Stocktoria
WH Smith PLC SMWH.L
WH Smith PLC (SMWH.L) earns a Piotroski F-score of 5/9 (mixed financial health), with an Altman Z″ in the distress zone. It pays a dividend yielding 6.88% (safety: safe). FY2025 revenue was £1.6B at a -9.3% net margin.
Quality score trend · recomputed for each fiscal year
Each year's score is computed from that year's filing — a rising Piotroski F or Altman Z″ means improving financial health, a fall is worth a look.
Analyst price target
Wall Street analyst consensus — a sentiment gauge, not our scoring.
How it ranks in Consumer Cyclical · percentile among 118 companies
Percentile vs other Consumer Cyclical companies we cover — e.g. “stronger than 90%” means only 10% score higher on that measure.
Piotroski F breakdown · 5/9 tests passed
- Positive return on assets
- Positive operating cash flow
- Rising ROA
- Cash flow exceeds net income
- Lower long-term debt
- Rising current ratio
- No share dilution
- Rising gross margin
- Rising asset turnover
Altman Z″ components · distress zone
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| Working capital / assets | -0.361 |
| Retained earnings / assets | 0.047 |
| EBIT / assets | 0.099 |
| Equity / liabilities | 0.124 |
About WH Smith PLC
WH Smith PLC operates as a travel retailer in the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, Ireland, Spain, and internationally. It offers news, books, and convenience for travelling customers. It operates stores in airports, hospitals, railway stations, and motorway service areas. The company is also involved in International Travel Retail, UK Travel Retail, and North America. The company was formerly known as New WH Smith PLC. WH Smith PLC was founded in 1792 and is based in Swindon, the United Kingdom.
FAQ
Is SMWH.L financially healthy?
WH Smith PLC's Piotroski F-score is 5/9 (8–9 is excellent, 0–3 weak), and its Altman Z″ distress score is in the distress zone.
Does SMWH.L pay a dividend, and is it safe?
Yes. WH Smith PLC pays a dividend yielding about 6.88% with a -29.9% payout ratio, rated “safe” for safety.
How profitable is SMWH.L?
In FY2025, WH Smith PLC had a net margin of -9.3% and a return on equity of -91.1%.
What is the analyst price target for SMWH.L?
The average Wall-Street price target for WH Smith PLC is £469.92, about 13.2% above the recent price, from 12 analysts (consensus: buy).
Is SMWH.L a good stock to buy?
Stocktoria doesn't give buy or sell advice, but here is the data on WH Smith PLC: a Piotroski F-score of 5/9, an Altman Z″ in the distress zone, a dividend yield of 6.88%. Weigh these quality and valuation signals against your own goals.
Computed from company filings · GB · as of 2025-08-31. Figures in GBP. Facts plus Stocktoria's own computed scores — not investment advice.