Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE:BBWI) Receives Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages

Shares of Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE:BBWI - Get Free Report) have been assigned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the seventeen analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have given a hold recommendation and ten have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $43.06.

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on Bath & Body Works from $51.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 26th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Bath & Body Works from $51.00 to $48.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Argus reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Bath & Body Works in a research note on Friday. Barclays boosted their price objective on Bath & Body Works from $28.00 to $34.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 26th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Bath & Body Works from $42.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, December 12th.

Bath & Body Works Trading Down 1.4 %

Shares of BBWI opened at $36.45 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $7.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.89, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.82. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $35.75 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $33.68. Bath & Body Works has a 12 month low of $26.20 and a 12 month high of $52.99.

Bath & Body Works (NYSE:BBWI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 25th. The company reported $0.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $1.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.58 billion. Bath & Body Works had a negative return on equity of 44.03% and a net margin of 12.43%. Bath & Body Works's revenue was up 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.48 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Bath & Body Works will post 3.26 EPS for the current year.

Bath & Body Works Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 22nd were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 22nd. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.19%. Bath & Body Works's dividend payout ratio is currently 19.51%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bath & Body Works

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of BBWI. Diversified Trust Co purchased a new position in Bath & Body Works in the fourth quarter worth about $455,000. Bard Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Bath & Body Works by 107.4% in the 4th quarter. Bard Financial Services Inc. now owns 26,750 shares of the company's stock worth $1,037,000 after purchasing an additional 13,850 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Bath & Body Works during the 4th quarter valued at $260,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Bath & Body Works by 78.7% in the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 4,434 shares of the company's stock worth $172,000 after buying an additional 1,953 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its position in Bath & Body Works by 161.7% in the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,141 shares of the company's stock worth $83,000 after buying an additional 1,323 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.14% of the company's stock.

Bath & Body Works Company Profile

Bath & Body Works, Inc operates a specialty retailer of home fragrance, body care, and soaps and sanitizer products. It sells its products under the Bath & Body Works, White Barn, and other brand names through retail stores and e-commerce sites located in the United States and Canada, as well as through international stores operated by partners under franchise, license, and wholesale arrangements.