Jefferies Financial Group Cuts Hays (LON:HAS) Price Target to GBX 61

Key Points

• Jefferies Financial Group has lowered its price target for Hays (LON:HAS) from GBX 85 to GBX 61, maintaining a "hold" rating on the stock, which indicates a potential upside of 6.18% from the previous close.
• Several analysts have also adjusted their ratings, with Royal Bank of Canada setting a new target of GBX 95 and Citigroup reducing its target to GBX 90, reflecting a mix of ratings among investment firms.
• Hays reported earnings of GBX 1.31 per share for the last quarter and has a negative net margin of 0.07% and a negative return on equity of 0.84%.

Hays (LON:HAS - Get Free Report) had its target price decreased by equities research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from GBX 85 to GBX 61 in a report issued on Thursday, Marketbeat.com reports. The firm currently has a "hold" rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group's price objective would suggest a potential upside of 11.21% from the stock's current price.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Hays from GBX 100 to GBX 95 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 22nd. UBS Group restated a "neutral" rating and issued a GBX 70 price objective on shares of Hays in a research report on Friday, August 15th. Finally, Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Hays from GBX 110 to GBX 90 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 28th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of GBX 79.

Hays Trading Down 3.9%

Shares of Hays stock traded down GBX 2.25 on Thursday, hitting GBX 54.85. 5,465,295 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,826,864. The firm's 50-day moving average price is GBX 63.10 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 69.39. The stock has a market capitalization of £873.17 million, a PE ratio of -11,193.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.24 and a beta of 1.13. Hays has a one year low of GBX 54.50 and a one year high of GBX 96.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.81, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.31.

Hays (LON:HAS - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 21st. The company reported GBX 1.31 EPS for the quarter. Hays had a negative net margin of 0.07% and a negative return on equity of 0.84%. On average, research analysts expect that Hays will post 4.0966184 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Hays

In other Hays news, insider Joe Hurd acquired 1,923 shares of Hays stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 21st. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 64 per share, for a total transaction of £1,230.72. Also, insider Dirk Hahn acquired 364,000 shares of Hays stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 28th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 62 per share, with a total value of £225,680. Insiders acquired a total of 563,720 shares of company stock worth $35,010,128 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.80% of the company's stock.

About Hays