The Sage Group (LON:SGE) Sets New 1-Year High Following Dividend Announcement

Shares of The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday after the company announced a dividend. The stock traded as high as GBX 1,320 ($16.62) and last traded at GBX 1,269.50 ($15.98), with a volume of 6481024 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,077 ($13.56).

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Tuesday, February 11th. Shareholders 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 of this dividend is Thursday, January 9th. This is an increase from The Sage Group’s previous dividend of $6.95. The Sage Group’s payout ratio is currently 7,692.31%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on The Sage Group from GBX 1,300 ($16.37) to GBX 1,250 ($15.74) and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of GBX 1,173 ($14.77).

The Sage Group Price Performance

The company has a 50-day moving average of GBX 1,023.78 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 1,051.45. The stock has a market capitalization of £12.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4,863.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 115.72, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.72.

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.