Short Interest in RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE:RLJ) Expands By 21.0%

RLJ Lodging Trust (NYSE:RLJ) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 12,871,779 shares, a growth of 21.0% from the January 15th total of 10,638,398 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 1,648,614 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 7.8 days. Currently, 8.8% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Currently, 8.8% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 1,648,614 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 7.8 days.

RLJ Lodging Trust Trading Up 1.4%

RLJ stock traded up $0.12 on Wednesday, hitting $8.41. 378,273 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,533,996. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 2.55 and a quick ratio of 2.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 168.30 and a beta of 1.12. RLJ Lodging Trust has a twelve month low of $6.16 and a twelve month high of $9.71. The business’s fifty day moving average is $7.73 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.46.

RLJ Lodging Trust Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.1%. RLJ Lodging Trust’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 1,200.00%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

RLJ has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Barclays started coverage on shares of RLJ Lodging Trust in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. They set an “underweight” rating and a $6.00 price target for the company. Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of RLJ Lodging Trust from a “market perform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $9.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. Zacks Research raised shares of RLJ Lodging Trust from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d)” rating on shares of RLJ Lodging Trust in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $8.64.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Robin Mcbride Zeigler sold 13,413 shares of RLJ Lodging Trust stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $7.51, for a total transaction of $100,731.63. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 37,159 shares in the company, valued at approximately $279,064.09. This trade represents a 26.52% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 2.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On RLJ Lodging Trust

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Denali Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of RLJ Lodging Trust during the 3rd quarter worth about $1,432,000. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its position in RLJ Lodging Trust by 0.9% during the second quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 576,941 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $4,235,000 after buying an additional 5,401 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in shares of RLJ Lodging Trust by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 4,977,691 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $36,238,000 after acquiring an additional 137,014 shares during the period. Savant Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of RLJ Lodging Trust during the 2nd quarter valued at $399,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its position in RLJ Lodging Trust by 36.8% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,282,101 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $16,614,000 after purchasing an additional 614,166 shares during the period. 92.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

RLJ Lodging Trust Company Profile

RLJ Lodging Trust is a self-managed, publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, owns and operates premium-branded, focused-service and compact full-service hotels. The company’s portfolio is concentrated in major U.S. markets, targeting properties that benefit from strong corporate and leisure demand, limited new supply and established brand affiliations.

The trust’s hotels are affiliated with leading global lodging brands across the spectrum of service levels, including lifestyle and upscale segments.