Peel Hunt Downgrades WH Smith (LON:SMWH) to Hold

Key Points

• Peel Hunt has downgraded WH Smith to a "hold" rating, significantly lowering their target price from GBX 1,400 to GBX 755, indicating a potential upside of 11.36% from the stock's previous close.
• Other analysts remain mixed, with Canaccord Genuity reducing their target price to GBX 1,350 while still maintaining a "buy" rating, while four analysts rate it a "buy" and two a "hold."
• WH Smith shares saw an increase of 5.9% on Thursday, with the current stock price around GBX 678 and a notable one-year trading range between GBX 628 and GBX 1,499.

WH Smith (LON:SMWH - Get Free Report) was downgraded by Peel Hunt to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday,Digital Look reports. They currently have a GBX 755 target price on the stock, down from their prior target price of GBX 1,400. Peel Hunt's target price points to a potential upside of 11.36% from the stock's previous close.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on SMWH. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their target price on shares of WH Smith from GBX 1,460 to GBX 1,350 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an "overweight" rating on shares of WH Smith in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 1,295.

WH Smith Trading Up 5.9%

Shares of WH Smith stock opened at GBX 678 on Thursday. WH Smith has a 1 year low of GBX 628 and a 1 year high of GBX 1,499. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 253.13, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.85. The company has a market capitalization of £872.94 million, a P/E ratio of 13.99, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.67. The company's fifty day moving average is GBX 1,065.81 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 1,055.22.

WH Smith Company Profile

WH Smith PLC operates as a retailer in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates in two segments, Travel and High Street. The Travel segment offers news, books, and convenience for travelling customers. It operates stores in airports, hospitals, railway stations, and motorway service areas.

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