How Recent Analyst Moves Are Shaping The NEXT LSE NXT Investment Story

January 10, 2026

Analysts have nudged their central fair value estimate for NEXT up from £142.72 to £146.07, while also refining key inputs such as the discount rate and revenue growth outlook. This shift reflects a mix of optimism and caution in recent research, with higher targets clustered around the current range and a clear split between those expecting more upside and those who think a lot is already priced in. Stay tuned to see how you can keep on top of these changing targets and the evolving narrative around NEXT.

Analyst Price Targets don’t always capture the full story. Head over to our Company Report to find new ways to value NEXT.

🐂 Bullish Takeaways

  • Berenberg, through analyst Anne Critchlow, has taken one of the more optimistic stances, with a price target that moved from £147.00 to £178.00 and then to £180.00, alongside a Buy rating. This signals confidence in how NEXT is executing.

  • Morgan Stanley analyst Grace Smalley also sits in the more positive camp, with an Overweight rating and a target raised from €140.00 to €150.00. This points to support for the company’s current positioning and growth prospects.

  • Across these bullish views, analysts appear to reward consistent execution, cost control and the company’s ability to sustain growth momentum. At the same time, they acknowledge ongoing debates around how much upside is already reflected in the share price.

🐻 Bearish Takeaways

  • Citi analyst Monique Pollard keeps a Neutral rating while moving the target from £123.00 to £139.00, and JPMorgan also maintains a Neutral rating with a target change from £117.00 to £130.30. Both signal a more cautious stance on further upside.

  • These Neutral calls often reflect reservations about valuation and the idea that a meaningful part of the positive story may already be priced in, even if they still acknowledge solid execution and operating discipline.

  • The split between Buy and Neutral ratings highlights that, while many analysts see NEXT as a well run retailer, some are more guarded about near term risks and the scope for additional re rating from here.

Do your thoughts align with the Bull or Bear Analysts? Perhaps you think there’s more to the story. Head to the Simply Wall St Community to discover more perspectives or begin writing your own Narrative!

LSE:NXT 1-Year Stock Price Chart
LSE:NXT 1-Year Stock Price Chart
  • NEXT is reported to be weighing a low ball bid for LK Bennett, with any potential transaction expected to focus on acquiring the brand and digital operations rather than the remaining store estate.

  • The company updated its 2025/2026 guidance, now pointing to NEXT full price sales of £5,603 million, Total Group sales of £6,971 million and post tax EPS of 738.8 pence, compared with earlier guidance of £5,552 million, £6,870 million and 729.4 pence.

  • NEXT also set out guidance for 2026/2027 that includes NEXT full price sales of £5,855 million, Total Group sales of £7,261 million and post tax EPS of 770.4 pence, assuming no share buybacks.

  • The company has said that, if there are no acquisitions or further buybacks, it plans to return remaining surplus cash via a special dividend at the end of January 2026 of around £3.10 per share and has scheduled a Special or Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting for 15 January 2026 at the Leicester Marriott Hotel in the United Kingdom.

  • The fair value estimate has risen slightly from £142.72 to £146.07, reflecting a modest uplift in the central valuation point.

  • The discount rate has edged up from 9.07% to 9.10%, implying a marginally higher required return in the updated model.

  • Revenue growth has been nudged higher from 6.40% to 6.56%, pointing to a small adjustment in long term sales expectations.

  • The net profit margin has been trimmed from 13.73% to 13.13%, indicating a slightly more cautious view on profitability levels.

  • The future P/E has risen from 20.45x to 21.81x, suggesting a modestly higher valuation multiple applied to forward earnings.

Narratives on Simply Wall St let you connect the story you see for a company with clear numbers, like your own fair value, revenue, earnings and margin assumptions. Each Narrative links that story to a forecast and then to a fair value, and the platform, used by millions of investors, keeps it updated as news or earnings arrive so you can compare Fair Value to Price and decide when to act, all from the Community page.

If you want the full context behind the latest fair value for NEXT, the original Narrative is a useful place to start:

  • It explains how international expansion, marketing and modernized operations are expected to support revenue and provide some resilience against inflationary pressures.

  • It sets out how technology, warehousing mechanization and AI driven efficiencies are intended to manage costs, margins and earnings, while using surplus cash, buybacks and acquisitions with capital discipline in mind.

  • It lays out clear assumptions and risks, including earnings forecasts, expected margins, working capital needs and warehouse transition challenges, along with the analyst consensus price target and required P/E, so you can test them against your own view.

Follow the full NEXT Narrative on Simply Wall St to keep track of how this story evolves and how the fair value responds as new data comes through: NXT: Future Cash Returns Will Be Supported By Resilient Margins And Capital Discipline.

Curious how numbers become stories that shape markets? Explore Community Narratives

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include NXT.L.

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