Marks and Spencer Group (LON:MKS) Shares Cross Below 200 Day Moving Average - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Marks & Spencer's stock crossed below its 200‑day moving average on Monday — the 200‑day MA is GBX 352.52, the intraday low was GBX 321.50 and the stock last traded at GBX 322.96 on volume ~11.93M shares.
• Analyst sentiment remains upbeat with an average rating of Moderate Buy (4 Buys, 3 Holds) and an average price target of GBX 415.33; notable calls include Citi raising its target to GBX 450 and UBS at GBX 435.
• Key fundamentals show a very high trailing P/E of 353.44, modest liquidity (current ratio 0.82) and significant leverage (debt/equity 95.0); insider Sean Doyle bought 2,526 shares at GBX 334, and insiders own 0.51% of the stock.

Marks and Spencer Group plc (LON:MKS - Get Free Report)'s stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 352.52 and traded as low as GBX 321.50. Marks and Spencer Group shares last traded at GBX 322.96, with a volume of 11,932,656 shares trading hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on MKS. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Marks and Spencer Group in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Peel Hunt reiterated a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 360 target price on shares of Marks and Spencer Group in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. UBS Group restated a "buy" rating and set a GBX 435 price target on shares of Marks and Spencer Group in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Shore Capital reaffirmed a "house stock" rating on shares of Marks and Spencer Group in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Marks and Spencer Group from GBX 440 to GBX 450 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of GBX 415.33.

Marks and Spencer Group Price Performance

The business's 50-day simple moving average is GBX 345.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 352.52. The company has a market capitalization of £6.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 353.44, a P/E/G ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 1.62. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 95.00.

Marks and Spencer Group (LON:MKS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The retailer reported GBX 6.60 EPS for the quarter. Marks and Spencer Group had a net margin of 3.77% and a return on equity of 17.23%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Marks and Spencer Group plc will post 26.0113154 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marks and Spencer Group

In other news, insider Sean Doyle bought 2,526 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 334 per share, for a total transaction of £8,436.84. 0.51% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About Marks and Spencer Group

M&S has a heritage of quality, innovation and value for money and has been voted the UK's most trusted brand. From these foundations, M&S is reshaping for sustainable profitable growth and value creation. We operate as a family of businesses, selling high-quality, great-value, own-brand products and services, alongside a carefully selected range of third-party brands. We do this through a network of stores and websites globally, and together, across our stores, support centres, warehouses and supply chain, our 65,000 colleagues serve over 30 million customers each year.

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