Analysts Set WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) Target Price at GBX 1,178.20

Key Points

• WH Smith PLC has received a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from six brokerages, with four analysts recommending to buy and two suggesting a hold.
• The average 1-year target price for WH Smith is GBX 1,178.20, but several brokerages have recently adjusted their price targets, including Deutsche Bank lowering it to GBX 726.
• As of Friday, WH Smith shares opened at GBX 711, with a 52-week range between GBX 628 and GBX 1,499.

WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH - Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of "Moderate Buy" by the six research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is GBX 1,178.20.

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on SMWH shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an "overweight" rating on shares of WH Smith in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on WH Smith from GBX 1,030 to GBX 726 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 21st. Peel Hunt downgraded WH Smith to a "hold" rating and decreased their price target for the stock from GBX 1,400 to GBX 755 in a report on Thursday, August 21st. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their price target on WH Smith from GBX 1,460 to GBX 1,350 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 9th.

WH Smith Stock Up 2.5%

Shares of LON SMWH traded up GBX 17.50 during midday trading on Friday, hitting GBX 706.50. 1,053,271 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 541,584. The company has a market cap of £909.63 million, a PE ratio of 14.57, a P/E/G ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.67. WH Smith has a one year low of GBX 628 and a one year high of GBX 1,499. The business has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 1,034.73 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 1,039.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 253.13, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.85.

About WH Smith

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.