Freestone Grove Partners LP Acquires New Stake in Walker & Dunlop, Inc. $WD

Freestone Grove Partners LP bought a new stake in Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 26,724 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $1,462,000. Freestone Grove Partners LP owned 0.08% of Walker & Dunlop as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of WD. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 107.9% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 580 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 301 shares during the period. Strs Ohio bought a new position in shares of Walker & Dunlop in the 1st quarter worth approximately $51,000. Essential Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 709.1% in the 1st quarter. Essential Partners LLC now owns 623 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 546 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new position in shares of Walker & Dunlop in the second quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 1,398.0% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 734 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 685 shares during the last quarter. 80.97% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Walker & Dunlop Stock Up 3.4%

NYSE WD opened at $41.64 on Friday. Walker & Dunlop, Inc. has a 52 week low of $39.01 and a 52 week high of $90.00. The company has a market capitalization of $1.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.18 and a beta of 1.49. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $47.80 and its 200-day moving average price is $49.79.

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE:WD - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.29. The company had revenue of $306.69 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $337.37 million. Walker & Dunlop had a return on equity of 7.25% and a net margin of 2.94%.The firm's revenue was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.15 EPS.

Walker & Dunlop Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.68 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 20th. This represents a $2.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.5%. Walker & Dunlop's payout ratio is currently 242.86%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on WD. Citigroup restated a "market outperform" rating on shares of Walker & Dunlop in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Walker & Dunlop from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price target on shares of Walker & Dunlop from $63.00 to $57.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Walker & Dunlop from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. Finally, Citizens Jmp cut their price objective on shares of Walker & Dunlop from $70.00 to $55.00 and set a "market outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Walker & Dunlop presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $64.00.

Walker & Dunlop Profile

Walker & Dunlop is one of the largest providers of commercial real estate finance in the United States, specializing in the origination, servicing and sale of loans secured by multifamily, seniors housing, healthcare, student housing and manufactured housing properties. The firm offers a full suite of debt and equity solutions, including agency financing through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, HUD and FHA-insured loans, bridge and construction financing, mezzanine debt, preferred equity, and investment sales advisory.

With roots dating back to 1937 and its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, Walker & Dunlop has expanded its platform through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source