GSK (LON:GSK) Hits New 52-Week High After Dividend Announcement

GSK plc (LON:GSK) reached a new 52-week high on Thursday following a dividend announcement from the company. The stock traded as high as GBX 1,720.50 ($21.61) and last traded at GBX 1,714.75 ($21.54), with a volume of 9095223 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,705 ($21.42).

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Thursday, July 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 16th will be given a GBX 15 ($0.19) dividend. This represents a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 16th. GSK’s payout ratio is 5,333.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently issued reports on GSK shares. Berenberg Bank lifted their price target on shares of GSK from GBX 1,650 ($20.73) to GBX 1,820 ($22.86) and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Barclays reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a GBX 1,725 ($21.67) price objective on shares of GSK in a report on Monday, April 8th. Shore Capital reissued a “buy” rating on shares of GSK in a research report on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of GSK from GBX 1,530 ($19.22) to GBX 1,660 ($20.85) and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and set a GBX 1,950 ($24.49) price target on shares of GSK in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of GBX 1,675.63 ($21.05).

GSK Price Performance

The business’s fifty day moving average is GBX 1,662.06 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 1,556.29. The company has a market cap of £70.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,444.58, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.27. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 140.82.

Insider Activity at GSK

In other GSK news, insider Urs Rohner purchased 434 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 20th. The shares were bought at an average price of GBX 1,662 ($20.88) per share, with a total value of £7,213.08 ($9,060.52). In related news, insider Urs Rohner purchased 434 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 20th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 1,662 ($20.88) per share, with a total value of £7,213.08 ($9,060.52). Also, insider Emma Walmsley sold 139,792 shares of GSK stock in a transaction on Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,658 ($20.83), for a total value of £2,317,751.36 ($2,911,382.19). 1.77% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About GSK

GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development, and manufacture of vaccines, and specialty and general medicines to prevent and treat disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Commercial Operations and Total R&D.