# Whitbread PLC (WTB.L) fundamentals

Data as of 2026-09-08. LSE, United Kingdom. Sector: Consumer Cyclical / Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure. Price 2332p, market value 3.9 billionp.

## Valuation
- **P/E (trailing): 19.1×** (5-yr avg 4468.8×, 3-yr avg 2062.4×). Whitbread PLC trades at 19.1× trailing earnings, well below its own five-year average of 4468.8×: cheap by its own standards. The Consumer Cyclical median in the September 2026 study was 19.5×. Forward P/E is 12.0×, lower than trailing, so analysts expect earnings to grow.
- **Price / sales: 0.7×**. Each dollar of revenue is priced at 0.7×, a low multiple typical of thin-margin businesses or out-of-favour stocks.
- **Price / book: 1.2×**. The shares trade at 1.2× book value; book value is a meaningful part of the valuation.
- **EV / EBITDA: 4.7×**. Enterprise value is 4.7× operating earnings before depreciation, the multiple that ignores how the company is financed; below 8× is inexpensive for most sectors.
- **Free-cash-flow yield: 9.8%** (5-yr avg 0.0%). Free cash flow equals 9.8% of the market value, above its five-year average of 0.0%, so the shares are cheaper on cash than they have usually been. Above 5% is generally attractive.
- **Earnings yield: 5.2%**. The inverse of the P/E: 5.2% of the price is earned each year.

## Profitability
- **Gross margin: 52.1%**. Whitbread PLC keeps 52.1% of revenue after the direct cost of what it sells.
- **Operating margin: 19.9%**. 19.9% of revenue is left after running the business, a healthy level in most sectors.
- **Net margin: 7.3%**. 7.3% of each dollar of sales reaches the bottom line.
- **Return on equity: 6.8%**. 6.8% on shareholders' equity is weak; the business earns little on the capital its owners have in it.
- **Return on invested capital: 9.7%**. Return on all capital, debt included, is 9.7%.
- **Return on assets: 4.9%**. Each dollar of assets produces 4.9% of profit.

## Growth
- **Revenue growth (1 yr): -0.1%** (3-yr 3.6%/yr, 5-yr 37.7%/yr). Revenue fell 0.1% over the last year, against 37.7% a year compounded over five years: growth is slowing.
- **EPS growth (1 yr): -13.5%** (3-yr -3.8%/yr). Earnings per share fell 13.5%, slower than revenue, so margins compressed.
- **Free-cash-flow growth (3 yr): -29.1%/yr**. Free cash flow has compounded at -29.1% a year over three years, lagging earnings: check whether profits are turning into cash.

## Financial health
- **Debt to equity: 1.74**. Debt is 1.74 times equity, a leveraged balance sheet that needs steady cash flow to service.
- **Net debt / EBITDA: 2.7×**. It would take 2.7 years of operating earnings to repay net borrowings, within the comfortable range.
- **Interest coverage: 3.0×**. Operating profit covers interest 3.0×, thin but manageable.
- **Current ratio: 0.44** (quick 0.42). Current liabilities exceed current assets, so the company depends on ongoing cash generation or refinancing to pay the next year's bills.
- **Altman Z-score: 1.28**. A Z-score of 1.28 is in the distress zone, a signal to examine the balance sheet closely.
- **Piotroski F-score: 5/9**. 5 of 9 checks pass: mixed.

## Dividends
- **Dividend yield: 4.08%** (1p per share, trailing). Whitbread PLC yields 4.08%, an income-level yield.
- **Payout ratio: 79%** (91% of free cash flow). 79% of earnings goes out as dividends, leaving a thin cushion.
- **Shareholder yield: 6.8%**. Dividends plus net buybacks return 6.8% of the market value a year.

## Analyst view
- **Analyst consensus: buy** (18 analysts). 18 analysts cover Whitbread PLC; the consensus is buy, with an average price target of 2701p (+16% from the current price). Analyst opinion is shown for context; it is not part of the Fundamental Score.

## Price and momentum
- **Total return (1 yr): -23.8%** (YTD -7.2%, 3-mo 1.2%). The shares are down 23.8% over twelve months including dividends.
- **From 52-week high: -29.4%** (11.2% above the low). Trading 29% below its 52-week high.
- **200-day average: below**. The price sits below its 200-day moving average, the usual definition of a downtrend.
- **RSI (14-day): 38**. An RSI of 38 is neutral.
- **Beta (1 yr): 0.91** (volatility 30%). Beta of 0.91 against the FTSE All-Share: the shares move roughly with the market.

Live score and charts: https://foliofundamentals.com/analyzer?s=WTB.L · Page: https://foliofundamentals.com/stocks/wtb.l

Not investment advice.