Blackstone Mortgage Trust Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:BXMT)

Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NYSE:BXMT - Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Investors bought 7,704 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 56% compared to the average daily volume of 4,933 put options.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, UBS Group began coverage on shares of Blackstone Mortgage Trust in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $23.50 target price for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $21.70.

Blackstone Mortgage Trust Trading Down 3.3 %

Shares of NYSE:BXMT traded down $0.63 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $18.40. 980,152 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,098,667. The stock has a market cap of $3.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.69 and a beta of 1.43. Blackstone Mortgage Trust has a twelve month low of $16.60 and a twelve month high of $24.08. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $21.42 and a 200-day moving average price of $21.65.

Blackstone Mortgage Trust Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, January 16th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th were paid a $0.62 dividend. This represents a $2.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 13.48%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 28th. Blackstone Mortgage Trust's payout ratio is 217.54%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Blackstone Mortgage Trust

In other Blackstone Mortgage Trust news, CEO Katharine A. Keenan sold 1,159 shares of Blackstone Mortgage Trust stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.54, for a total transaction of $26,123.86. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 146,846 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,309,908.84. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Katharine A. Keenan sold 2,274 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.23, for a total value of $48,277.02. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 144,572 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,069,263.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Katharine A. Keenan sold 1,159 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.54, for a total transaction of $26,123.86. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 146,846 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,309,908.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 7,104 shares of company stock worth $155,387. Company insiders own 1.02% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Central Bank & Trust Co. acquired a new position in shares of Blackstone Mortgage Trust during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its stake in shares of Blackstone Mortgage Trust by 447.5% during the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,336 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 1,092 shares during the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Blackstone Mortgage Trust during the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in shares of Blackstone Mortgage Trust during the 3rd quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, DT Investment Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Blackstone Mortgage Trust during the 2nd quarter valued at about $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 52.89% of the company's stock.

Blackstone Mortgage Trust Company Profile

Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc, a real estate finance company, originates senior loans collateralized by commercial properties in North America, Europe, and Australia. The company, together with its subsidiaries, originates and acquires commercial mortgage loans and related investments. It operates as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes.

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