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Robert Walters plc (RWA.L)

Industrials Dividend payer

Robert Walters steps in to find specialist professionals for permanent, interim, and contract roles across the globe.

£1.12
≈ 112p · London-listed shares are usually quoted in pence (GBX) elsewhere; the Almanac shows pounds (£1 = 100p).

Is Robert Walters plc a good stock for a UK beginner?

The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Trades at a low multiple compared to its total sales. Worth weighing: Currently reporting negative net profit margins. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.

No rating · no target price · nothing for sale here
Price-69.6%
52-week range-34% past year
£1.12
Low £0.76High £1.62
Where today's price sits versus its past year - context, not a signal.
If you had put £1,000 into Robert Walters plc
£304-70%

Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.

How much has Robert Walters plc actually fallen?

−80%

Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Robert Walters plc fell as much as −80% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.

Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.

Market cap: The company's total value on the stock market - share price times the number of shares. Big = 'large-cap', small = 'small-cap'.
£73.67M
Avg volume: How many shares change hands on a typical day. Higher means it's easy to buy or exit without moving the price.
115.44K
Day range: The lowest and highest price the shares traded at during the latest day.
£1.12 – £1.22
52-week range: The lowest and highest the shares have traded over the past year - a sense of how wide the swings have been.
£0.76 – £1.62
Dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone.
24.1%
Beta: How bumpy the share price is versus the whole market. Above 1 swings more than the market; below 1 is calmer. It's about the ride, not whether it goes up or down.
0.80
How bumpy is it?Beta: How bumpy the share price is versus the whole market. Above 1 swings more than the market; below 1 is calmer. It's about the ride, not whether it goes up or down. 0.80
Calm
Wild
Steadier than most

Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.

Why has it been moving?▼ -1% past week · ▼ -34% past year

Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.

The bull case

A multi-year economic recovery sparks intense competition for talent.

The bear case

Permanent shifts in how companies hire lead to permanently lower fee income.

What does Robert Walters plc do?

When businesses need skilled accountants, lawyers, or tech experts, this recruitment specialist connects them with the right candidates and takes a cut of the hiring fees. Making money depends entirely on how confident companies feel about expanding their teams. Keeping an eye on global hiring moods is vital, as a drop in confidence quickly stops businesses from splashing out on headhunters.

VQGMI
Factor profile

On our factor screen it looks strongest on income and value, and weakest on quality.

Value: How cheap the stock looks versus profits, sales and assets (higher = cheaper). 95Quality: How profitable and financially healthy the company is (higher = stronger). 20Growth: How fast revenue and earnings are growing (higher = faster). 61Momentum: How the share price has been trending recently (higher = stronger recent run). 39Income: The dividend income on offer and how sustainable it looks (higher = more/steadier). 99
Quick checks
What's strong
  • Value screens high (95/100)
  • Income screens high (99/100)
  • Trades at a low multiple compared to its total sales.
  • Established global footprint in specialist recruitment.
  • Decent gross margins on fee income.
What to watch
  • Quality screens low (20/100)
  • Vulnerable to sudden freezes in corporate hiring during downturns.
  • Wage inflation and competition for top internal recruiters.
  • Uncertainty around future dividend sustainability given current losses.

What do Robert Walters plc's numbers mean?

Forward P/E
-15.1
A negative figure here shows the company is expected to make a loss rather than a profit over the coming year.
Lower than most of the 123 Industrials shares we cover
Price-to-Sales
0.1
This tiny ratio means the market values the entire business at a fraction of its total yearly revenue.
Lower than most of the 123 Industrials shares we cover
Gross Margin
33.1%
For every pound brought in from recruitment fees, about thirty-three pence remains after direct costs.
Around the middle of the 123 Industrials shares we cover
Dividend Yield
24.1%
A headline dividend payout that looks remarkably high, though large payouts can sometimes signal that the share price has dropped heavily.
Higher than most of the 123 Industrials shares we cover

Does Robert Walters plc pay a dividend?

Yes - Robert Walters plc currently pays a dividend of about 24.1% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.

What do the numbers say about Robert Walters plc's dividend?

There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.

Dividend yield24.1%The yearly dividend as a percentage of today's price. A very high figure often means the price has fallen because the market expects a cut, so a big yield is a question to look into, not a prize.
Payout ration/aThe company reported no profit (or a loss) in the latest figures, so a payout ratio and cover can't be worked out meaningfully this year.

Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.

More in Industrials

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What are the scenarios for Robert Walters plc?

An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.

£2£1£1today · £1▲ Bull · £1• Base · £1▼ Bear · £1in 1 yearILLUSTRATIVE · NOT A PREDICTION OR PRICE TARGET
Bull
+10% to +20%A surprise bounce in corporate hiring announcements lifts market mood.
Base
-5% to +5%Trading ticks along quietly with no dramatic changes in corporate recruitment.
Bear
-15% to -25%Economic worries cause firms to freeze recruitment budgets completely.

What are the pros and cons of Robert Walters plc?

3bull points
6bear points

How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.

The bull case3
  • Trades at a low multiple compared to its total sales.
  • Established global footprint in specialist recruitment.
  • Decent gross margins on fee income.
The catch3
  • Currently reporting negative net profit margins.
  • Negative return on equity: How much profit the company makes for each £1 shareholders have put in. Higher usually means a more efficient business. highlights recent struggles.
  • Share price has fallen over the past twelve months.
Key risks3
  • Vulnerable to sudden freezes in corporate hiring during downturns.
  • Wage inflation and competition for top internal recruiters.
  • Uncertainty around future dividend sustainability given current losses.
What would flip the thesis

The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.

Confidence: medium · data: GBP · flags: pe, earnings_growth · Charts by TradingView Lightweight Charts™
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Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →

This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.

Figures as of 2026-08-02. Prices may be delayed and numbers can go stale - always double-check before acting.