Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) Cut 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 Wednesday morning.

Separately, B. Riley raised their price target on shares of Saul Centers from $43.50 to $45.50 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 22nd.

Saul Centers Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:BFS opened at $41.11 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.61, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.13. Saul Centers has a 52-week low of $34.87 and a 52-week high of $42.39. The company has a market capitalization of $993.63 million, a PE ratio of 22.34 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a fifty day moving average of $40.40 and a 200-day moving average of $39.00.

Saul Centers Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, October 15th were paid a $0.59 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, October 15th. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.74%. Saul Centers’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 128.26%.

Institutional Trading of Saul Centers

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Millennium Management LLC bought a new position in Saul Centers during the second quarter worth about $3,272,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Saul Centers by 115.0% during the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 59,675 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $2,194,000 after acquiring an additional 31,919 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC purchased a new position in Saul Centers during the second quarter worth about $1,060,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Saul Centers by 149.6% in the 3rd quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 40,512 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $1,700,000 after acquiring an additional 24,281 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in shares of Saul Centers by 10.2% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 228,474 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $8,401,000 after acquiring an additional 21,100 shares during the last quarter. 49.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Saul Centers

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.