WH Smith (LON:SMWH) Insider Acquires £99,478.40 in Stock

Key Points

• Insider purchase: WH Smith director Leo Quinn bought 17,764 shares on April 24 at GBX 560 each, a transaction totaling £99,478.40.
• Weak financials: The company reported a quarterly EPS of GBX -20, a negative net margin (-9.48%) and return on equity (-90.46%), alongside poor liquidity (current ratio 0.33) and a very high debt-to-equity ratio (846.4).
• Analyst views mixed: Several brokers have cut price targets (e.g., Berenberg, Canaccord, RBC) but consensus remains a "Moderate Buy" with a target of GBX 720.50, while the stock trades around GBX 560.50 (down 0.9%).

WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH - Get Free Report) insider Leo Quinn acquired 17,764 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 24th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 560 per share, for a total transaction of £99,478.40.

WH Smith Stock Down 0.9%

LON SMWH traded down GBX 5 on Monday, reaching GBX 560.50. The stock had a trading volume of 554,342 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,102,525. The business has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 604.51 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 640.03. The company has a current ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 846.40. WH Smith PLC has a 1 year low of GBX 519 and a 1 year high of GBX 1,132. The company has a market capitalization of £698.92 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.57.

WH Smith (LON:SMWH - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The company reported GBX (20) EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of £748 million during the quarter. WH Smith had a negative net margin of 9.48% and a negative return on equity of 90.46%. On average, analysts forecast that WH Smith PLC will post 100.9372747 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

SMWH has been the subject of several analyst reports. Berenberg Bank dropped their price target on WH Smith from GBX 700 to GBX 667 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 19th. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their target price on WH Smith from GBX 762 to GBX 680 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on WH Smith from GBX 675 to GBX 650 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, WH Smith currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 720.50.

WH Smith Company Profile

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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