Quad Graphics (NYSE:QUAD) Hits New 52-Week High on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Key Points

• Quad Graphics shares reached a new 52-week high of $9.90 after the company reported quarterly EPS of $0.24, beating estimates by $0.04, while revenue of $577.5 million exceeded expectations.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share, equating to an annualized dividend of $0.40 and a 4.2% yield; its payout ratio is 71.43%.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus, with three Buy ratings and two Holds and an average price target of $9.93. Institutional investors own 39.52% of the stock.

Quad Graphics, Inc (NYSE:QUAD - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as high as $9.90 and last traded at $9.7590, with a volume of 165173 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $8.41.

The business services provider reported $0.24 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.20 by $0.04. Quad Graphics had a return on equity of 47.27% and a net margin of 1.16%.The business had revenue of $577.50 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $545.15 million.

Quad Graphics Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 4th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 17th will be issued a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 17th. Quad Graphics's payout ratio is currently 71.43%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently weighed in on QUAD. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Quad Graphics in a research note on Friday. Benchmark initiated coverage on Quad Graphics in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $10.00 price objective on the stock. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Quad Graphics currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $9.93.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of QUAD. Baron Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Quad Graphics by 14.2% during the 2nd quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 24,973 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $211,000 after purchasing an additional 3,107 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Quad Graphics in the first quarter valued at $119,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in Quad Graphics by 2.0% during the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 460,452 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $3,044,000 after buying an additional 9,174 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its stake in Quad Graphics by 30.5% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 46,365 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $306,000 after buying an additional 10,849 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in Quad Graphics by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,135,439 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $7,506,000 after buying an additional 16,815 shares during the period. 39.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Quad Graphics Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $492.86 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.40 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.04. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $7.93 and its 200 day moving average price is $7.21.

About Quad Graphics

Quad Graphics, Inc NYSE: QUAD is a global provider of print and related marketing services, serving a diverse range of clients in the publishing, retail, e-commerce and consumer packaged goods sectors. The company offers end-to-end solutions that span traditional print production, supply chain management and digital marketing support. Quad Graphics leverages a network of production facilities and distribution centers to deliver high-quality printed materials and integrated marketing programs that help clients reach their target audiences across multiple channels.

The company's core offerings include magazine and catalog printing, direct mail, retail inserts, shopper marketing materials, custom packaging and point-of-sale displays.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.