Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.13 EPS

Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The real estate investment trust reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.13 by $0.13, FiscalAI reports. Saul Centers had a net margin of 12.43% and a return on equity of 12.34%. The company had revenue of $74.64 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $75.11 million.

Saul Centers Stock Up 2.7%

Shares of BFS stock traded up $0.92 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $35.12. 51,473 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 57,387. The business’s fifty day moving average is $33.69 and its two-hundred day moving average is $32.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.48, a current ratio of 1.90 and a quick ratio of 1.90. Saul Centers has a 12-month low of $29.16 and a 12-month high of $35.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $860.39 million, a P/E ratio of 33.13 and a beta of 0.93.

Saul Centers Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 15th were given a dividend of $0.59 per share. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, April 15th. Saul Centers’s dividend payout ratio is currently 222.64%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Saul Centers in a research report on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Saul Centers currently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Saul Centers

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in Saul Centers in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Strs Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of Saul Centers in the first quarter valued at approximately $76,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Saul Centers in the third quarter valued at approximately $82,000. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Saul Centers in the first quarter valued at approximately $118,000. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of Saul Centers in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $135,000. 49.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Saul Centers Company Profile

Saul Centers, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the ownership, development and management of retail properties. The company’s portfolio is focused on grocery-anchored and necessity-based shopping centers, providing stable, long-term cash flows through leasing arrangements with national and regional retailers. In addition to ground-up development, Saul Centers actively pursues redevelopment and adaptive reuse projects to enhance value in existing assets.

Founded by the Saul family in 1945, Saul Centers has grown from a local real estate development firm into a listed REIT while maintaining its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland.