Highwoods Properties, Inc. (NYSE:HIW) Given Consensus Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages

Shares of Highwoods Properties, Inc. (NYSE:HIW) have been given an average rating of “Hold” by the eight research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $27.7778.

HIW has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 price target on shares of Highwoods Properties in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Robert W. Baird set a $29.00 price target on Highwoods Properties in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Mizuho decreased their price target on Highwoods Properties from $30.00 to $25.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Citigroup decreased their price target on Highwoods Properties from $30.00 to $24.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Highwoods Properties from $29.00 to $23.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th.

Highwoods Properties Trading Up 0.5%

Shares of HIW opened at $25.67 on Friday. Highwoods Properties has a 52-week low of $20.45 and a 52-week high of $32.76. The business’s fifty day moving average is $23.22 and its 200-day moving average is $24.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 1.50. The firm has a market cap of $2.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.56 and a beta of 1.08.

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.16 by $0.13. Highwoods Properties had a return on equity of 3.97% and a net margin of 11.64%.The company had revenue of $214.03 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $209.06 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.83 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Highwoods Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.68 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Highwoods Properties will post 3.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Highwoods Properties Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 9th. Investors of record on Monday, May 18th will be given a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, May 18th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.8%. Highwoods Properties’s payout ratio is currently 238.10%.

Highwoods Properties announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program on Wednesday, April 22nd that permits the company to buyback $250.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the real estate investment trust to reacquire up to 9.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Highwoods Properties

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its position in Highwoods Properties by 88.6% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 792 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 372 shares during the last quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc grew its position in Highwoods Properties by 921.4% during the 3rd quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 858 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 774 shares during the last quarter. Avalon Trust Co bought a new stake in Highwoods Properties during the 3rd quarter worth $37,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new stake in Highwoods Properties during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in Highwoods Properties by 292.5% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,680 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 1,252 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.31% of the company’s stock.

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.