WPP (NYSE:WPP) Cut to “Sell” at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen lowered shares of WPP (NYSE:WPP) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report released on Sunday.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on WPP. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of WPP in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of WPP in a report on Monday, January 12th. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of WPP from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, WPP currently has an average rating of “Reduce”.

WPP Price Performance

Shares of WPP stock opened at $19.20 on Friday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $21.33 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $22.92. WPP has a 1 year low of $17.25 and a 1 year high of $49.12.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On WPP

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of WPP by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC now owns 10,660 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $373,000 after buying an additional 420 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP grew its position in WPP by 38.9% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,852 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 519 shares in the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its stake in WPP by 1.3% in the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 41,521 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,454,000 after acquiring an additional 553 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. raised its position in WPP by 41.9% during the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,990 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $70,000 after purchasing an additional 588 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in WPP by 9.2% during the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 7,766 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $272,000 after purchasing an additional 654 shares in the last quarter. 4.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key WPP News

Here are the key news stories impacting WPP this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management is reorganising creative agencies (Ogilvy, VML, AKQA) under one umbrella, a strategic overhaul that investors view as a potential efficiency and margin-improvement catalyst. WPP to overhaul creative agency structure in strategic rethink (FT)
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and comparisons continue: a survey/comparison piece contrasts WPP with a smaller peer (Mastermind) but offers little immediate operational impact. Critical Survey: WPP versus Mastermind
• Neutral Sentiment: Market/live-blog mentions (Investors Chronicle) and regional write-ups are circulating as the market digests the structural plan; these are informational rather than decisive. WPP and Ocado: Markets live
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest jumped ~21.4% in January to 2,259,235 shares (about 1.1% of float) with a days-to-cover of ~5.9 — higher short activity increases downside risk and could amplify volatility if sentiment worsens.
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish deep-dive argues WPP has lost major clients, faces persistent headwinds and is trading like a distressed name despite potential recovery upside; this narrative can pressure the stock and investor sentiment. WPP: A Fallen Advertising Giant Trading At >10% FCF Yield (Seeking Alpha)

About WPP

WPP plc (NYSE: WPP) is a British multinational advertising and public relations company headquartered in London, England. Recognized as one of the world’s largest communications services groups, WPP provides a wide array of marketing, advertising, media investment management and data consultancy services. Through its integrated network of agencies—among them Ogilvy, Grey, GroupM and Wavemaker—the company delivers creative content, brand strategy, digital transformation and media planning solutions to clients across virtually every industry.

Established in 1971 by Martin Sorrell as Wire and Plastic Products, the firm underwent a strategic transformation in the 1980s, focusing on acquisitions that expanded its capabilities into advertising and communications.