The Sage Group (LON:SGE) Hits New 52-Week High – Here’s What Happened

The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE) shares hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as GBX 1,321.50 ($16.80) and last traded at GBX 1,320.50 ($16.79), with a volume of 6086295 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,305 ($16.59).

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

SGE has been the subject of several research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on The Sage Group from GBX 1,170 ($14.87) to GBX 1,350 ($17.16) and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of The Sage Group from £135 ($171.62) to £145 ($184.34) and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Shore Capital restated a “hold” rating on shares of The Sage Group in a report on Wednesday, December 4th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price objective on shares of The Sage Group from GBX 970 ($12.33) to GBX 1,090 ($13.86) and gave the company a “sell” 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 company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of GBX 3,918 ($49.81).

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 firm’s fifty day moving average price is GBX 1,120.69 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 1,067.81. The firm has a market capitalization of £13.18 billion, a PE ratio of 5,019.23, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.53.

The Sage Group Increases Dividend

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

Insider Transactions at The Sage Group

In other The Sage Group news, insider Jonathan Howell sold 27,844 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,310 ($16.65), for a total transaction of £364,756.40 ($463,712.69). Corporate insiders own 1.08% 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.