Deluxe (NYSE:DLX) Downgraded to “Buy” Rating by StockNews.com

Deluxe (NYSE:DLX) was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Saturday.

Separately, Sidoti raised Deluxe to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 30th.

Deluxe Trading Up 1.3 %

Shares of DLX stock opened at $15.83 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $703.12 million, a PE ratio of 13.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 0.98. Deluxe has a 1 year low of $15.13 and a 1 year high of $24.87. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $19.58 and a two-hundred day moving average of $20.55.

Deluxe (NYSE:DLX) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The business services provider reported $0.75 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.80 by ($0.05). Deluxe had a net margin of 2.49% and a return on equity of 21.33%. As a group, research analysts expect that Deluxe will post 2.77 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Deluxe news, CEO Barry C. Mccarthy bought 3,926 shares of Deluxe stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of $16.45 per share, for a total transaction of $64,582.70. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 272,851 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,488,398.95. This trade represents a 1.46 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 4.23% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Deluxe

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Round Hill Asset Management lifted its position in shares of Deluxe by 1.0% in the third quarter. Round Hill Asset Management now owns 50,058 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $976,000 after purchasing an additional 485 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Deluxe by 93.7% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,104 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 534 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its stake in Deluxe by 3.4% in the fourth quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 25,188 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $569,000 after purchasing an additional 835 shares in the last quarter. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. increased its position in Deluxe by 4.9% in the 4th 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 during the last quarter. Finally, Swiss National Bank raised its stake in shares of Deluxe by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 87,000 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,965,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. 93.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other 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.