WH Smith (LON:SMWH) Reaches New 1-Year Low - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• WH Smith shares hit a new 52-week low, falling to GBX 367.60 and last trading at GBX 370.80, below both the 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Analysts have broadly reduced their price targets, with ratings split between Buy and Hold; the consensus rating is Hold with an average target of GBX 570.
• Company insiders recently bought shares, including purchases by Helen Rose at GBX 450 and Simon Emeny at GBX 398, while WH Smith continues to operate its Travel and High Street retail segments.

Shares of WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low on Monday . The company traded as low as GBX 367.60 and last traded at GBX 370.80, with a volume of 53659 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 374.20.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently issued reports on SMWH. Canaccord Genuity Group cut their price objective on shares of WH Smith from GBX 680 to GBX 555 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of WH Smith from GBX 700 to GBX 575 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Berenberg Bank cut their price target on shares of WH Smith from GBX 574 to GBX 420 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 16th. UBS Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a GBX 600 price target on shares of WH Smith in a report on Friday, June 5th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on shares of WH Smith from GBX 550 to GBX 390 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, WH Smith presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of GBX 570.

WH Smith Trading Down 0.9%

The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 414.65 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 487.57. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 846.40. The stock has a market cap of £558.36 million, a PE ratio of -3.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.93.

Insider Buying and Selling at WH Smith

In other WH Smith news, insider Helen Rose bought 11,102 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 450 per share, for a total transaction of £49,959. Also, insider Simon Emeny purchased 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, June 26th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 398 per share, for a total transaction of £19,900. 1.05% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About WH Smith

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. The High Street segment sells stationery products, including greeting cards, general stationery, art and craft, and gifting products; news and impulse products, such as newspapers, magazines, confectionery, and drinks; and books.

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