Deluxe (NYSE:DLX) Sets New 1-Year Low – Time to Sell?

Deluxe Co. (NYSE:DLX)’s share price reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $17.71 and last traded at $17.81, with a volume of 24577 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $17.98.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. StockNews.com cut Deluxe from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Sidoti upgraded shares of Deluxe to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th.

Deluxe Stock Down 0.7 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36, a current ratio of 0.98 and a quick ratio of 0.83. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $22.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $21.00. The firm has a market cap of $790.66 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.14, a P/E/G ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 1.52.

Deluxe (NYSE:DLX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The business services provider reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.80 by ($0.05). Deluxe had a return on equity of 21.33% and a net margin of 2.49%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Deluxe Co. will post 2.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Deluxe Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be paid a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.72%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 18th. Deluxe’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 101.69%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Deluxe

In related news, CEO Barry C. Mccarthy purchased 2,290 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 5th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $23.57 per share, for a total transaction of $53,975.30. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 180,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,265,227.20. This trade represents a 1.28 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 4.23% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Round Hill Asset Management lifted its position in shares of Deluxe by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Round Hill Asset Management now owns 50,058 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $976,000 after acquiring an additional 485 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Deluxe by 93.7% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,104 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 534 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in Deluxe by 3.4% during the fourth quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 25,188 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $569,000 after purchasing an additional 835 shares during the last quarter. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. boosted its position in Deluxe by 4.9% during the fourth quarter. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. now owns 18,384 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $415,000 after purchasing an additional 860 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Swiss National Bank grew its holdings in Deluxe by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 87,000 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,965,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the last quarter. 93.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Deluxe Company Profile

Deluxe Corporation provides technology-enabled solutions to enterprises, small businesses, and financial institutions in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It operates through Merchant Services, B2B Payments, Data Solutions, and Print segments. The Merchant Services offers credit and debit card authorization and payment systems, as well as processing services primarily to small and medium-sized retail and service businesses.