Seeking Alpha report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Why QUAD Stock dropped -6.49% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash
Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) carries a Roarable Rating of D (Sell) with 45/100 RQD Confidence due to weak cash-flow efficiency and sensitivity to current interest rates. Wait for business cash flow and institutional buying to improve before committing fresh capital.
🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief)
Is QUAD stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?
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As of 2026-11-02, Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (NYSE: QUAD) is rated D (Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 45/100 at a spot price of $7.20 (-6.49% 1D, market cap $396.3M). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 12/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 5/20, Executive Insider Alignment 8/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 3/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 17/20. Across 1011 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, QUAD ranks #668 in composite RQD confidence.
🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief)
How does QUAD compare to ACCO and PMTS in the Consumer Discretionary sector?
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Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Publishing), QUAD carries a Roarable D (45/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 14.7x, gross margin of 21.6%, and ROIC of 19.7%. By comparison, ACCO (Acco Brands Corporation) holds a D+ grade (56/100 RQD, P/E 9.7x, ROIC 5.0%, cap $402.5M) and PMTS (CPI Card Group Inc.) posts a B grade (73/100 RQD, P/E 20.3x, ROIC 17.5%, cap $304.1M). Among the 5-stock peer group, ACCO leads on earnings multiple (9.7x) while QUAD leads on capital efficiency (19.7% ROIC).
🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief)
What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for QUAD?
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Per QUAD's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0001481792), Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) generated $2.42B in revenue (-9.4% YoY), $27.0M in net income, and $50.7M in free cash flow against $1.25B in total assets and $322.9M in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction.. Primary risk factors monitored: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer
SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 85% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-2.64% YoY Shares)
SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 2.1% FCF Margin ($50.7M FCF) & 21.6% Gross Margin
Macro rate sensitivity & RSI-14 (32.3) create a -16 pt regime headwind
⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: What Could Spark a QUAD Turnaround Squeeze
While QUAD currently carries a cautious 45/100 (D) rating due to Macro Regime Fit (4/20), shorts face asymmetric squeeze risk if free cash flow inflects or management executes accretive buybacks.
Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction.
Options & Short-Covering Gamma: Reclaiming the 50-day SMA ($9.55) and Max Pain ($7.56) forces dealer call-delta covering toward $11.71.
Forensic Repair Trigger: Halting share dilution (Cannibal Buyback (-2.64% YoY Shares)) or retiring high-cost debt immediately upgrades the SEC 10-K Forensic pillar.
Why QUAD Stock dropped -6.49% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash
Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) dropped -6.49% to $7.20, trading at 34% of its 52-week range ($5.12 – $11.15). Stretched risk/reward at 15x P/E (20% return on capital) under elevated 10-year interest-rate pressure.
- ▸Technical Tape: Trading at 34% of its 52-week range ($5.12 – $11.15) with RSI-14 at 32.3 (NEUTRAL RANGE).
- ▸Volatility Profile: Historical 20-day realized swing band of ±9.3% around $7.20 (no active unusual options sweep snapshot on file).
- ▸Fundamental Anchor: Roarable D (Sell) backed by 21.6% gross margin and $50.7M annual free cash flow.
Yahoo Finance report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Investing.com report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Morningstar report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
TradingView report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
The Globe and Mail report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
PR Newswire report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Yahoo Finance report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Quad Graphics (NYSE:QUAD) reported third-quarter 2026 results that were in line with its expectations and raised the lower end of its full-year net sales outlook, citing new business momentum in direct marketing, in-stor
StoneX analyst Mark Zgutowicz maintains Quad/Graphics (NYSE:QUAD) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $13 to $11.
Red-Light Warning Desk: Spotting SEC Cash-Flow & Dilution Risks Before Downgrades (Featuring QUAD)
- ✓Walkthrough of QUAD's RQD Radar, SEC cash-conversion gap & downside invalidation levels
- ✓3 asymmetric Bear/Hedge frameworks when 10-year Treasury yields stay elevated
- ✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts on your tracked stocks
QUAD Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure
Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).
vs. -9.4% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).
No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on QUAD today. View full Setup Ledger →
No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for QUAD. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.
📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (QUAD)
1. Head-to-Head Consumer Discretionary Peer Comparison (QUAD vs. ACCO, PMTS, DLX, WBTN)
Industry: Publishing (11 Tracked Issuers)Across 1011 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) ranks #668 by composite RQD confidence (45/100, grade D) and #617 by equity capitalization ($396.3M). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, ACCO leads on earnings valuation at 9.7x trailing P/E, while QUAD leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 19.7% ROIC and 21.6% gross margin. PMTS currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 73/100 (B) compared with QUAD at 45/100 (D).
| Ticker / Company | Roarable Grade | RQD Score | Trailing P/E | Gross Margin | ROIC | 1D Change | Market Cap | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QUAD
ACTIVE
Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) | D | 45/100 | 14.7x | 21.6% | 19.7% | -6.49% | $396.3M | Benchmark Subject |
| ACCO Acco Brands Corporation | D+ | 56/100 | 9.7x | 32.8% | 5.0% | +26.15% | $402.5M | /acco-vs-quad → |
| PMTS CPI Card Group Inc. | B | 73/100 | 20.3x | 31.3% | 17.5% | -0.30% | $304.1M | /pmts-vs-quad → |
| DLX Deluxe Corporation | C | 63/100 | 12.8x | 53.0% | — | -1.44% | $1.05B | /dlx-vs-quad → |
| WBTN WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. | D- | 37/100 | — | 23.3% | -8.5% | -6.92% | $1.29B | /wbtn-vs-quad → |
2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)
SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-31 • CIK 0001481792In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) reported GAAP revenue of $2.42B (-9.4% vs. FY2024 revenue of $2.67B , and -18.2% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $27.0M, operating cash flow of $95.9M, and free cash flow of $50.7M (-9.0% YoY). On the balance sheet, QUAD closed FY2025 with $1.25B in total assets against $322.9M in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 1.62, Piotroski F-Score: 5/9).
| Fiscal Period | Filing Date | Revenue | Net Income | Operating Cash Flow | Free Cash Flow | Total Assets | Total Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 (FY) | 2025-12-31 | $2.42B | $27.0M | $95.9M | $50.7M | $1.25B | $322.9M |
| FY2024 (FY) | 2024-12-31 | $2.67B | -$50.9M | $112.9M | $55.7M | $1.30B | $349.1M |
| FY2023 (FY) | 2023-12-31 | $2.96B | -$55.4M | $147.6M | $147.6M | — | — |
3. QUAD Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)
✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLEDIs QUAD stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?
As of 2026-11-02, Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (NYSE: QUAD) is rated D (Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 45/100 at a spot price of $7.20 (-6.49% 1D, market cap $396.3M). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 12/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 5/20, Executive Insider Alignment 8/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 3/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 17/20. Across 1011 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, QUAD ranks #668 in composite RQD confidence.
How does QUAD compare to ACCO and PMTS in the Consumer Discretionary sector?
Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Publishing), QUAD carries a Roarable D (45/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 14.7x, gross margin of 21.6%, and ROIC of 19.7%. By comparison, ACCO (Acco Brands Corporation) holds a D+ grade (56/100 RQD, P/E 9.7x, ROIC 5.0%, cap $402.5M) and PMTS (CPI Card Group Inc.) posts a B grade (73/100 RQD, P/E 20.3x, ROIC 17.5%, cap $304.1M). Among the 5-stock peer group, ACCO leads on earnings multiple (9.7x) while QUAD leads on capital efficiency (19.7% ROIC).
What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for QUAD?
Per QUAD's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0001481792), Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) generated $2.42B in revenue (-9.4% YoY), $27.0M in net income, and $50.7M in free cash flow against $1.25B in total assets and $322.9M in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction.. Primary risk factors monitored: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
Where is QUAD trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?
QUAD last traded at $7.20 (-6.49% on volume of 742,403 shares), positioning the stock -24.61% below its 50-day simple moving average ($9.55) and -11.00% below its 200-day simple moving average ($8.09). Across its 52-week range of $5.12 to $11.15, QUAD sits at the 34.5% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 32.3 (NEUTRAL RANGE) and an implied next-earnings move of ±9.3% ($6.53 to $7.87).
QUAD Investor FAQ & Complete 8-Part Research Index
100% OPEN ACCESS • SEC EDGAR × CBOE × FREDWhy is QUAD stock moving today?
Why QUAD Stock dropped -6.49% Today — RQD Quant Desk Flash. Stretched risk/reward at 15x P/E (20% return on capital) under elevated 10-year interest-rate pressure.
QUAD — Quad Graphics Inc (Class A): What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor
Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor
Per the Roarable RQD rating, QUAD scores 45 out of 100, a letter grade of D, with the verdict label "Roarable Sell — Underperform / Distribution Warning." The five pillars are:
- Fundamental Cash Engine: 12 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this pillar reflects ROIC of 19.7% and an FCF yield of 12.79%. A high ROIC and high FCF yield are constructive signals, yet they sit alongside thin reported margins (see Snapshot and Financial Trend), so the cash-generation picture is mixed rather than clean.
- Whale 13F Flow: 5 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this pillar measures institutional accumulation and options positioning. The score is low, indicating weak institutional support in the rating's framework. The holders section of the source data is empty, so the basis for this score cannot be independently verified here.
- Insider Conviction: 17 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this is the strongest pillar and reflects SEC Form 4 and Congressional PTR cluster flow. Positive insider flow is the one area of relative strength in the rating, though the underlying trade-level detail is not provided in the source data.
- Macro Regime Fit: 3 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this reflects a beta of 1.0 and sector sensitivity. This is the weakest pillar and signals limited macro tailwind in the rating's view.
- Forensic Balance Sheet: 8 / 20. Per the Roarable RQD rating, this reflects an Altman Z-Score of 1.62, a Piotroski F-Score of 5/9, and a Debt/Equity ratio of 2.51. These readings point to balance-sheet stress that a prospective investor should weigh heavily.
For a prospective investor evaluating the stock today, the upside case rests on the cash-engine pillar and the insider-flow signal. The valuation appears undemanding on earnings-based and EBITDA-based multiples, which creates a potential re-rating argument if cash generation holds. The downside case is structural: weak institutional flow, a poor macro-fit score, and a leveraged, distressed-leaning balance sheet. A 45 score and a Sell verdict indicate the rating model sees more downside risk than upside at current levels. This is an analytical framing of the source data and not a personalized recommendation.
Snapshot
Financial Trend
| Period | Revenue | Operating Income | Net Income | EPS | FCF | Cash | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2025 | $2419.9M | $97.0M | $27.0M | N/A | $50.7M | $63.3M | $322.9M |
| FY 2024 | $2672.2M | $19.2M | $-50.9M | N/A | $55.7M | $29.2M | $349.1M |
| FY 2023 | $2957.7M | $25.7M | $-55.4M | N/A | $147.6M | N/A | N/A |
Per the SEC financials, revenue declined from $2957.7M in FY 2023 to $2419.9M in FY 2025, while operating income rose from $25.7M to $97.0M over the same span. Per the market data, the gross margin is 21.6%, the operating margin is 4%, and the net margin is 1.1%, with ROIC at 19.7%. Per the Roarable RQD rating, the Altman Z-Score is 1.62, the Piotroski F-Score is 5/9, and Debt/Equity is 2.51, which together indicate a constrained balance sheet. Reported debt fell from $349.1M in FY 2024 to $322.9M in FY 2025, while cash rose from $29.2M to $63.3M.
Recent Catalysts & News Wire Analysis
The news wire contains six items, all with a YELLOW light and MARKET WIRE impact label. Headlines include a Seeking Alpha report titled "Quad/Graphics Inc.: Has Yet To Show The Answer To The Core Problem," a Yahoo Finance "Q3 Earnings Snapshot," an Investing.com item reporting that Rosenblatt reiterated a Buy and kept a $13 target, a Morningstar item on third-quarter and year-to-date 2026 results, a TradingView item on a $0.10 quarterly dividend declaration, and a Globe and Mail analyst roundup. The Seeking Alpha headline is a skeptical framing that a risk-watch investor would note. The Rosenblatt item is the only explicit price target in the wire. The dividend declaration is consistent with the 3.63% dividend yield in the market data. The Butterfly supply-chain graph reports no proprietary signals and no links.
Butterfly Effect: 2nd-Order Supply-Chain & Sector Ripples
Per the Butterfly Supply-Chain Graph, the supply chain is listed as NONE, with no butterfly links and no proprietary signals. The graph therefore provides no upstream or downstream dependency mapping and no sector-correlation evidence for QUAD. The broader Consumer Discretionary and Publishing classification is noted in the sector and industry fields, but no second-order ripple effects can be traced from the source data.
Open Questions
- What is the source of the Rosenblatt $13 target versus the $7.70 price, and is the target dated relative to the recent sharp decline?
- What drove the -18.08% single-session move, and is it tied to the third-quarter 2026 results referenced in the news wire?
- Which specific Form 4 and Congressional PTR trades underpin the 17/20 insider-conviction pillar?
- What are the debt maturity profile and covenant terms behind the 2.51 Debt/Equity ratio and the 1.62 Altman Z-Score?
- Why are FY 2025 and FY 2024 EPS reported as N/A when net income is available?
QUAD Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire
Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below
Seeking Alpha report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Yahoo Finance report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Investing.com report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Morningstar report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
TradingView report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
The Globe and Mail report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
PR Newswire report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Yahoo Finance report covering Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) (QUAD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
QUAD Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $7.20?
🔥 Official Bull vs. Bear Debate: Is QUAD (D • RQD 45/100) a Buy at $7.70?
Welcome to the QUAD (Quad Graphics Inc (Class A)) Roar Pit. Current RQD Composite is 45/100 (Roarable Sell — Underperform / Distribution Warning) in Publishing. Bulls point to capital efficiency (19.7% ROIC), while bears focus on macro rate sensitivity and margin execution. Pick your side (🐂 Bull or 🐻 Bear) and drop your price target below.
Pump the brakes on QUAD — check the valuation vs. margin headwinds
Everyone in here is repeating the bull case on QUAD, but look at what you are paying: 14.7x trailing P/E with 21.6% gross margins. Unless Quad Graphics Inc (Class A) expands free cash flow yield next quarter, I would rather wait for a pullback closer to the 200-day moving average before touching this.
QUAD cash flow & RQD setup is being underpriced by the Street here
Looking at the 5-pillar RQD breakdown on QUAD, the market is fixating on short-term headline noise in Publishing and ignoring the balance sheet and cash flow trajectory. At $7.70 (52-wk range $5.12 - $11.15), any beat on forward guidance forces shorts and underweight funds to chase.