Sapiens International (NASDAQ:SPNS) Upgraded to Strong-Buy by StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Sapiens International (NASDAQ:SPNS) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday.

SPNS has been the subject of several other reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on Sapiens International from $38.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Barclays lifted their price target on Sapiens International from $30.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, Needham & Company LLC lifted their price target on Sapiens International from $38.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd.

Sapiens International Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ SPNS opened at $35.94 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.16, a quick ratio of 2.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. Sapiens International has a 12 month low of $24.39 and a 12 month high of $41.22. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $36.61 and a 200-day moving average of $33.97. The company has a market capitalization of $1.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.72 and a beta of 1.25.

Sapiens International (NASDAQ:SPNS) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The technology company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.36 by $0.01. Sapiens International had a return on equity of 17.60% and a net margin of 12.92%. The company had revenue of $136.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $137.78 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.31 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Sapiens International will post 1.42 EPS for the current year.

Sapiens International Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a Semi-Annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 12th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 28th were issued a $0.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 28th. This is a boost from Sapiens International’s previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.28. This represents a yield of 1.6%. Sapiens International’s payout ratio is currently 49.57%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sapiens International

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in SPNS. Summit Securities Group LLC acquired a new position in Sapiens International in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Financial Management Professionals Inc. acquired a new position in Sapiens International in the 1st quarter valued at $40,000. Morgan Dempsey Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Sapiens International by 9.5% in the 2nd quarter. Morgan Dempsey Capital Management LLC now owns 4,206 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $143,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Sapiens International in the 1st quarter valued at $192,000. Finally, Foyston Gordon & Payne Inc acquired a new position in Sapiens International in the 1st quarter valued at $217,000. 30.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Sapiens International Company Profile

Sapiens International Corporation N.V. provides software solutions for the insurance industry in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company provides various solutions for property and casualty commercial and personal lines, life and pensions, and reinsurance fields.