Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) Lowered to Hold Rating by Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen cut shares of Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on Stewart Information Services from $78.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $81.50.

Stewart Information Services Stock Down 2.1%

NYSE STC opened at $65.63 on Friday. Stewart Information Services has a 52 week low of $56.39 and a 52 week high of $78.61. The company has a quick ratio of 1.77, a current ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The company has a market capitalization of $1.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.28 and a beta of 1.02. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $71.54 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.31.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.42 by $0.22. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 3.65% and a return on equity of 8.57%. The company had revenue of $791.30 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $737.30 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.07 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 19.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Stewart Information Services will post 6.29 earnings per share for the current year.

Stewart Information Services Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were given a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. Stewart Information Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 58.50%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Stewart Information Services

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Caitlin John LLC bought a new position in shares of Stewart Information Services during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 138.3% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 741 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $54,000 after buying an additional 430 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services in the fourth quarter valued at $65,000. Copeland Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Stewart Information Services by 96.7% in the third quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC now owns 1,119 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $82,000 after acquiring an additional 550 shares during the period. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 2,735.8% in the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,503 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $98,000 after acquiring an additional 1,450 shares during the last quarter. 96.90% of the stock is owned by 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.