Wpp Plc (NYSE:WPP) Given Consensus Rating of “Hold” by Analysts

Wpp Plc (NYSE:WPP) has earned an average rating of “Hold” from the seven research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating on the company.

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on WPP shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded WPP from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, March 14th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of WPP in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Zacks Research upgraded WPP from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup assumed coverage on WPP in a research report on Monday, January 12th. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. Finally, Barclays upgraded shares of WPP from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th.

WPP Stock Performance

NYSE:WPP opened at $15.34 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $18.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $21.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.89. WPP has a 52 week low of $14.81 and a 52 week high of $40.94.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On WPP

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD acquired a new position in shares of WPP during the 3rd quarter worth about $79,947,000. Creative Planning increased its holdings in shares of WPP by 83.3% in the 2nd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 32,594 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,141,000 after acquiring an additional 14,816 shares during the last quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP raised its position in shares of WPP by 12.2% during the 2nd quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 626,371 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $21,930,000 after acquiring an additional 68,271 shares in the last quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. lifted its stake in WPP by 95.9% during the second quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 31,567 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,105,000 after purchasing an additional 15,453 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Institute for Wealth Management LLC. purchased a new stake in WPP during the third quarter worth approximately $221,000. 4.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

WPP Company Profile

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.