Berenberg Bank Cuts Whitbread (LON:WTB) Price Target to GBX 3,500

Whitbread (LON:WTB - Get Free Report) had its price target decreased by analysts at Berenberg Bank from GBX 3,900 ($52.60) to GBX 3,500 ($47.20) in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the stock. Berenberg Bank's target price points to a potential upside of 15.66% from the stock's current price.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on WTB. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of Whitbread from GBX 3,700 ($49.90) to GBX 3,300 ($44.50) and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 15th. Shore Capital reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Whitbread in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of GBX 2,280 ($30.75).

Whitbread Stock Performance

Shares of WTB stock traded down GBX 56 ($0.76) during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching GBX 3,026 ($40.81). 1,949,209 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,956,816. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.18, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a current ratio of 0.96. The firm has a market capitalization of £5.40 billion, a PE ratio of 23.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -3.09 and a beta of 1.11. Whitbread has a 12 month low of GBX 2,253 ($30.38) and a 12 month high of GBX 3,352 ($45.21). The firm has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 2,844.95 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 2,730.35.

Whitbread (LON:WTB - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The company reported GBX 194.60 ($2.62) earnings per share for the quarter. Whitbread had a return on equity of 6.83% and a net margin of 8.08%. On average, research analysts forecast that Whitbread will post 227.1851852 EPS for the current year.

Whitbread announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, May 1st that authorizes the company to buyback 0 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually an indication that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Hemant Patel sold 2,607 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,790 ($37.63), for a total transaction of £72,735.30 ($98,092.11). Also, insider Dominic Paul sold 3,206 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,790 ($37.63), for a total transaction of £89,447.40 ($120,630.34). Company insiders own 1.03% of the company's stock.

About Whitbread

Whitbread is the owner of Premier Inn, the UK's biggest hotel brand, with 86,000 rooms in over 850 hotels and a growing presence in Germany with 10,500 rooms in 59 hotels, offering quality accommodation at affordable prices in great locations. People are at the heart of our business. We employ over 38,000 team members in over 900 Premier Inn hotels across the UK and Germany.