DS Smith (LON:SMDS) Hits New 12-Month High at $435.85

DS Smith Plc (LON:SMDS)’s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as GBX 435.85 ($5.65) and last traded at GBX 435.60 ($5.65), with a volume of 6756499 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 423.40 ($5.49).

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Numis Securities downgraded DS Smith to a “hold” rating and set a GBX 415 ($5.38) price objective for the company. in a research report on Friday, April 19th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a GBX 400 ($5.19) price objective on shares of DS Smith in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th.

DS Smith Price Performance

The stock has a fifty day moving average of GBX 383.84 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 351.72. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 72.82. The stock has a market capitalization of £6.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,339.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 0.94.

DS Smith Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 5th will be issued a GBX 12 ($0.16) dividend. This represents a yield of 3.41%. This is an increase from DS Smith’s previous dividend of $6.00. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 5th. DS Smith’s dividend payout ratio is 5,454.55%.

Insider Buying and Selling at DS Smith

In other news, insider Richard Pike sold 42,959 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 358 ($4.64), for a total transaction of £153,793.22 ($199,446.53). 3.38% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About DS Smith

DS Smith Plc provides packaging solutions, paper products, and recycling services worldwide. The company offers transit and transport, consumer, retail and shelf ready, heavy duty, fiber base pallets, automotive standard, multi-material, dangerous goods, and e-commerce packaging, as well as packaging for food and drinks, health and beauty, apparel and footwear, home and DIY, and consumer electronics.