Host Hotels & Resorts (NASDAQ:HST) Upgraded to “Strong-Buy” at Argus

Argus upgraded shares of Host Hotels & Resorts (NASDAQ:HST) to a strong-buy rating in a research note released on Wednesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

HST has been the topic of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Host Hotels & Resorts from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, February 20th. Barclays assumed coverage on Host Hotels & Resorts in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $19.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings raised Host Hotels & Resorts from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Host Hotels & Resorts from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, UBS Group set a $21.00 price target on Host Hotels & Resorts in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $20.00.

Host Hotels & Resorts Stock Up 1.4%

HST stock opened at $19.07 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.59, a current ratio of 2.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. Host Hotels & Resorts has a fifty-two week low of $12.22 and a fifty-two week high of $21.00. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $19.17 and its 200 day simple moving average is $17.99. The stock has a market cap of $13.12 billion, a PE ratio of 17.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 1.13.

Host Hotels & Resorts (NASDAQ:HST) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.47 by ($0.27). Host Hotels & Resorts had a net margin of 12.51% and a return on equity of 11.54%. The firm had revenue of $1.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.49 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.44 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. Host Hotels & Resorts has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.030-2.110 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Host Hotels & Resorts will post 1.88 EPS for the current year.

Host Hotels & Resorts Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.2%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 31st. Host Hotels & Resorts’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 72.73%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Host Hotels & Resorts

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT boosted its stake in Host Hotels & Resorts by 89.1% during the 4th quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 1,658 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 781 shares in the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC bought a new stake in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts in the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts by 79.6% in the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 1,773 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 786 shares in the last quarter. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new stake in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts in the second quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts by 234.1% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,911 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 1,339 shares during the period. 98.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Host Hotels & Resorts

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on owning and managing premium lodging properties. The company’s portfolio predominantly comprises luxury and upper-upscale hotels and resorts operated under leading global brands. Through strategic acquisitions, dispositions and capital investments, Host Hotels & Resorts seeks to enhance long-term value by aligning property-level operating performance with broader market trends in hospitality demand.

The company’s holdings span major urban, resort and conference destinations across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.