** Shares of beauty and skincare firm Bath & Body Works BBWI.N down ~2% at $25.45 premarket

** Brokerage JPMorgan cuts rating to "neutral" from "overweight" citing persistent weakness in categories such as body care and home fragrances

** Lowers PT to $26 from $46, says as per analysis, BBWI's slower-than-expected sales growth and mid-teens margins are about 1,500 basis points below its pre-pandemic performance of high single-digit growth and ~20% margins

** Eleven of 15 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or "higher" and four "hold"; their median PT is $38.50 - LSEG** Up to last close, stock fell nearly 33% YTD

(Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry in Bengaluru)

((AnujaBharat.Mistry@thomsonreuters.com))