Armada Hoffler Properties (NYSE:AHRT) Hits New 1-Year Low - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• 52-week low: Armada Hoffler hit a new 52-week low of $5.45 on Monday with roughly 1.76 million shares traded and last trading at $5.6450.
• Analyst sentiment mixed: The consensus rating is "Hold" with a $7.70 target after several downgrades—ratings include 1 Strong Buy, 1 Buy, 1 Hold and 3 Sell, and multiple firms have cut price targets.
• High yield but risky: The company declared a $0.14 quarterly dividend (annualized $0.56, ~9.9% yield), but a negative PE (-70.45), a −700% payout ratio and a 2.46 debt/equity ratio raise sustainability and leverage concerns.

Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE:AHRT - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week low on Monday . The company traded as low as $5.45 and last traded at $5.6450, with a volume of 1757697 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $5.71.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AHRT has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Armada Hoffler Properties in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research cut shares of Armada Hoffler Properties from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. UBS Group set a $7.50 target price on Armada Hoffler Properties in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on Armada Hoffler Properties from $10.50 to $9.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Scotiabank reduced their price target on shares of Armada Hoffler Properties from $7.50 to $7.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $7.70.

Armada Hoffler Properties Stock Performance

The company's fifty day moving average price is $6.51 and its 200 day moving average price is $6.66. The company has a market cap of $584.31 million, a PE ratio of -70.45 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.46, a current ratio of 6.15 and a quick ratio of 6.15.

Armada Hoffler Properties Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 2nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 26th will be issued a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 26th. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.9%. Armada Hoffler Properties's dividend payout ratio is presently -700.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Frederick Blair Wimbush bought 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was bought at an average cost of $6.19 per share, for a total transaction of $61,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 38,685 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $239,460.15. The trade was a 34.86% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 11.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Armada Hoffler Properties

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its position in Armada Hoffler Properties by 99.3% during the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 6,367 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 3,173 shares in the last quarter. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in shares of Armada Hoffler Properties during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in Armada Hoffler Properties by 172.7% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 7,919 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 5,015 shares in the last quarter. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. purchased a new stake in shares of Armada Hoffler Properties in the fourth quarter worth about $68,000. Finally, RPO LLC bought a new position in shares of Armada Hoffler Properties during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $68,000. 66.35% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Armada Hoffler Properties

Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the ownership, operation and development of retail, office and mixed-use properties. The company’s portfolio primarily comprises neighborhood and community shopping centers, urban infill retail sites and select office buildings located in high-growth markets. Armada Hoffler also provides in-house property management and leasing services, leveraging its vertically integrated platform to enhance asset value and tenant satisfaction.

Founded on a legacy of commercial real estate development dating back to the 1970s, Armada Hoffler went public in 2016 through a strategic combination of private real estate entities.

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