Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) Reaches New 52-Week Low - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Saul Centers' stock reached a new 52-week low of $30.16, with a recent trading price of $30.19, reflecting a 0.2% decrease in value.
• The company reported earnings of $0.73 EPS, missing the consensus estimate of $0.75 EPS, and has a current market capitalization of $735.76 million.
• Saul Centers announced a quarterly dividend of $0.59, equating to a 7.8% dividend yield, with a significant payout ratio of 178.79%.

Saul Centers, Inc. (NYSE:BFS - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $30.16 and last traded at $30.19, with a volume of 5891 shares. The stock had previously closed at $30.27.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c-)" rating on shares of Saul Centers in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, Saul Centers has a consensus rating of "Hold".

Saul Centers Stock Down 0.2%

The firm has a market capitalization of $735.76 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.88 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.16. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $32.43 and a 200 day moving average price of $33.28.

Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 7th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.75 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $69.43 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $71.39 million. Saul Centers had a return on equity of 13.79% and a net margin of 15.51%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Saul Centers, Inc. will post 3.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Saul Centers Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 15th will be issued a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 15th. Saul Centers's payout ratio is presently 178.79%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Saul Centers by 9.6% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 322,082 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $10,997,000 after buying an additional 28,282 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in Saul Centers by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 120,465 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $4,113,000 after buying an additional 4,779 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Saul Centers by 36.0% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 119,824 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $4,322,000 after buying an additional 31,722 shares in the last quarter. Man Group plc lifted its holdings in Saul Centers by 6.4% during the 2nd quarter. Man Group plc now owns 118,056 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $4,030,000 after buying an additional 7,118 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd lifted its holdings in Saul Centers by 14.6% during the 2nd quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 80,203 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $2,738,000 after buying an additional 10,239 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 49.99% of the company's stock.

About Saul Centers

Saul Centers is a self-managed, self-administered equity REIT headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Saul Centers currently operates and manages a real estate portfolio comprised of 61 properties that includes (a) 57 community and neighborhood Shopping Centers and Mixed-Use properties with approximately 9.8 million square feet of leasable area and (b) four land and development properties.

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