Hays (LON:HAS) Trading Down 1.2% – What’s Next?

Hays plc (LON:HAS)’s share price was down 1.2% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 79.95 ($1.04) and last traded at GBX 80 ($1.04). Approximately 464,194 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 88% from the average daily volume of 3,786,071 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 81 ($1.05).

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on HAS. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a GBX 125 ($1.62) price target on shares of Hays in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a GBX 115 ($1.49) target price on shares of Hays in a research report on Tuesday, September 3rd.

Hays Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.81, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.31. The company has a market capitalization of £1.27 billion, a PE ratio of 1,905.00, a P/E/G ratio of 0.24 and a beta of 1.13. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 89.79 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 94.39.

Hays Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 25th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 17th will be given a dividend of GBX 2.05 ($0.03) per share. This represents a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 17th. This is an increase from Hays’s previous dividend of $0.95.

Insider Buying and Selling at Hays

In related news, insider Joe Hurd bought 2,208 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 9th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 90 ($1.17) per share, for a total transaction of £1,987.20 ($2,580.11). In other news, insider James Hilton sold 53,038 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 88 ($1.14), for a total transaction of £46,673.44 ($60,599.12). Also, insider Joe Hurd acquired 2,208 shares of Hays stock in a transaction on Monday, September 9th. The shares were bought at an average price of GBX 90 ($1.17) per share, for a total transaction of £1,987.20 ($2,580.11). 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Hays

Hays plc engages in the provision of recruitment services in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company provides qualified, professional, and skilled recruitment in permanent, temporary, and contractor formats to public and private sectors. It offers its recruitment services in the specialisms, such as accountancy and finance, banking and capital markets, construction and property, contact centers, education, energy, oil and gas, engineering and manufacturing, executive, financial services, health and social care, human resources, legal, life sciences, office support, procurement, resources and mining, retail, sales and marketing, sustainability, technology, and telecoms.