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

Shares of The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the seven brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is GBX 1,260.

Several equities analysts have recently commented on SGE shares. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on The Sage Group from GBX 1,320 to GBX 1,350 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on shares of The Sage Group from GBX 1,350 to GBX 1,250 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Shore Capital restated a “hold” rating on shares of The Sage Group in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of The Sage Group from GBX 1,500 to GBX 1,300 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a “hold” rating and set a GBX 1,100 price objective on shares of The Sage Group in a research note on Thursday, November 20th.

The Sage Group Price Performance

The Sage Group stock opened at GBX 1,079.50 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of GBX 1,102.86 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 1,143.01. 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 Sage Group has a 52-week low of GBX 1,034.50 and a 52-week high of GBX 1,349. The firm has a market capitalization of £10.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.05, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.53.

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

The Sage Group announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Wednesday, November 19th that authorizes the company to repurchase 0 outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at The Sage Group

In other news, 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. Also, insider Steve Hare sold 127,828 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 1,065, for a total value of £1,361,368.20. Insiders own 0.95% 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.