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

The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 944 and last traded at GBX 946.60, with a volume of 8915379 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 965.60.

Analyst Ratings Changes

SGE has been the topic of several recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of The Sage Group from GBX 1,500 to GBX 1,300 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on The Sage Group from GBX 1,320 to GBX 1,350 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 20th. Panmure Gordon reiterated a “hold” rating and set a GBX 1,300 price target on shares of The Sage Group in a report on Thursday, November 20th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised The Sage Group to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the company from GBX 1,100 to GBX 1,135 in a research report on Monday. Finally, Shore Capital restated a “hold” rating on shares of The Sage Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of GBX 1,247.

The Sage Group Stock Performance

The company’s 50-day moving average is GBX 1,051.02 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 1,100.19. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 114.00. The company has a market cap of £7.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.53.

The Sage Group (LON:SGE) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 19th. The company reported GBX 43.20 earnings per share for the quarter. The Sage Group had a net margin of 11.87% and a return on equity of 24.48%. Equities analysts predict that The Sage Group plc will post 42.1496095 EPS for the current year.

The Sage Group declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, November 19th that permits the company to buyback 0 shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Sage Group

In other news, insider Steve Hare sold 127,828 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 1,065, for a total transaction of £1,361,368.20. Also, insider Jonathan Howell sold 88,727 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 1,065, for a total value of £944,942.55. Insiders own 0.99% of the company’s stock.

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.