Short Interest in Saul Centers, Inc. (NYSE:BFS) Increases By 5.8%

Saul Centers, Inc. (NYSE:BFS) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of August. As of August 31st, there was short interest totalling 128,600 shares, a growth of 5.8% from the August 15th total of 121,500 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 48,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.6 days. Approximately 1.0% of the company’s shares are sold short.

Saul Centers Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSE:BFS traded up $0.19 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $40.47. 69,011 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 52,215. Saul Centers has a twelve month low of $33.56 and a twelve month high of $41.63. The firm has a market cap of $970.55 million, a P/E ratio of 23.39 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.40, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 0.83. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $39.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.76.

Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.77 by ($0.29). Saul Centers had a return on equity of 16.61% and a net margin of 20.49%. The company had revenue of $66.94 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $65.54 million. On average, research analysts expect that Saul Centers will post 3.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Saul Centers Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 15th were issued a dividend of $0.59 per share. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.83%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 15th. Saul Centers’s dividend payout ratio is currently 136.42%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Saul Centers

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC purchased a new position in Saul Centers in the second quarter valued at about $228,000. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Saul Centers during the 2nd quarter valued at about $102,000. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Saul Centers by 55.9% in the 2nd quarter. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC now owns 9,079 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $334,000 after buying an additional 3,255 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC acquired a new position in Saul Centers in the second quarter worth approximately $3,272,000. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in Saul Centers by 115.0% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 59,675 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $2,194,000 after acquiring an additional 31,919 shares in the last quarter. 49.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

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

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.