The Sage Group (LON:SGE) Reaches New 52-Week High – Here’s Why

Shares of The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as GBX 1,329 ($16.42) and last traded at GBX 1,327.50 ($16.40), with a volume of 2602973 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,322 ($16.33).

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have commented on SGE shares. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of The Sage Group in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Shore Capital reissued a “hold” rating on shares of The Sage Group in a research note on Wednesday, December 4th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their target price on The Sage Group from GBX 970 ($11.98) to GBX 1,090 ($13.46) and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on The Sage Group from GBX 1,170 ($14.45) to GBX 1,350 ($16.67) and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of GBX 3,918 ($48.39).

The Sage Group Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 115.72. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 1,268.95 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 1,111.26. The firm has a market cap of £13.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 5,144.23, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.53.

The Sage Group (LON:SGE) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 20th. The company reported GBX 37.90 ($0.47) earnings per share for the quarter. The Sage Group had a net margin of 11.87% and a return on equity of 22.31%. Equities analysts anticipate that The Sage Group plc will post 42.1496095 earnings per share for the current year.

The Sage Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 9th will be issued a dividend of GBX 13.50 ($0.17) per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 9th. This is an increase from The Sage Group’s previous dividend of $6.95. This represents a dividend yield of 1.25%. The Sage Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 7,692.31%.

Insider Activity at The Sage Group

In other news, insider Jonathan Howell sold 70,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,270 ($15.69), for a total transaction of £889,000 ($1,098,073.12). 1.08% of the stock is owned by insiders.

The Sage Group Company Profile

The Sage Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides technology solutions and services for small and medium businesses in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and internationally. It offers cloud native solutions, such as Sage Intacct, a cloud accounting software product and financial management software; Sage People, a HR and people management solution; Sage 200, a finance and business management solution; Sage X3, a business management solution; Sage Accounting, a solution for small businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers to manage customer data, accounts, and people; Sage Payroll for small businesses manage their payroll; and Sage HR for small and mid-sized businesses for record management, leave management, staff scheduling, and expenses services.