Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) Receives Average Recommendation of “Buy” from Brokerages

Shares of Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) have received an average rating of “Buy” from the eight ratings firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, six have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $16.80.

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on WSR shares. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH began coverage on shares of Whitestone REIT in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $17.00 target price on the stock. Maxim Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup reiterated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, B. Riley Financial upgraded Whitestone REIT from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $18.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday, March 6th.

Whitestone REIT Stock Performance

NYSE WSR opened at $16.25 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $14.64 and its 200 day moving average price is $13.50. Whitestone REIT has a twelve month low of $11.43 and a twelve month high of $16.35. The company has a market capitalization of $829.28 million, a PE ratio of 17.11 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a current ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39.

Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.43 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.28 by $0.15. Whitestone REIT had a return on equity of 11.23% and a net margin of 31.04%.The company had revenue of $43.92 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $41.27 million. Whitestone REIT has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.100-1.140 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Whitestone REIT will post 0.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Whitestone REIT Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.1425 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $0.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.5%. Whitestone REIT’s payout ratio is presently 60.00%.

Whitestone REIT announced that its board has initiated a share buyback program on Friday, December 19th that allows the company to buyback $50.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the real estate investment trust to buy up to 7.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

About Whitestone REIT

Whitestone REIT is a real estate investment trust headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, that specializes in the acquisition, development and management of retail and mixed-use properties. The company’s portfolio is concentrated in high-growth Texas markets, including the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, where it primarily owns open-air neighborhood and community shopping centers. Whitestone REIT focuses on convenience- and necessity-based retail, partnering with grocers, fitness operators, service providers and other essential tenants to drive consistent foot traffic and stable occupancy.

In addition to property ownership, Whitestone REIT provides asset and property management services, leasing expertise and development capabilities.