George Weston (TSE:WN) Reaches New 12-Month High – What’s Next?

George Weston Limited (TSE:WN)’s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$240.49 and last traded at C$240.03, with a volume of 25053 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$236.66.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on shares of George Weston from C$266.00 to C$264.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. Scotiabank lowered George Weston from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and raised their target price for the company from C$240.00 to C$241.00 in a report on Thursday, February 27th. Desjardins cut their price target on George Weston from C$255.00 to C$251.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 27th. Finally, CIBC lowered their price target on shares of George Weston from C$269.00 to C$268.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of C$251.42.

George Weston Stock Performance

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of C$227.24 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$225.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 372.50. The stock has a market cap of C$31.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.80, a PEG ratio of 5.03 and a beta of 0.42.

Insider Transactions at George Weston

In other news, Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston sold 7,248 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$236.64, for a total value of C$1,715,131.20. Also, Senior Officer Rashid Wasti sold 250 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$231.30, for a total value of C$57,825.00. In the last three months, insiders acquired 4,000 shares of company stock worth $90,780 and sold 77,461 shares worth $17,949,441. Company insiders own 59.41% of the company’s stock.

George Weston Company Profile

George Weston is a holding company that operates through two subsidiaries encompassing retail and real estate. The first is Loblaw, the largest grocer in Canada, in which it has a 53% controlling stake. The second is Choice Properties, an open-ended real estate investment trust, where George Weston’s ownership sits close to 62%.