Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) Sets New 12-Month Low – Time to Sell?

Highwoods Properties, Inc. (NYSE:HIW) reached a new 52-week low during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $20.45 and last traded at $20.6030, with a volume of 983280 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $21.05.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $29.00 price objective on shares of Highwoods Properties in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Highwoods Properties in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Highwoods Properties from $30.00 to $24.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Highwoods Properties from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Mizuho dropped their price target on shares of Highwoods Properties from $30.00 to $25.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $27.78.

Highwoods Properties Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $2.26 billion, a PE ratio of 14.11 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $23.73 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $26.94.

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.84 by ($0.58). Highwoods Properties had a return on equity of 6.86% and a net margin of 20.10%.The firm had revenue of $203.36 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $208.08 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.85 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .9% compared to the same quarter last year. Highwoods Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.680 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Highwoods Properties, Inc. will post 3.36 earnings per share for the current year.

Highwoods Properties Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th were given a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 17th. Highwoods Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 136.99%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Highwoods Properties

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in HIW. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its stake in shares of Highwoods Properties by 88.6% during the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 792 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 372 shares during the last quarter. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC raised its position in Highwoods Properties by 5.0% during the 3rd quarter. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC now owns 9,075 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $289,000 after buying an additional 435 shares during the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System raised its position in Highwoods Properties by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 31,902 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,015,000 after buying an additional 443 shares during the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank lifted its stake in shares of Highwoods Properties by 1.4% in the 3rd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 32,927 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,048,000 after acquiring an additional 467 shares during the period. Finally, California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Highwoods Properties by 0.5% in the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 98,051 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $3,048,000 after acquiring an additional 489 shares in the last quarter. 96.31% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Highwoods Properties

Highwoods Properties, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, develops, leases and manages office properties. The company’s portfolio is primarily focused on Class A office space, with an emphasis on high-quality buildings in key urban and suburban submarkets. Highwoods seeks to generate long-term, recurring revenues through a mix of in-place lease renewals, strategic dispositions and build-to-suit developments. Its asset management platform drives operational efficiencies and tenant service initiatives across its holdings.

Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, Highwoods Properties has expanded its presence to eight major metropolitan regions across the Southeastern United States and Texas.