MFA Financial (NYSE:MFA) Sets New 1-Year Low – What’s Next?

MFA Financial, Inc. (NYSE:MFA)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $10.09 and last traded at $10.09, with a volume of 18553 shares. The stock had previously closed at $10.22.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on MFA. StockNews.com lowered shares of MFA Financial from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $15.00 price target on shares of MFA Financial in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. JMP Securities boosted their price objective on shares of MFA Financial from $12.50 to $13.50 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, September 6th. Finally, Raymond James increased their price objective on MFA Financial from $13.00 to $14.50 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, September 19th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, MFA Financial presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $14.00.

MFA Financial Trading Down 0.3 %

The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $11.14 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $11.56. The firm has a market cap of $1.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.41 and a beta of 2.12.

MFA Financial Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 13.74%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. MFA Financial’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 88.05%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MFA Financial

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of MFA. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. raised its position in shares of MFA Financial by 35.4% in the 3rd quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. now owns 4,583,087 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $58,297,000 after acquiring an additional 1,197,220 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC grew its stake in MFA Financial by 902.9% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 374,481 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $4,764,000 after purchasing an additional 337,142 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors LLC increased its holdings in MFA Financial by 38.7% in the third quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 898,212 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $11,425,000 after purchasing an additional 250,535 shares in the last quarter. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC acquired a new position in MFA Financial in the third quarter valued at approximately $2,509,000. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of MFA Financial by 6.2% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,579,818 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $33,700,000 after buying an additional 151,321 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.28% of the company’s stock.

MFA Financial Company Profile

MFA Financial, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a real estate investment trust in the United States. It invests in residential mortgage securities, including non-agency mortgage-backed securities, agency MBS, and credit risk transfer securities; residential whole loans, including purchased performing loans, purchased credit deteriorated, and non-performing loans; and mortgage servicing rights related assets.