Watkin Jones PLC(WJG)
GBX --+0.00%
39Reward
60Risk
📊75%Data
Thin -3% profit margin · Revenue down 20% YoY
WJG
+0.0 · +0.00%
GBX · LSE
Watkin Jones PLC | Consumer Cyclical
Earnings Deterioration
Market Cap:82.90M
ℹ️
Reward Rating
39
Moderate
Bottom 5% stock
75% data coverage
ℹ️
Risk Rating
60
Medium-High
Risk Assessment
ℹ️

Educational tool only – Scores are based on historical data and financial metrics for informational purposes. This is not financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always conduct your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser.

ℹ️ Educational tool only · More

Market Performance

Stock returned +10.0% over the past year, broadly in line with market conditions.

Analyst Target

Analyst consensus price target: 71p.

What is Watkin Jones PLC?

Watkin Jones Plc engages in the development and the management of properties for residential occupation in the United Kingdom. The company operates through Student Accommodation, Build to Rent, Affordable Homes, Refresh, and Accommodation Management segments. The company is listed on the LSE in UK, operating in the Consumer Cyclical sector, with a market capitalisation of 82.90M.

Financial Highlights

Investment Breakdown

📈 Growth
Growth trend is developing — watch for revenue consistency over upcoming quarters.
💰 Profitability
Thin or inconsistent margins weigh on earnings quality.
⚠️ Risk
Performance tied to macro conditions — sensitive to interest rate cycles.
💸 Valuation
Valuation is less clear with a negative earnings base.

OpenBook Logo Analysis

Reward: Moderate (39)

The scoring profile indicates weak reward characteristics across most factors, including valuation and momentum. Risk indicators are elevated — volatility and macro sensitivity warrant consideration.

For informational purposes only. Not financial advice.

Company Information
SectorConsumer Cyclical
Market Cap82.90M
P/E RatioN/A
Dividend YieldN/A
52 Week High40.9557
52 Week Low23.1399
Last AnnualSeptember
IPO DateN/A
IncorporatedUK
Shares Outstanding257M
No. of Employees609
IndustryResidential Construction
ExchangeLSE
Beta1.383
CurrencyGBX

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Uses ISF.L (iShares FTSE 100 ETF)
Indicators

Performance Metrics

Historical returns

Annual Returns

Calendar year performance

Insufficient price history.
Fundamentals
Fundamentals Insights
Educational tool only. Not financial advice.

Business Snapshot

  • Revenue TrendDecelerating
  • Profitability TrendImproving
  • Balance Sheet StrengthStrong
  • Cash GenerationWeak

Risk Flags

Structural indicators detected (5):
Growth
  • Revenue growth has decelerated for 2 consecutive years (-22.8% latest).
  • Revenue remains 35.0% below the prior peak from 2021.
Profitability
  • Operating margin is 6.5pp below its recent average.
Balance Sheet
  • Interest coverage is -1.03x (below 3.0x).
  • Net debt has shown elevated year-over-year volatility.

What Changed This Year

Compared to 2024:
  • Net Income↓ 2638.1%
  • Operating Income↓ 349.9%
  • Free Cash Flow↓ 147.3%
  • EBITDA↓ 74.7%

Income Statement

CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A

Balance Sheet

CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A

Cash Flow

CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A
CAGR: N/A

Key Ratios

Net Margin
-3.00%
Net Income / Revenue
Operating Margin
-3.19%
Operating Income / Revenue
ROE
-6.73%
Net Income / Equity
Debt-to-Equity
-0.29x
Net Debt / Equity
FCF Yield
-17.18%
FCF / Market Cap

Community Discussion

4 today

Share your insights and read what others think about Watkin Jones PLC

4 posts
0/500 characters
John Investor · 2 hours agoBullish
Really impressive Q3 results. Revenue growth of 15% YoY is strong given the current market conditions. The management team seems to be executing well on their strategic plan.
Sarah Chen · 5 hours agoBearish
Concerned about the increasing debt levels. While the P/E ratio looks attractive, the debt-to-equity ratio has been climbing. Would like to see more focus on deleveraging in the next few quarters.
Mike Trading · 1 day agoBullish
Been holding this for 3 years now. Solid dividend yield and consistent performance. Great for long-term investors looking for stability.
Emma Watson · 1 day agoNeutral
What are people's thoughts on the upcoming merger announcement? Could be a game changer for the industry.
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AI-powered community insights

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AI Community Insights

Analysis of the past 4 weeks

Community Summary

Community sentiment analysis...

Sentiment Analysis

Community engagement metrics

This Week

Total Posts12
Active Users8
Avg. Posts/Day2

Community Sentiment

Bullish50%
Neutral25%
Bearish25%
Key Takeaway

Mixed ownership structure with varying levels of insider, institutional, and public participation.

6.9% Insider 59.6% Institutional 33.4% Float
67%
Total Owned
Insider
Institutional
Public Float
6.9%
Insider

Insider Ownership

Neutral

Insiders own 6.9%, which is a moderate level of management ownership.

59.6%
Institutional

Institutional Ownership

Moderate

Institutions own 59.6%, which suggests a balanced ownership mix.

33.4%
Public

Public Float

Low

Public float is 33.4%, which points to a fairly balanced ownership structure.

Reward Rating Breakdown

Our reward rating analyses WJG's potential upside using 5 weighted factors. Each factor is scored 0-100, then combined using the weights shown below.

Overall Reward Rating
39
Moderate REWARD
Data Coverage: 75%

📈 Growth

Weight: 40%
42/100

Growth measures the company's ability to expand its business over time through revenue, earnings, and cash flow generation.

Historical (60%)
Revenue CAGR (3yr)
-11.7%
Very Bad
Net Income CAGR (3yr)
Neutral
FCF CAGR (3yr)
Neutral
Forward Estimates (40%)
Rev Est Growth (NTM)
18.0%
Very Good
EPS Est Growth (NTM)
107.1%
Very Good
Analyst Target Upside
Neutral
🤖AI Analysis

WJG scored 42/100 for growth — blending a 3-year historical track record (60%) with analyst forward estimates (40%). Historical revenue has been declining (-11.7% CAGR), a headwind. Forward: analysts forecast 18.0% revenue growth next year, EPS expected to grow 107.1%. Growth is modest — the company needs to accelerate expansion to drive higher returns.

🚀 Momentum

Weight: 25%
50/100

Momentum is assessed relative to the FTSE 100 benchmark where available. Relative outperformance is a stronger signal than absolute return alone.

12M vs Benchmark 30%
Absolute return
No Benchmark
6M vs Benchmark 25%
Absolute return
No Benchmark
3M Return 20%
Neutral
Consistency 15%
3m vs 1Y/4 normalised
No Data
Volume Trend 10%
30d vs 90d avg volume
Neutral
🤖AI Analysis

Insufficient price history to assess momentum. Score defaulted to neutral (50).

💰 Profitability

Weight: 20%
9/100

Profitability examines both the current margin level and margin expansion trends. High and expanding margins indicate pricing power and operational efficiency.

Gross Margin 25%
6.9%
Sector avg 45%
Weak
Net Margin 20%
-3.0%
Sector avg 10%
Loss Making
FCF Conversion 20%
0%
FCF / Net Income
Very Bad
EBIT Growth (3yr) 15%
Neutral
ROE (TTM) 10%
-6.5%
Very Bad
ROA (TTM) 10%
-0.4%
Very Bad
🤖AI Analysis

WJG scores 9/100 for profitability, assessed sector-relative on margins and via absolute thresholds for capital efficiency. Gross margin of 6.9% is 85% below the sector average of 45% — suggesting below-average pricing power or higher input costs vs peers. The company is currently loss-making with a net margin of -3.0%. FCF conversion of 0% is low — reported earnings may overstate true cash generation. Weak profitability across multiple metrics is a clear area of concern for investors.

💎 Valuation

Weight: 15%
52/100

Valuation is scored sector-relative — each metric is compared against the typical multiple for this industry, so a high P/E in Healthcare is judged differently to a high P/E in Energy. PEG and Price/FCF use absolute thresholds.

PEG Ratio 25%
0.00
No Data
EV/EBITDA 25%
17.9x
Sector avg 12x
Expensive
Fwd P/E 20%
18.1x
Sector avg 18x
In Line
Price/FCF 20%
No Sector Data
EV/Sales 10%
0.2x
Sector avg 2x
Exceptional Value
Net Debt/EBITDA Adj
Net Cash
Net Cash
🤖AI Analysis

WJG received a valuation score of 52/100 using sector-relative scoring. Its Forward P/E of 18.1x is 1% above the sector average of 18x. EV/EBITDA of 17.9x sits 49% above the sector norm of 12x. The company holds net cash, providing balance sheet flexibility. Overall the stock trades broadly in line with sector norms.

⚠️

Educational Tool Only

The reward rating and analysis shown above are based on historical financial data and quantitative metrics, provided for informational and educational purposes only. This is not financial advice and should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions.

Risk Rating Breakdown

Our risk rating assesses WJG's downside potential using 4 weighted factors. Each factor is scored 0-100 (higher = riskier), then combined using the weights shown below.

Overall Risk Rating
60
Medium-High RISK
Data Coverage: 100%

⚖️ Financial Solvency

Weight: 35%
34/100

Financial Solvency measures the company's ability to service and repay its debt obligations. Five sub-metrics are weighted to produce the composite score.

Interest Coverage (25%)
-1.0x
Danger Zone
Net Debt / EBITDA (20%)
Net Cash
Net Cash
Current Ratio (20%)
2.06x
Strong
Debt Trend 3yr (15%)
-10%
Stable
FCF / Debt Coverage (20%)
Net Cash
No Debt
🤖AI Analysis

WJG has a financial solvency risk score of 34/100. This shows low leverage risk and a healthy balance sheet. Interest coverage of -1.0x means earnings comfortably exceed debt service. Current ratio of 2.06x confirms strong short-term liquidity. The company has flexibility to invest, return capital, or absorb unexpected shocks.

💼 Operational Quality

Weight: 30%
79/100

Operational Quality measures bottom-line efficiency, cash generation, capital productivity, and margin consistency — four equally weighted signals of business model resilience.

Net Margin (25%)
-3.0%
Loss Making
FCF Margin (25%)
-5.1%
Cash Burning
Cash ROA (25%)
-4.5%
Poor
Margin Stability (25%)
±5.9pp
Stable
🤖AI Analysis

WJG scores 79/100 for operational quality, indicating high operational risk. Key concerns: a negative net margin of -3.0% — the company is loss-making; negative FCF (-5.1% FCF margin) — the business is cash burning; weak capital efficiency with -4.5% Cash ROA; moderate margin variance of ±5.9pp over 3 years. These weaknesses make the business vulnerable to cost shocks or revenue shortfalls. Monitor profitability trends closely.

📉 Volatility

Weight: 25%
65/100

Volatility measures price instability, worst-case drawdowns, and sensitivity to broader market moves.

Annualised Volatility (35%)
Max Drawdown (35%)
Beta (30%)
1.38
Moderately Aggressive
🤖AI Analysis

WJG has a volatility risk score of 65/100. This represents moderate-to-elevated volatility — above average but manageable. Beta of 1.38 means it amplifies broad market moves. Investors should expect periodic double-digit declines but can ride them out with patience.

📊 Size Factor

Weight: 10%
80/100

Size factor captures existential risk. Smaller companies have higher failure rates, less diversification, and greater vulnerability to shocks.

Market Cap
£0.1B
Neutral
Size Category
Nano Cap
Neutral
🤖AI Analysis

WJG has a market cap of £0.1B (Nano Cap), resulting in a size risk score of 80/100. As a smaller company, it faces elevated existential risk. Small and micro-caps have higher failure rates, less diversified revenue, and greater vulnerability to competitive threats or economic shocks. They often lack scale advantages and may struggle to access capital markets during stress. While these companies offer growth potential, investors must accept that a meaningful percentage could fail or suffer permanent capital loss. Diversification is critical when investing at this size.

ℹ️

Educational Tool Only

The risk rating and analysis shown above are based on historical financial data and quantitative metrics, provided for informational and educational purposes only. This is not financial advice and should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions.

Analyst Forecasts

Forward-looking estimates from the analyst community for WJG.

Street ViewBullish·Low agreement
Bullish setup with +17.0% revenue growth and +106.4% EPS growth.
Confidence is low agreement, coverage sits at 3 analysts, forecast ranges show wide dispersion, 30-day EPS revisions are improving.
Consensus
+17.0% revenue growth
Consensus target of 70.50p
Confidence
Low agreement
Based on 3 analysts with wide dispersion
Watch Item
Wide forecast ranges
Analyst ranges are still wide, so conviction around the base case is limited.
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Openbook AI
That view is based on 3 analysts. Low agreement means the Street is still split on the likely outcome.

Yearly Revenue and 2-Year Forecast

Reported revenue for the last 5 years, followed by low, consensus, and high analyst revenue estimates for the next two years. Consensus revenue implies +17.0% YoY growth tight ranges on revenue estimates

Openbook AI
Revenue is projected to move from 279.8M last year to 312.4M in 2026E and 365.4M in 2027E. That implies +11.6% into 2026E and +17.0% into 2027E on the top line. The 2027E range of 357.1M to 373.6M suggests tight ranges on revenue expectations. For you, this matters because top-line misses usually flow straight through to EPS cuts and weaker price-path outcomes.

2-Year EPS Estimates

Low, consensus, and high analyst EPS estimates for the next two fiscal years. Consensus EPS implies +106.4% YoY growth wide dispersion on EPS estimates

Openbook AI
Analysts are currently looking for 1.84p in 2026E and 3.81p in 2027E. The outer-year range runs from 2.90p to 4.71p, which counts as wide dispersion. For you, that means the market is still underwriting +106.4% EPS growth over the next leg of the story.