Wickes Group (LON:WIX) Stock Price Down 0.4% - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Wickes Group's stock price fell by 0.4% to GBX 221.50, with trading volume down significantly at 437,242 shares compared to its average of 1,293,647.
• Deutsche Bank downgraded Wickes Group to a “sell” rating with a new price target of GBX 195, while Canaccord Genuity reaffirmed a “buy” rating with a target of GBX 250.
• Insider activity included a purchase of 15,317 shares by Michael Iddon at an average cost of GBX 196, indicating confidence from within the company.

Wickes Group plc (LON:WIX - Get Free Report) fell 0.4% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 221 ($2.97) and last traded at GBX 221.50 ($2.97). 437,242 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 66% from the average session volume of 1,293,647 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 222.50 ($2.99).

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on WIX. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Wickes Group to a "sell" rating and cut their price target for the stock from GBX 205 to GBX 195 in a report on Tuesday, August 26th. Citigroup cut their price target on Wickes Group from GBX 202 to GBX 200 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 11th. Shore Capital reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Wickes Group in a research note on Wednesday, September 10th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a GBX 250 target price on shares of Wickes Group in a research note on Wednesday, September 10th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of GBX 215.

Wickes Group Stock Down 0.4%

The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 456.98. The stock has a fifty day moving average of GBX 211.18 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 208.93. The firm has a market capitalization of £499.12 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,331.58, a PEG ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 0.78.

Wickes Group (LON:WIX - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, September 30th. The company reported GBX 15.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Wickes Group had a return on equity of 19.39% and a net margin of 2.01%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Wickes Group plc will post 16.2278978 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Michael Iddon bought 15,317 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 12th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 196 per share, with a total value of £30,021.32. Insiders own 0.38% of the company's stock.

Wickes Group Company Profile

Wickes is one of the UK's best known home improvement retailers. Having opened our first store in 1972 we now have 228 stores across the UK, employing 7,400 colleagues and offering products ranging from kitchens and bathrooms, to paint, tools and timber. Wickes is a successful, growing, cash generative and profitable business, operating in the large and growing £27 billion UK Home Improvement market.

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