Rentokil Initial (LON:RTO) Trading 9.1% Higher - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Rentokil Initial shares rose by 9.1% on Thursday, trading at GBX 377.98 ($4.99) after previously closing at GBX 346.60 ($4.58), with a surge in trading volume.
• Deutsche Bank has increased its price target for Rentokil Initial from GBX 425 ($5.61) to GBX 435 ($5.75) and maintains a "buy" rating on the stock.
• Insider Sally Johnson purchased 3,567 shares at an average price of GBX 351 ($4.64), indicating confidence in the company's future performance.

Rentokil Initial plc (LON:RTO - Get Free Report) shares shot up 9.1% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as GBX 387.30 ($5.14) and last traded at GBX 377.98 ($5.02). 13,367,716 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 30% from the average session volume of 10,266,272 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 346.60 ($4.60).

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

RTO has been the topic of several recent research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an "outperform" rating and set a GBX 440 ($5.84) price objective on shares of Rentokil Initial in a report on Friday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on Rentokil Initial from GBX 425 ($5.64) to GBX 435 ($5.78) and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, July 21st.

Rentokil Initial Trading Down 2.9%

The company has a market cap of £8.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 113.35, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 1.76. The business's fifty day moving average price is GBX 353.10 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 359.12.

Insider Activity at Rentokil Initial

In related news, insider Sally Johnson acquired 3,567 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 2nd. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 351 ($4.66) per share, for a total transaction of £12,520.17 ($16,624.84). Company insiders own 0.32% of the company's stock.

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.