YouGov (LON:YOU) Earns Buy Rating from UBS Group

Key Points

• UBS reiterated a Buy rating on YouGov with a GBX 510 target (implying ~216.8% upside); the stock’s consensus from five analysts is also "Buy" with an average target of GBX 411.
• YouGov warned of lower profits as investments in AI squeeze margins and is reportedly exploring the sale of units (including its Shopper business), signalling near‑term financial pressure and prompting negative market reaction.
• Senior insiders, including CEO Stephan Shakespeare, bought shares recently—insiders acquired ~112,986 shares over three months and now own about 13.45% of the company, a potential bullish signal for long‑term investors.

YouGov (LON:YOU - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "buy" rating restated by UBS Group in a research note issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat.com reports. They presently have a GBX 510 target price on the stock. UBS Group's target price points to a potential upside of 216.77% from the company's previous close.

Several other analysts also recently commented on YOU. Berenberg Bank began coverage on shares of YouGov in a report on Tuesday. They set a "buy" rating and a GBX 395 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of YouGov from GBX 380 to GBX 350 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group started coverage on YouGov in a research report on Thursday, March 19th. They issued a "buy" rating and a GBX 450 target price on the stock. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 411.

YouGov Stock Up 4.7%

YOU opened at GBX 161 on Wednesday. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is GBX 211.10 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 250.87. YouGov has a 1-year low of GBX 135.40 and a 1-year high of GBX 399. The stock has a market cap of £188.71 million, a PE ratio of 14.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 116.12.

YouGov (LON:YOU - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 24th. The company reported GBX 11.40 EPS for the quarter. YouGov had a net margin of 3.45% and a return on equity of 7.20%. As a group, research analysts expect that YouGov will post 41.8853256 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other YouGov news, insider Ashley G. Martin bought 16,586 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 11th. The shares were purchased at an average price of GBX 211 per share, for a total transaction of £34,996.46. Also, insider Stephan Shakespeare bought 65,616 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 24th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 155 per share, for a total transaction of £101,704.80. Over the last three months, insiders have acquired 112,986 shares of company stock valued at $18,472,430. 13.45% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Trending Headlines about YouGov

Here are the key news stories impacting YouGov this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Senior insiders increased holdings (Chair Ian Griffiths and CEO Stephan Shakespeare bought stock on March 24), signalling management confidence and providing a bullish signal to long-term investors. YouGov Chair and CEO Increase Holdings with Fresh Share Purchases
• Positive Sentiment: Berenberg initiated coverage with a "buy" rating and a GBX 395 price target, which can attract institutional buyers and supports medium‑term upside expectations. Broker Ratings (Digital Look)
• Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly results showed EPS of GBX 11.40 with thin net margins (~3.45%). Results are modest and consistent with a business reinvesting for growth — not an outright catalyst either way. YouGov Earnings / Marketbeat
• Neutral Sentiment: Research output remains visible — the Citi/YouGov survey showing a jump in UK inflation expectations underscores the value of YouGov’s data products but doesn’t directly change near‑term earnings. UK public inflation expectations surge in March, Citi/YouGov survey shows
• Negative Sentiment: YouGov warned of lower profits as investment in AI and related costs squeezes margins; that warning triggered the sharp negative market reaction today. UK pollster YouGov warns of lower profit, shares drop
• Negative Sentiment: Reports say YouGov is exploring a sale of a unit (including the Shopper business) to shore up finances — while a sale could raise cash, it also signals near‑term pressure and may reduce recurring revenue. UK pollster YouGov explores unit sale as AI investments squeeze profit
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage noting a potential quick flip of the Shopper unit (sold two years after acquisition) raises execution concerns and questions about the company’s M&A strategy. YouGov considers Shopper sale just two years after deal

About YouGov

YouGov is a global research data and analytics group. Our mission is to offer unparalleled insight into what the world really thinks and does. With operations in the Americas, Mainland Europe, UK and Asia Pacific, we have one of the world's largest research networks. Above all, YouGov is powered by reality. That stems from a unique panel of millions of registered members across 64 markets, encapsulating some 18 million shopping trips and millions of interconnected data points. Our unique approach to recruiting and engaging with our panel, combined with our state-of-the-art technology platforms, enables us to deliver real-world, real-time insights that lead to better decision-making and a competitive advantage for our clients.

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