NEXT Online, NEXT Retail and NEXT Finance. We also launched Total Platform, an online, distribution, tech and logistics solution, in 2020.