WH Smith (LON:SMWH) Shares Down 9.6% – Here’s Why

WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) shares dropped 9.6% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 521.50 and last traded at GBX 568.10. Approximately 4,170,577 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 11% from the average daily volume of 4,695,232 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 628.50.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

SMWH has been the subject of a number of research reports. Berenberg Bank cut their price objective on WH Smith from GBX 700 to GBX 667 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 19th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on WH Smith from GBX 675 to GBX 650 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 13th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of GBX 832.17.

WH Smith Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of £707.02 million, a PE ratio of -5.00, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.00. The firm has a fifty day moving average of GBX 609.10 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 641.36. The company has a current ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 872.78.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Max Izzard bought 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 29th. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 675 per share, for a total transaction of £168,750. 1.03% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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. The High Street segment sells stationery products, including greeting cards, general stationery, art and craft, and gifting products; news and impulse products, such as newspapers, magazines, confectionery, and drinks; and books.