Smiths News (LON:SNWS) Trading Down 9.5% – Time to Sell?

Smiths News plc (LON:SNWS)’s share price dropped 9.5% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 59.40 ($0.73) and last traded at GBX 61.20 ($0.75). Approximately 1,615,870 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 37% from the average daily volume of 1,183,762 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 67.60 ($0.83).

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Canaccord Genuity Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 95 ($1.17) price objective on shares of Smiths News in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th.

Smiths News Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of £145.10 million, a PE ratio of 680.00, a PEG ratio of 0.29 and a beta of 0.83. The business’s 50-day moving average is GBX 63.04 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 59.84.

Smiths News Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 6th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 9th will be paid a GBX 5.40 ($0.07) dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 9.47%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 9th. This is an increase from Smiths News’s previous dividend of $1.75. Smiths News’s dividend payout ratio is currently 5,555.56%.

Insider Transactions at Smiths News

In related news, insider Deborah Rabey acquired 20,663 shares of Smiths News stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 29th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 63 ($0.78) per share, for a total transaction of £13,017.69 ($16,017.83). Also, insider Paul Baker sold 319,586 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 61 ($0.75), for a total value of £194,947.46 ($239,876.29). Insiders have sold a total of 1,993,578 shares of company stock worth $121,608,258 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 13.12% of the company’s stock.

Smiths News Company Profile

In 1792 we started delivering the nation’s newspapers. Today, we’re proud to be the UK’s largest wholesaler of newspapers and magazines, serving 24,000 retailers from superstores to corner shops.

Service and efficiency put us at the forefront of our industry and with 55% market share we are the leading player in one of the world’s fastest-moving supply chains.