Zacks Research Upgrades Franklin BSP Realty Trust (NYSE:FBRT) to “Hold”

Franklin BSP Realty Trust (NYSE:FBRT) was upgraded by equities researchers at Zacks Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report issued on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

Separately, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $14.00.

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Stock Up 1.7%

Shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust stock opened at $8.86 on Thursday. Franklin BSP Realty Trust has a 12 month low of $8.42 and a 12 month high of $13.58. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $10.24 and a 200 day simple moving average of $10.59. The company has a quick ratio of 67.81, a current ratio of 70.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.33. The stock has a market cap of $722.66 million, a PE ratio of 13.84 and a beta of 0.98.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its position in Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 6.2% during the second quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 21,108 shares of the company’s stock worth $226,000 after purchasing an additional 1,229 shares during the period. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey lifted its stake in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 7.6% during the 2nd quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey now owns 17,766 shares of the company’s stock worth $190,000 after buying an additional 1,259 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 126.7% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,428 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 1,357 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 16.6% in the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 9,574 shares of the company’s stock valued at $96,000 after buying an additional 1,366 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 3.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 39,303 shares of the company’s stock valued at $502,000 after acquiring an additional 1,378 shares during the period. 59.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Franklin BSP Realty Trust

Here are the key news stories impacting Franklin BSP Realty Trust this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst note calls FBRT a dip-buying opportunity after the market selloff, highlighting portfolio growth via new loans and an acquisition, strong profit margins and a lower debt/equity profile versus peers — a view that can attract yield-focused and value buyers. Franklin BSP Realty Trust: A Dip Buying Opportunity As Portfolio Grows
• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 (annualized yield ~9.2%) with a March 31 record date — the high yield is likely drawing income-seeking investors and supporting the share uptick.
• Neutral Sentiment: Management outlined a $4.8B–$5B “core book” asset target and said it will reset the dividend as part of a shift toward more stable, predictable earnings — a strategic pivot that could reduce volatility but may lower near-term payout expectations. FBRT outlines $4.8B–$5B core book target and dividend reset as company shifts toward stable earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Leadership changes were announced at the CEO and senior level — increases governance/transition risk in the near term but could be positive if new leadership executes the stated strategy. Franklin BSP Realty Trust Announces CEO and Leadership Changes
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 results missed expectations: EPS came in below consensus, GAAP net income fell year-over-year and the company missed revenue/earnings estimates — these operational misses pressured sentiment. Franklin BSP (FBRT) Misses Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: coverage and commentaries explain a large recent share decline tied to the dividend reset and earnings misses — that volatility makes near-term price moves sensitive to further execution updates and payout guidance. Why Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc.’s (FBRT) Stock Is Down 14.83%

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Company Profile

Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: FBRT) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust sponsored by an affiliate of Franklin Square Capital Partners. The company focuses on acquiring, owning and managing single-tenant net leased commercial properties across the United States. Its portfolio spans retail, office, industrial and other property types, with leases structured to shift most property‐level responsibilities—such as maintenance, property taxes and insurance—to the tenants.

By concentrating on net lease investments, Franklin BSP Realty Trust aims to generate stable and predictable rental income streams.