Short Interest in Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated (NYSE:HR) Expands By 28.5%

Key Points

• Healthcare Realty Trust experienced a significant increase in short interest, rising by 28.5% in August to a total of 17,380,000 shares.
• The company recently cut its dividend to $0.24 per share, reflecting a negative payout ratio of -83.48%.
• Healthcare Realty Trust's stock is currently rated as a Hold by analysts, with a consensus target price of $17.20.

Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated (NYSE:HR - Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totaling 17,380,000 shares, an increase of 28.5% from the July 31st total of 13,530,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 3,740,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.6 days. Based on an average trading volume of 3,740,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.6 days.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Healthcare Realty Trust news, EVP Julie F. Wilson sold 15,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.00, for a total transaction of $270,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 113,419 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,041,542. This trade represents a 11.68% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Thomas N. Bohjalian bought 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 13th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $16.46 per share, for a total transaction of $164,600.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 75,520 shares in the company, valued at $1,243,059.20. This trade represents a 15.26% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of HR. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Healthcare Realty Trust during the first quarter valued at $26,000. SVB Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Healthcare Realty Trust during the first quarter valued at $35,000. Anchor Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Healthcare Realty Trust during the first quarter valued at $38,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Healthcare Realty Trust during the fourth quarter valued at $45,000. Finally, Financial Gravity Companies Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Healthcare Realty Trust during the second quarter valued at $45,000.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

HR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Healthcare Realty Trust from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, May 31st. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $20.00 target price on shares of Healthcare Realty Trust in a report on Wednesday. Scotiabank raised shares of Healthcare Realty Trust from a "sector perform" rating to a "sector outperform" rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $18.00 to $20.00 in a report on Friday, September 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Healthcare Realty Trust from $18.00 to $17.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 26th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Healthcare Realty Trust from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 27th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $17.67.

Healthcare Realty Trust Stock Performance

NYSE HR traded up $0.05 on Friday, hitting $18.36. 3,511,718 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,652,184. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $16.74 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $16.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.45 billion, a P/E ratio of -15.96 and a beta of 0.94. Healthcare Realty Trust has a 52-week low of $14.09 and a 52-week high of $18.90.

Healthcare Realty Trust (NYSE:HR - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.41 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.40 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $287.07 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $290.83 million. Healthcare Realty Trust had a negative net margin of 32.95% and a negative return on equity of 7.70%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. Healthcare Realty Trust has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.570-1.610 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Healthcare Realty Trust will post 1.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Healthcare Realty Trust Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 14th were paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 14th. Healthcare Realty Trust's payout ratio is presently -83.48%.

About Healthcare Realty Trust

Healthcare Realty Trust, Inc provides real estate investment services. It owns, leases, manages, acquires, finances, develops, and redevelops income-producing real estate properties associated primarily with the delivery of outpatient healthcare services throughout the United States of America. The company was founded by David R.