StockNews.com Upgrades Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) to Buy

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Tuesday.

Separately, B. Riley upped their price target on shares of Saul Centers from $43.50 to $45.50 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 22nd.

Saul Centers Stock Up 0.9 %

BFS stock opened at $40.15 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $970.43 million, a P/E ratio of 21.62 and a beta of 1.11. Saul Centers has a 12 month low of $34.87 and a 12 month high of $42.39. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $40.38 and its 200-day simple moving average is $38.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.61, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 1.13.

Saul Centers Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, October 15th were issued a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.88%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, October 15th. Saul Centers’s payout ratio is presently 128.26%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Saul Centers

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. DiNuzzo Private Wealth Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Saul Centers during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Whittier Trust Co. purchased a new position in Saul Centers during the second quarter worth approximately $74,000. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. acquired a new stake in Saul Centers in the second quarter valued at approximately $102,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its position in shares of Saul Centers by 235.4% in the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 3,223 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $119,000 after buying an additional 2,262 shares in the last quarter. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company acquired a new position in shares of Saul Centers during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $202,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 49.99% of the company’s stock.

Saul Centers Company Profile

Saul Centers is a self-managed, self-administered equity REIT headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Saul Centers currently operates and manages a real estate portfolio comprised of 61 properties that includes (a) 57 community and neighborhood Shopping Centers and Mixed-Use properties with approximately 9.8 million square feet of leasable area and (b) four land and development properties.