Deluxe (NYSE:DLX) Sets New 52-Week Low - Should You Sell?

Deluxe Co. (NYSE:DLX - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $16.85 and last traded at $16.88, with a volume of 398653 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $17.03.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently issued reports on DLX. Sidoti raised Deluxe to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. StockNews.com cut Deluxe from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th.

Deluxe Price Performance

The company's 50-day simple moving average is $21.05 and its 200 day simple moving average is $20.84. The stock has a market capitalization of $731.33 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.95, a P/E/G ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a quick ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36.

Deluxe (NYSE:DLX - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The business services provider reported $0.75 earnings per share (EPS) 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%. Equities research analysts forecast that Deluxe Co. will post 2.77 EPS for the current year.

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Deluxe Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 18th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.29%. Deluxe's payout ratio is presently 101.69%.

Insider Activity at Deluxe

In related news, CEO Barry C. Mccarthy acquired 2,290 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 5th. The shares were bought 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 owns 180,960 shares in the company, valued at $4,265,227.20. This trade represents a 1.28 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 4.23% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Deluxe

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Deluxe by 93.7% during the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,104 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 534 shares in the last quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Deluxe during the third quarter worth $32,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new stake in Deluxe in the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. FMR LLC increased its holdings in Deluxe by 57.2% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,206 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 1,166 shares during the period. Finally, KBC Group NV lifted its holdings in shares of Deluxe by 63.5% during the 4th quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 3,237 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $73,000 after acquiring an additional 1,257 shares during the period. 93.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Deluxe

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.