NatWest Group (LON:NWG) Shares Up 2.6% - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• NatWest shares rose 2.6%, trading as high as GBX 597.20 and last at GBX 590.80 on a ~123% surge in volume (~57.0M shares) from the prior close of GBX 575.80.
• Analysts carry an average rating of Moderate Buy with an average target of GBX 692.86, and several firms recently raised targets (Deutsche Bank to GBX 730, JPMorgan to GBX 750), leaving four Buy and three Hold ratings.
• Valuation and profitability look supportive — market cap £47.07bn, P/E 8.77, PEG 0.46, ROE 14.33% and net margin 22.26% — and insiders have been buying recently (4,281 shares worth about $2.83M over the last 90 days).

NatWest Group plc (LON:NWG - Get Free Report) was up 2.6% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as GBX 597.20 and last traded at GBX 590.80. Approximately 57,020,570 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 123% from the average daily volume of 25,620,141 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 575.80.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on NWG shares. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a "sector perform" rating and issued a GBX 725 price objective on shares of NatWest Group in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on NatWest Group from GBX 660 to GBX 730 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Shore Capital Group reissued a "hold" rating on shares of NatWest Group in a research report on Monday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of NatWest Group from GBX 730 to GBX 750 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Barclays restated an "equal weight" rating and issued a GBX 700 price objective on shares of NatWest Group in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of GBX 692.86.

NatWest Group Trading Up 2.6%

The company has a market cap of £47.07 billion, a PE ratio of 8.77, a PEG ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 0.79. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 633.24 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 594.69.

NatWest Group (LON:NWG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The company reported GBX 68 earnings per share for the quarter. NatWest Group had a return on equity of 14.33% and a net margin of 22.26%. Equities analysts expect that NatWest Group plc will post 45.9724712 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at NatWest Group

In other NatWest Group news, insider Roisin Donnelly bought 470 shares of NatWest Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 660 per share, with a total value of £3,102. Also, insider Yasmin Jetha purchased 181 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 660 per share, with a total value of £1,194.60. Over the last ninety days, insiders bought 4,281 shares of company stock worth $2,825,460. 0.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

NatWest Group Company Profile

We're a UK-focussed bank serving over 20 million customers, with businesses across retail, commercial and private banking markets. With a brand history stretching back nearly 300 years, we have our roots in the communities we serve across every nation and region of the UK. Our brands include NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank and Coutts.

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