Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) Lowered to “Hold” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com downgraded shares of Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report released on Friday morning.

Separately, B. Riley started coverage on shares of Saul Centers in a report on Thursday, April 11th. They set a buy rating and a $43.50 price target on the stock.

Saul Centers Trading Up 2.5 %

NYSE:BFS opened at $36.35 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $37.14 and its 200-day moving average price is $37.31. Saul Centers has a 52 week low of $32.13 and a 52 week high of $41.04. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.34. The stock has a market cap of $871.67 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.01 and a beta of 1.08.

Saul Centers Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Monday, April 15th will be issued a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.49%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 12th. Saul Centers’s dividend payout ratio is currently 136.42%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director James Page Lansdale sold 5,502 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.89, for a total value of $208,470.78. Following the sale, the director now owns 1,298 shares in the company, valued at $49,181.22. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CEO B Francis Saul II bought 8,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 6th. The shares were bought at an average price of $37.80 per share, for a total transaction of $325,080.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 146,706 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,545,486.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director James Page Lansdale sold 5,502 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.89, for a total transaction of $208,470.78. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 1,298 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,181.22. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 56.57% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BFS. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in Saul Centers in the first quarter worth approximately $28,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its position in Saul Centers by 65.1% in the first quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 898 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 354 shares during the period. FMR LLC raised its position in Saul Centers by 43.9% in the first quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,197 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management bought a new position in Saul Centers in the third quarter worth approximately $99,000. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors bought a new position in Saul Centers in the second quarter worth approximately $136,000. 49.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Saul Centers Company Profile

Saul Centers is a self-managed, self-administered equity REIT headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Saul Centers currently operates and manages a real estate portfolio comprised of 61 properties that includes (a) 57 community and neighborhood Shopping Centers and Mixed-Use properties with approximately 9.8 million square feet of leasable area and (b) four land and development properties.