Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) Stock Rating Lowered by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Key Points

• Deutsche Bank downgraded Highwoods Properties from “Buy” to “Hold” and set a $33 price target, implying virtually no upside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly neutral: seven analysts rate the REIT “Hold” and one rates it “Buy,” with an average price target of $31.67.
• Highwoods reported quarterly revenue of $216.38 million, beating estimates, but earnings per share of $0.85 fell just short of consensus. The company also authorized a $250 million share-repurchase program, covering up to 9.5% of outstanding shares.

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW - Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have a $33.00 target price on the real estate investment trust's stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft's price target suggests a potential upside of 0.06% from the stock's previous close.

Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Citigroup upped their price objective on Highwoods Properties from $24.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of Highwoods Properties from $25.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Highwoods Properties from $23.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Highwoods Properties from $24.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their target price on Highwoods Properties from $23.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, June 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Highwoods Properties has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $31.67.

Highwoods Properties Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:HIW opened at $32.98 on Wednesday. Highwoods Properties has a one year low of $20.45 and a one year high of $35.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a current ratio of 1.68 and a quick ratio of 1.68. The company has a market cap of $3.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.70 and a beta of 1.05. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $30.63 and a 200 day simple moving average of $26.22.

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.85 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.86 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $216.38 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $212.15 million. Highwoods Properties had a net margin of 20.74% and a return on equity of 7.06%. The firm's revenue was up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.89 earnings per share. Highwoods Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.460-3.700 EPS. Research analysts predict that Highwoods Properties will post 3.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Highwoods Properties announced that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, April 22nd that authorizes the company to repurchase $250.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the real estate investment trust to buy up to 9.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company's leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Highwoods Properties

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its position in shares of Highwoods Properties by 88.6% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 792 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 372 shares in the last quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Highwoods Properties by 752.0% in the second quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,065 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 940 shares in the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Highwoods Properties by 292.5% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,680 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 1,252 shares in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Highwoods Properties by 285.8% during the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,983 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $51,000 after acquiring an additional 1,469 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State of Wyoming acquired a new position in shares of Highwoods Properties during the first quarter worth approximately $57,000. 96.31% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Highwoods Properties

Highwoods Properties, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, develops, leases and manages office properties. The company's portfolio is primarily focused on Class A office space, with an emphasis on high-quality buildings in key urban and suburban submarkets. Highwoods seeks to generate long-term, recurring revenues through a mix of in-place lease renewals, strategic dispositions and build-to-suit developments. Its asset management platform drives operational efficiencies and tenant service initiatives across its holdings.

Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, Highwoods Properties has expanded its presence to eight major metropolitan regions across the Southeastern United States and Texas.

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