Future (LON:FUTR) Trading Up 6.6% - Here's Why

Key Points

• Shares rose 6.6% to GBX 302.40 on Thursday, but trading volume was only ~2.17M shares—about an 85% decline from the average daily volume.
• Several brokers sharply cut price targets and ratings recently (Berenberg, Jefferies, Deutsche Bank, Barclays), leaving an average analyst rating of Hold and an average target of GBX 665.80.
• Fundamentals show a small market cap (£279.42M) and a low P/E of 4.87, yet the stock trades well below its 50-day (GBX 410.20) and 200-day (GBX 526.42) moving averages; insiders own 4.46% of the company.

Future plc (LON:FUTR - Get Free Report) shares were up 6.6% on Thursday . The company traded as high as GBX 306.80 and last traded at GBX 302.40. Approximately 2,172,753 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 85% from the average daily volume of 14,684,353 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 283.80.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on FUTR shares. Berenberg Bank downgraded shares of Future to a "hold" rating and lowered their target price for the stock from GBX 970 to GBX 330 in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of Future to a "hold" rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from GBX 1,220 to GBX 466 in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price objective on shares of Future from GBX 1,875 to GBX 1,013 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Finally, Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Future from GBX 640 to GBX 285 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of GBX 665.80.

Future Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.47. The company's 50 day moving average is GBX 410.20 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 526.42. The firm has a market capitalization of £279.42 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.87, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.34.

Insider Activity at Future

In other Future news, insider Ivana Kirkbride purchased 1,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 518 per share, for a total transaction of £5,180. Company insiders own 4.46% of the company's stock.

About Future

Future is a global platform for specialist media underpinned by proprietary technology, enabled by data; with diversified revenue streams

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