Grafton Group (LON:GFTU) Hits New 12-Month Low – Here’s What Happened

Grafton Group plc (LON:GFTU)’s share price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as GBX 841.20 and last traded at GBX 841.20, with a volume of 146152 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 860.70.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Citigroup decreased their target price on Grafton Group from GBX 1,170 to GBX 1,150 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Stifel Nicolaus reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 1,175 target price on shares of Grafton Group in a research report on Thursday, March 19th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat, Grafton Group has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of GBX 1,149.

Grafton Group Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of £1.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.06, a PEG ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 37.55, a current ratio of 2.11 and a quick ratio of 1.56. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 910.58 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 931.95.

Grafton Group announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Thursday, March 5th that permits the company to buyback 0 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at Grafton Group

In other news, insider Eric Born purchased 1,182 shares of Grafton Group stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 8th. The shares were bought at an average cost of GBX 915 per share, for a total transaction of £10,815.30. Company insiders own 9.33% of the company’s stock.

About Grafton Group

Grafton Group plc engages in the distribution, retailing, and manufacturing businesses in Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom. Its Distribution segment distributes building materials, paint, tools, ironmongery, fixings, and accessories, workwear and PPE, and spare parts; materials and plant for mechanical services, heating, plumbing, and air movement; and trade, DIY, and self-build markets with building materials, timber, doors and floors, plumbing and heating, bathrooms, and landscaping products under the Selco, Leyland SDM, Chadwicks, MacBlair, Isero, Polvo, Gunters en Meuser, TG Lynes, and IKH brands.