Hays (LON:HAS) Reaches New 1-Year High - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Hays shares reached a new 52-week high, rising 4.0% intraday to GBX 67.15 before last trading at GBX 66.20, with more than 6.8 million shares changing hands.
• Analyst opinion remains mixed: ratings include three Buys, one Hold and one Sell, resulting in an overall “Hold” consensus and an average price target of GBX 57.20.
• Insiders recently bought shares, including Mark Dearnley’s purchase of 485,500 shares and Joe Hurd’s purchase of 5,672 shares; insiders collectively own 0.81% of Hays.

Hays plc (LON:HAS - Get Free Report)'s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as GBX 67.15 and last traded at GBX 66.20, with a volume of 6812712 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 64.50.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a GBX 60 price objective on shares of Hays in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated an "underperform" rating and issued a GBX 28 price target on shares of Hays in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Citigroup reduced their price target on Hays from GBX 90 to GBX 75 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 24th. Finally, UBS Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a GBX 33 price objective on shares of Hays in a research note on Friday, July 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of GBX 57.20.

Hays Stock Up 4.0%

The stock has a market capitalization of £1.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -101.65, a PEG ratio of 0.24 and a beta of 0.77. The firm's fifty day moving average is GBX 38.94 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 38.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 65.55, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 1.31.

Hays announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Monday, June 1st that authorizes the company to repurchase 0 shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the company's board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Hays

In other news, insider Joe Hurd purchased 5,672 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 8th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 35 per share, for a total transaction of £1,985.20. Also, insider Mark Dearnley acquired 485,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 30 per share, with a total value of £145,650. Corporate insiders own 0.81% of the company's stock.

Hays Company Profile

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