Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) Downgraded to Strong Sell Rating by Zacks Research

Zacks Research lowered shares of Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report issued on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on STC. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Stewart Information Services from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Stewart Information Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $88.00 price target on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut shares of Stewart Information Services from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $77.00 to $71.00 in a research note on Monday. Finally, Benchmark began coverage on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “buy” rating and a $87.00 price objective for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Stewart Information Services currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $81.50.

Stewart Information Services Stock Up 5.1%

Stewart Information Services stock opened at $69.71 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $2.12 billion, a PE ratio of 15.29 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 2.12 and a current ratio of 1.98. Stewart Information Services has a one year low of $57.10 and a one year high of $78.61. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $67.13 and a 200 day moving average of $66.74.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.63 by ($0.24). The firm had revenue of $895.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $838.07 million. Stewart Information Services had a return on equity of 10.02% and a net margin of 4.12%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 24.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.34 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Stewart Information Services will post 5.8 EPS for the current year.

Stewart Information Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were given a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 15th. Stewart Information Services’s payout ratio is presently 46.05%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Stewart Information Services

In other Stewart Information Services news, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. bought 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The stock was purchased at an average price of $63.87 per share, for a total transaction of $63,870.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 25,034 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,598,921.58. This trade represents a 4.16% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 2.94% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Beacon Harbor Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the 4th quarter worth $6,227,000. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 4.6% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,044,758 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $143,665,000 after purchasing an additional 90,233 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services in the fourth quarter worth about $1,377,000. Seven Grand Managers LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services in the fourth quarter worth about $1,756,000. Finally, Peregrine Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services in the first quarter worth about $3,371,000. 96.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Stewart Information Services Company Profile

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.