The Sage Group (LON:SGE) Reaches New 52-Week Low – Time to Sell?

The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE) reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as GBX 818.86 and last traded at GBX 818.86, with a volume of 9571182 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 845.80.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on SGE shares. Shore Capital Group reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of The Sage Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on The Sage Group from GBX 1,200 to GBX 1,150 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target 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. Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded The Sage Group to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from GBX 1,100 to GBX 1,135 in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective 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 note on Thursday, December 4th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of GBX 1,247.

The Sage Group Price Performance

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 firm has a market capitalization of £7.79 billion, a PE ratio of 22.31, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.53. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 1,033.59 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 1,087.84.

The Sage Group (LON:SGE) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 forecast that The Sage Group plc will post 42.1496095 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Sage Group declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, November 19th that permits the company to buyback 0 shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at The Sage Group

In related news, insider Steve Hare sold 127,828 shares of The Sage Group stock in a transaction that occurred 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 Derek Harding purchased 10,000 shares of The Sage Group stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The shares were bought at an average price of GBX 864 per share, for a total transaction of £86,400. Insiders own 0.99% of the company’s stock.

About The Sage Group

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.