Smiths News (LON:SNWS) Trading Up 0.9% - Here's Why

Smiths News plc (LON:SNWS - Get Free Report)'s stock price shot up 0.9% on Friday . The stock traded as high as GBX 53.69 ($0.71) and last traded at GBX 53.69 ($0.71). 303,293 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 34% from the average session volume of 459,067 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 53.20 ($0.70).

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Canaccord Genuity Group restated a "buy" rating and set a GBX 95 ($1.26) price target on shares of Smiths News in a report on Friday, March 28th.

Smiths News Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of £127.22 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.29 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a current ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of -1,469.70. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 54.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 58.94.

Smiths News Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 6th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 9th were issued a GBX 5.40 ($0.07) dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 9th. This is a boost from Smiths News's previous dividend of $1.75. This represents a yield of 9.47%. Smiths News's dividend payout ratio is currently 47.09%.

About Smiths News

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.