Experian (LON:EXPN) Lowered to "Buy" Rating by Citigroup

Key Points

• Citigroup downgraded Experian to a “buy” rating, but the broader analyst view remains positive, with the stock still carrying a consensus “Buy” rating and an average price target of GBX 4,087.33.
• Several other firms recently reiterated bullish views on Experian, including RBC, Stifel, UBS, Jefferies, and Deutsche Bank, with price targets ranging from GBX 3,700 to GBX 4,600.
• Experian shares were up 0.5% in Monday trading, opening at GBX 2,733.75, while the company also disclosed a stock buyback program and recent insider buying and selling activity.

Experian (LON:EXPN - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Citigroup to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Monday,Digital Look reports.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a GBX 4,000 price target on shares of Experian in a research note on Friday. Stifel Nicolaus reissued a "buy" rating and issued a GBX 4,400 price objective on shares of Experian in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. UBS Group restated a "buy" rating and set a GBX 3,700 target price on shares of Experian in a report on Monday, May 18th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a GBX 4,600 target price on shares of Experian in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on shares of Experian from GBX 4,550 to GBX 4,000 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of GBX 4,087.33.

Experian Stock Up 0.5%

LON:EXPN opened at GBX 2,733.75 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 2,601.94 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 2,727.88. Experian has a 52-week low of GBX 2,203 and a 52-week high of GBX 4,096. The company has a market cap of £24.25 billion, a PE ratio of 16.73, a PEG ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 100.36, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 0.85.

Experian announced that its board has initiated a stock buyback program on Wednesday, July 1st that permits the company to buyback $0.00 in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are usually a sign that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at Experian

In other news, insider Eduardo Vassimon bought 5,650 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The shares were bought at an average cost of GBX 2,673 per share, with a total value of £151,024.50. Also, insider Brian Cassin sold 63,864 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,624, for a total transaction of £1,675,791.36. Insiders bought a total of 87,031 shares of company stock worth $230,517,957 over the last quarter. 0.67% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About Experian

Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and platforms. We also assist millions of people to realise their financial goals and help them to save time and money. We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments. We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and to innovate.

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