Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the five research firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $83.00.

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on STC. Wall Street Zen upgraded Stewart Information Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, April 25th. Citizens Jmp began coverage on Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, February 2nd. They issued a “market outperform” rating and a $80.00 price objective for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price objective on Stewart Information Services from $78.00 to $81.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Zacks Research upgraded Stewart Information Services to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $88.00 price objective on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, May 18th.

Stewart Information Services Price Performance

Shares of STC opened at $66.25 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $2.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.79 and a beta of 1.02. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $65.52 and a 200 day moving average price of $68.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 2.12 and a quick ratio of 2.12. Stewart Information Services has a 12 month low of $56.39 and a 12 month high of $78.61.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 22nd. The insurance provider reported $0.78 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.26. Stewart Information Services had a return on equity of 10.07% and a net margin of 4.19%.The firm had revenue of $778.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $730.43 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.25 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 27.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Stewart Information Services will post 5.8 earnings per share for the current year.

Stewart Information Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th were issued a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 16th. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Stewart Information Services’s dividend payout ratio is 46.88%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Stewart Information Services

In related news, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. bought 1,000 shares of Stewart Information Services stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $65.34 per share, with a total value of $65,340.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 21,243 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,388,017.62. This trade represents a 4.94% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CFO David C. Hisey sold 10,992 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.28, for a total value of $783,509.76. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 61,929 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,414,299.12. This represents a 15.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 2.94% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Stewart Information Services

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services during the third quarter valued at $31,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at $43,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at $65,000. Horizon Investments LLC acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at $65,000. Finally, Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at $66,000. 96.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Stewart Information Services

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE: STC) is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients.

In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.