Empowered Funds LLC Takes $8.21 Million Position in Stewart Information Services Corporation $STC

Key Points

• Empowered Funds LLC acquired 124,367 shares of Stewart Information Services, valued at approximately $8.21 million and representing 0.41% of the company. Institutional investors collectively own 96.90% of STC.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but remains “Moderate Buy” overall, with a consensus price target of $81.50 versus the stock’s recent price near $69.99. Ratings range from “Strong Sell” to “Overweight.”
• Stewart reported quarterly revenue of $895.8 million, up 24.5% year over year and above estimates, but EPS of $1.39 missed consensus by $0.24. The company also maintains a quarterly dividend of $0.525, yielding about 3.0% annually.

Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 124,367 shares of the insurance provider's stock, valued at approximately $8,211,000. Empowered Funds LLC owned 0.41% of Stewart Information Services as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in STC. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Stewart Information Services by 4.6% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,044,758 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $143,665,000 after purchasing an additional 90,233 shares during the period. Seven Grand Managers LLC acquired a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the fourth quarter worth $1,756,000. HighTower Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the fourth quarter worth $1,377,000. Peregrine Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Stewart Information Services during the first quarter worth $3,371,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Stewart Information Services in the 2nd quarter valued at $347,274,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.90% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Stewart Information Services

In related news, insider Brian Glaze sold 1,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.16, for a total value of $103,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 11,784 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $814,981.44. This trade represents a 11.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. bought 1,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The shares were bought at an average price of $63.87 per share, for a total transaction of $63,870.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 25,034 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,598,921.58. This represents a 4.16% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 2.94% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

STC has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings raised Stewart Information Services from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut Stewart Information Services from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and cut their price objective for the company from $77.00 to $71.00 in a report on Monday, July 27th. Zacks Research cut Stewart Information Services from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Stewart Information Services from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, July 25th. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $88.00 price target on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Stewart Information Services currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $81.50.

Stewart Information Services Stock Up 0.1%

STC stock opened at $69.99 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.98 and a quick ratio of 1.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.35 and a beta of 0.98. Stewart Information Services Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $57.10 and a fifty-two week high of $78.61. The business has a 50-day moving average of $68.26 and a 200-day moving average of $66.89.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results 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). Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 4.12% and a return on equity of 10.02%. The firm had revenue of $895.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $838.07 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.34 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 24.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Stewart Information Services Corporation will post 5.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Stewart Information Services Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were given a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. Stewart Information Services's payout ratio is currently 46.05%.

About Stewart Information Services

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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