COPT Defense Properties (NYSE:CDP) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of COPT Defense Properties (NYSE:CDP) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seven analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $27.00.

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on CDP. Wedbush restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $28.00 target price (up previously from $27.00) on shares of COPT Defense Properties in a research note on Monday, April 29th. Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $25.00 target price (down previously from $29.00) on shares of COPT Defense Properties in a research note on Friday, March 22nd.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On COPT Defense Properties

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CDP. Vanguard Group Inc. bought a new position in COPT Defense Properties in the 1st quarter worth about $407,496,000. Earnest Partners LLC bought a new position in COPT Defense Properties in the 1st quarter worth about $129,344,000. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. bought a new position in COPT Defense Properties in the 1st quarter worth about $90,045,000. Sei Investments Co. bought a new position in COPT Defense Properties in the 1st quarter worth about $43,731,000. Finally, Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. bought a new position in COPT Defense Properties in the 1st quarter worth about $21,211,000.

COPT Defense Properties Stock Performance

Shares of COPT Defense Properties stock opened at $25.06 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.82 billion, a PE ratio of -23.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.95. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $24.35 and its 200-day simple moving average is $24.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 3.66 and a current ratio of 3.66. COPT Defense Properties has a 1 year low of $22.20 and a 1 year high of $26.80.

COPT Defense Properties Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 17th. Investors of record on Friday, June 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.295 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 28th. This represents a $1.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.71%. COPT Defense Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -109.26%.

About COPT Defense Properties

COPT Defense, an S&P MidCap 400 Company, is a self-managed REIT focused on owning, operating and developing properties in locations proximate to, or sometimes containing, key U.S. Government (USG) defense installations and missions (referred to as its Defense/IT Portfolio). The Company's tenants include the USG and their defense contractors, who are primarily engaged in priority national security activities, and who generally require mission-critical and high security property enhancements.