Rentokil Initial (NYSE:RTO) Shares Gap Down - Should You Sell?

Rentokil Initial PLC (NYSE:RTO - Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $23.79, but opened at $23.15. Rentokil Initial shares last traded at $23.21, with a volume of 61,803 shares.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered Rentokil Initial from a "market perform" rating to an "underperform" rating in a report on Thursday, May 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Rentokil Initial currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy".

Rentokil Initial Trading Down 1.8%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 0.81. The company's 50 day moving average is $23.65 and its 200 day moving average is $23.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.21 and a beta of 0.94.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rentokil Initial

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its position in shares of Rentokil Initial by 37.1% during the fourth quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 9,035 shares of the company's stock valued at $229,000 after purchasing an additional 2,446 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Rentokil Initial by 70.3% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 34,866 shares of the company's stock worth $883,000 after buying an additional 14,389 shares in the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. increased its holdings in Rentokil Initial by 1,475.8% in the 4th quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 22,944 shares of the company's stock valued at $581,000 after buying an additional 21,488 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Rentokil Initial in the 4th quarter valued at $11,436,000. Finally, King Luther Capital Management Corp bought a new position in shares of Rentokil Initial during the 4th quarter worth about $216,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.91% of the company's stock.

About Rentokil Initial

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.