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WH Smith (LON:SMWH) Lowered to Hold Rating by Peel Hunt

Written by MarketBeat
Updated August 27, 2025
WH Smith logo with Consumer Cyclical background

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.
  • MarketBeat previews the top five stocks to own by October 1st.

WH Smith (LON:SMWH - Get Free Report) was downgraded by research analysts at Peel Hunt to a "hold" rating in a research note issued on Thursday, MarketBeat.com 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 9.58% from the company's previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the company. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their price objective on WH Smith from GBX 1,460 to GBX 1,350 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, June 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed 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. According to MarketBeat.com, WH Smith presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of GBX 1,178.20.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on WH Smith

WH Smith Price Performance

Shares of SMWH traded down GBX 11 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching GBX 689. 799,843 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 538,489. WH Smith has a fifty-two week low of GBX 628 and a fifty-two week high of GBX 1,499. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 1,042.87 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 1,041.83. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 253.13. The stock has a market capitalization of £887.10 million, a PE ratio of 14.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.67.

About WH Smith

(Get Free Report)

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.

Further Reading

Analyst Recommendations for WH Smith (LON:SMWH)

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