Whitbread (LON:WTB) Stock Price Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – What’s Next?

Whitbread plc (LON:WTB)’s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 2,741 ($37.16) and traded as high as GBX 2,912 ($39.47). Whitbread shares last traded at GBX 2,889 ($39.16), with a volume of 326,442 shares traded.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Whitbread to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, March 7th. Shore Capital reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Whitbread in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Finally, Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Whitbread from GBX 3,700 ($50.16) to GBX 3,300 ($44.73) and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 15th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Whitbread presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of GBX 2,860 ($38.77).

Whitbread Trading Down 0.5%

The stock has a market capitalization of £5.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.34, a PEG ratio of -3.09 and a beta of 1.11. The company’s 50 day moving average is GBX 2,694.73 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 2,741. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.18, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a current ratio of 0.96.

Whitbread (LON:WTB) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The company reported GBX 194.60 ($2.64) EPS for the quarter. Whitbread had a net margin of 8.08% and a return on equity of 6.83%. On average, research analysts forecast that Whitbread plc will post 227.1851852 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Whitbread declared that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Thursday, May 1st that authorizes the company to buyback 0 shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity at Whitbread

In other news, insider Dominic Paul sold 3,206 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,790 ($37.82), for a total value of £89,447.40 ($121,251.73). Also, insider Kal Atwal acquired 269 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 2,843 ($38.54) per share, with a total value of £7,647.67 ($10,366.91). Corporate insiders own 1.03% of the company’s stock.

Whitbread Company Profile

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.