J D Wetherspoon (LON:JDW) Issues Earnings Results

J D Wetherspoon (LON:JDW) announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday. The company reported GBX 51.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, Digital Look Earnings reports. J D Wetherspoon had a net margin of 2.52% and a return on equity of 15.81%.

J D Wetherspoon Stock Up 8.4%

J D Wetherspoon stock traded up GBX 68.69 during trading hours on Friday, reaching GBX 881.69. The stock had a trading volume of 615,777 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,427,144. The business’s 50 day moving average price is GBX 808.53 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 699.92. J D Wetherspoon has a 52 week low of GBX 530.50 and a 52 week high of GBX 885.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 358.49, a current ratio of 0.30 and a quick ratio of 0.19. The company has a market cap of £929.36 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.52, a PEG ratio of 3.39 and a beta of 1.13.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Peel Hunt reiterated a “hold” rating and set a GBX 800 target price on shares of J D Wetherspoon in a report on Friday. Shore Capital Group reissued a “hold” rating and set a GBX 813 target price on shares of J D Wetherspoon in a research note on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of GBX 728.25.

Key J D Wetherspoon News

Here are the key news stories impacting J D Wetherspoon this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Annual revenue increased 5.2% to £2.24 billion, with like-for-like sales growth and a further improvement in recent nine-week trading. The sales performance supports the view that Wetherspoon is continuing to attract customers despite a challenging consumer environment. Wetherspoon Revenue Rises 5.2% as Higher Costs Reduce Annual Profit
• Positive Sentiment: The shares reached a new 52-week high, reflecting investor support for the company’s revenue momentum and operational performance. The reported quarterly EPS was GBX 51.60, with a 15.81% return on equity. J D Wetherspoon Hits New 52-Week High
• Neutral Sentiment: Peel Hunt reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set an GBX 800 price target, while Shore Capital also maintained “hold” with an GBX 813 target. Both targets are below the stock’s reported opening level of GBX 881.69, suggesting limited near-term upside in analysts’ models. J D Wetherspoon Given Hold Rating at Peel Hunt
• Negative Sentiment: Annual pre-tax profit fell 28% despite higher sales. Management attributed the decline primarily to increased labor and other operating costs, as well as tax rises, leaving margins under pressure. Wetherspoon Annual Pre-Tax Profit Falls 28%

About J D Wetherspoon

J D Wetherspoon owns and operates pubs and hotels throughout the UK and Ireland. The company aims to provide customers with good-quality food and drinks, served by well-trained and friendly staff, at reasonable prices.

The pubs are individually designed, and the company aims to maintain them in excellent condition.