Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) Stock Passes Above 200-Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Key Points

• Saul Centers stock crossed above its 200-day moving average, trading as high as $34.46 and last changing hands at $34.24. The move came on volume of 60,832 shares.
• The company reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings, with EPS of $0.26 versus analyst estimates of $0.13. Revenue came in slightly below expectations at $74.64 million.
• Saul Centers continues to offer a high dividend yield, paying a quarterly dividend of $0.59 per share, or $2.36 annualized. That implies a yield of about 6.9%, though the payout ratio is elevated at 216.51%.

Shares of Saul Centers, Inc. (NYSE:BFS - Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $32.36 and traded as high as $34.46. Saul Centers shares last traded at $34.24, with a volume of 60,832 shares traded.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Saul Centers in a research report on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, Saul Centers presently has a consensus rating of "Hold".

Saul Centers Stock Performance

The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $33.69 and its 200 day simple moving average is $32.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $838.88 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.41 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.48, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 1.90.

Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.13 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $74.64 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $75.11 million. Saul Centers had a return on equity of 12.48% and a net margin of 12.94%.

Saul Centers Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 15th were given a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, April 15th. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.9%. Saul Centers's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 216.51%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Saul Centers

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in Saul Centers in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its holdings in Saul Centers by 48.8% in the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,092 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 358 shares during the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its holdings in Saul Centers by 82.9% in the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,412 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 640 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC raised its holdings in Saul Centers by 35.8% in the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,444 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 381 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Saul Centers in the 4th quarter valued at about $54,000. 49.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Saul Centers

Saul Centers, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the ownership, development and management of retail properties. The company's portfolio is focused on grocery-anchored and necessity-based shopping centers, providing stable, long-term cash flows through leasing arrangements with national and regional retailers. In addition to ground-up development, Saul Centers actively pursues redevelopment and adaptive reuse projects to enhance value in existing assets.

Founded by the Saul family in 1945, Saul Centers has grown from a local real estate development firm into a listed REIT while maintaining its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland.

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