BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MUJ) Short Interest Down 48.0% in June

Key Points

• Short interest in MUJ fell sharply in June, dropping 48.0% to 76,251 shares as of June 30 from 146,743 shares on June 15. That leaves about 0.1% of shares sold short and a short-interest ratio of 0.7 days.
• Institutional ownership activity was mixed but generally constructive, with several firms increasing their stakes, including Bank of America Corp DE and Osaic Holdings Inc. Overall, institutional investors and hedge funds hold 15.13% of the fund.
• The fund continues to pay a monthly dividend of $0.054 per share, payable October 1 to shareholders of record on September 15, implying an annualized yield of 5.3%.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MUJ - Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest in the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totaling 76,251 shares, a drop of 48.0% from the June 15th total of 146,743 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 103,306 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.7 days. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the stock are sold short.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund by 2.8% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 51,595 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $580,000 after buying an additional 1,400 shares during the period. Peapack Gladstone Financial Corp lifted its holdings in shares of BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund by 8.3% during the 2nd quarter. Peapack Gladstone Financial Corp now owns 32,859 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $360,000 after acquiring an additional 2,522 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in shares of BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund by 7.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 449,183 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $4,919,000 after acquiring an additional 31,816 shares in the last quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. bought a new position in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund in the second quarter valued at approximately $110,000. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its stake in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund by 26.8% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 54,095 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $593,000 after acquiring an additional 11,438 shares during the last quarter. 15.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MUJ traded down $0.04 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $12.31. 30,014 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 98,626. The company's 50 day moving average is $12.27 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.17. BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund has a 52 week low of $10.66 and a 52 week high of $12.68.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a $0.054 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Company Profile

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund NYSE: MUJ is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide shareholders with a high level of current income exempt from federal and New Jersey state income taxes. The fund primarily invests in investment-grade municipal securities issued by or on behalf of the State of New Jersey and its municipalities, authorities, and instrumentalities. By concentrating on high-quality New Jersey public finance obligations, MUJ aims to offer tax-efficient income for investors with exposure to the state's credit profile.

The fund's portfolio is actively managed by BlackRock's municipal fixed income team, which conducts credit analysis and sector allocation to identify opportunities within New Jersey's diverse municipal marketplace.

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