Rentokil Initial (LON:RTO) Reaches New 52-Week High - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Shares of Rentokil Initial hit a new 52-week high, trading as high as GBX 494.50 and last at GBX 493.80 on heavy volume (34,822,324 shares).
• Multiple brokers have upgraded the stock and raised price targets (e.g., Citigroup to GBX 575, UBS to GBX 540, Jefferies to GBX 550); the consensus rating is Moderate Buy with an average target of GBX 461.43.
• Insider Sally Johnson bought 2,676 shares at GBX 483, while the company shows a market cap of £12.32 billion, a P/E of 26.41 and a high debt-to-equity ratio of 111.54.

Shares of Rentokil Initial plc (LON:RTO - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as GBX 494.50 and last traded at GBX 493.80, with a volume of 34822324 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 488.30.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Citigroup upped their price target on Rentokil Initial from GBX 550 to GBX 575 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Stifel Nicolaus reaffirmed a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 390 price target on shares of Rentokil Initial in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. UBS Group raised shares of Rentokil Initial from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their price target for the company from GBX 430 to GBX 540 in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Rentokil Initial from GBX 540 to GBX 550 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Rentokil Initial currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 461.43.

Rentokil Initial Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 111.54. The firm has a market cap of £12.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.41, a PEG ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 463.28 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 436.27.

Insider Buying and Selling at Rentokil Initial

In other Rentokil Initial news, insider Sally Johnson acquired 2,676 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 16th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 483 per share, for a total transaction of £12,925.08. 2.82% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Rentokil Initial Company Profile

Rentokil Initial plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides route-based services in North America, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and internationally. It offers a range of pest control services for rodents, and flying and crawling insects, as well as other forms of wildlife management for commercial customers. The company provides hygiene services, including the provision and maintenance of products, such as soap and hand sanitizer dispensers, hand dryers, air care and purification, cubicle and surface sanitizers, feminine hygiene units, toilet paper dispensers, and floor protection mats.

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