Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) Given Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts hold a “Moderate Buy” consensus on Stewart Information Services, with four buys, one hold and one sell among six covering brokerages. The average 12-month price target is $81.50, above the reported $67.41 opening price.
• Stewart reported quarterly revenue of $895.8 million, up 24.5% year over year and above estimates, but adjusted earnings of $1.39 per share missed the $1.63 consensus forecast.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.55 per share, equivalent to a $2.20 annualized payout and a 3.3% yield. Institutional investors own approximately 96.9% of the stock.

Shares of Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC - Get Free Report) have received a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the six brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has assigned a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $81.50.

STC has been the topic of several research reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research report on Wednesday. Benchmark started coverage on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a "buy" rating and a $87.00 target price for the company. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Stewart Information Services from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, July 25th. Stephens reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $88.00 price target on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, May 18th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Stewart Information Services from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th.

Stewart Information Services Stock Performance

Shares of Stewart Information Services stock opened at $67.41 on Friday. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $68.44 and its 200 day simple moving average is $66.83. The company has a current ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. Stewart Information Services has a 12 month low of $57.10 and a 12 month high of $78.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.78 and a beta of 0.97.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.63 by ($0.24). The business had revenue of $895.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $838.07 million. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 4.12% and a return on equity of 10.02%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 24.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.34 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Stewart Information Services will post 5.26 EPS for the current year.

Stewart Information Services Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a $0.55 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This is a boost from Stewart Information Services's previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.3%. Stewart Information Services's dividend payout ratio is presently 46.05%.

Insider Activity at Stewart Information Services

In other news, insider Brian Glaze sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.16, for a total transaction of $103,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 11,784 shares in the company, valued at approximately $814,981.44. This represents a 11.29% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 2.94% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Stewart Information Services

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Stewart Information Services by 4.6% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,044,758 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $143,665,000 after purchasing an additional 90,233 shares in the last quarter. Seven Grand Managers LLC bought a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at about $1,756,000. HighTower Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at about $1,377,000. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services in the second quarter worth about $347,274,000. Finally, Peregrine Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Stewart Information Services in the first quarter valued at approximately $3,371,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.90% of the company's stock.

Stewart Information Services Company Profile

Stewart Information Services Corporation NYSE: STC is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients.

In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.

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