The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Analysts

Shares of The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE) have received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the six analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is GBX 3,918 ($49.25).

A number of research analysts recently commented on SGE shares. Citigroup upped their price objective on The Sage Group from £135 ($169.70) to £145 ($182.28) and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price objective on The Sage Group from GBX 970 ($12.19) to GBX 1,090 ($13.70) and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on The Sage Group from GBX 1,300 ($16.34) to GBX 1,250 ($15.71) and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on The Sage Group from GBX 1,170 ($14.71) to GBX 1,350 ($16.97) and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, November 22nd.

Insider Transactions at The Sage Group

In related news, insider Jonathan Howell sold 70,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 1,270 ($15.96), for a total transaction of £889,000 ($1,117,536.14). Company insiders own 1.08% of the company’s stock.

The Sage Group Stock Performance

SGE stock opened at GBX 1,310.50 ($16.47) on Friday. 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 has a market cap of £13.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 5,040.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.53. The Sage Group has a 12-month low of GBX 954.20 ($11.99) and a 12-month high of GBX 1,321 ($16.61). The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is GBX 1,047.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 1,054.07.

The Sage Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 11th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 9th will be paid a GBX 13.50 ($0.17) dividend. This is a boost from The Sage Group’s previous dividend of $6.95. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 9th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.25%. The Sage Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 7,692.31%.

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.