Free Trial

WH Smith (LON:SMWH) Trading Down 40.5% - Here's What Happened

WH Smith logo with Consumer Cyclical background

Key Points

  • WH Smith's stock price experienced a dramatic fall of 40.5%, closing at GBX 660.33 ($8.86) after trading as low as GBX 628 ($8.43).
  • The trading volume surged to 8,394,045 shares, marking an increase of 1,624% compared to its average session volume.
  • Despite the recent downturn, WH Smith retains a "Moderate Buy" consensus rating among analysts, with four analysts recommending a Buy.
  • Need better tools to track WH Smith? Try 5 Weeks of MarketBeat All Access for $5. Start Portfolio Tracking Now.

WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH - Get Free Report)'s stock price fell 40.5% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as GBX 628 ($8.43) and last traded at GBX 660.33 ($8.86). 8,394,045 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 1,624% from the average session volume of 487,005 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,110 ($14.89).

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have issued reports on SMWH shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of WH Smith in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price objective on WH Smith from GBX 1,460 to GBX 1,350 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 9th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, WH Smith has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 1,430.

View Our Latest Analysis on SMWH

WH Smith Stock Up 1.7%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 253.13, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.42. The business's fifty day moving average price is GBX 1,065.81 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 1,055.22. The stock has a market capitalization of £838.18 million, a PE ratio of 13.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.67.

About WH Smith

(Get Free Report)

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.

Further Reading

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat's editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Should You Invest $1,000 in WH Smith Right Now?

Before you consider WH Smith, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and WH Smith wasn't on the list.

While WH Smith currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here

Reduce the Risk Cover

Market downturns give many investors pause, and for good reason. Wondering how to offset this risk? Enter your email address to learn more about using beta to protect your portfolio.

Get This Free Report
Like this article? Share it with a colleague.

Featured Articles and Offers

Recent Videos

Next Tech Boom: AI Robots Are Coming Sooner Than You Think!
Tech Stocks Stumble: Will Nvidia’s Report Spark a Rebound?
Follow the Money: 5 Stocks Institutions Are Buying NOW

Stock Lists

All Stock Lists

Investing Tools

Calendars and Tools

Search Headlines