MML Investors Services LLC Decreases Stock Holdings in Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY)

MML Investors Services LLC trimmed its position in shares of Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY) by 5.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 59,692 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after selling 3,550 shares during the period. MML Investors Services LLC’s holdings in Annaly Capital Management were worth $1,198,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Anson Funds Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Annaly Capital Management during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,760,000. Virtus Investment Advisers Inc. purchased a new stake in Annaly Capital Management during the 3rd quarter valued at $118,000. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in Annaly Capital Management by 9.9% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 537,125 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $10,780,000 after buying an additional 48,555 shares during the period. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new stake in Annaly Capital Management during the 3rd quarter valued at $301,000. Finally, Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Annaly Capital Management by 92.1% during the 3rd quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 102,144 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $2,050,000 after buying an additional 48,961 shares during the period. 51.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Annaly Capital Management Stock Down 3.3 %

Shares of Annaly Capital Management stock opened at $18.84 on Thursday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $19.64 and its two-hundred day moving average is $19.84. The company has a market capitalization of $10.56 billion, a PE ratio of -269.14 and a beta of 1.51. Annaly Capital Management, Inc. has a 52 week low of $17.67 and a 52 week high of $21.11.

Annaly Capital Management (NYSE:NLY) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The real estate investment trust reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by ($0.01). Annaly Capital Management had a return on equity of 14.75% and a net margin of 2.59%. The firm had revenue of $1.23 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $212.00 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.66 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Annaly Capital Management, Inc. will post 2.65 earnings per share for the current year.

Annaly Capital Management Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of $0.65 per share. This represents a $2.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 13.80%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. Annaly Capital Management’s payout ratio is -3,714.29%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently weighed in on NLY shares. Argus upgraded Annaly Capital Management from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $21.00 price target on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 31st. JMP Securities restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Annaly Capital Management in a report on Wednesday, August 28th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Annaly Capital Management from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price target for the company from $19.00 to $23.00 in a report on Friday, September 20th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Annaly Capital Management from $21.00 to $20.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, December 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $21.50.

About Annaly Capital Management

Annaly Capital Management, Inc, a diversified capital manager, engages in mortgage finance. The company invests in agency mortgage-backed securities collateralized by residential mortgages; non-agency residential whole loans and securitized products within the residential and commercial markets; mortgage servicing rights; agency commercial mortgage-backed securities; to-be-announced forward contracts; residential mortgage loans; and agency or private label credit risk transfer securities.