Short Interest in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MUJ) Grows By 70.7%

Key Points

• Short interest in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund (NYSE:MUJ) surged 70.7% in March to 165,836 shares, about 0.3% of shares outstanding and a short-interest ratio of 1.8 days.
• The fund announced a monthly dividend of $0.054 payable July 1 (record/ex-dividend date June 15), implying an annualized yield of roughly 5.7%.
• MUJ last traded at $11.44 on elevated volume (255,437 vs. ~96,958 average), sits in a 12‑month range of $10.50–$12.68, and is ~15.13% owned by institutional investors.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MUJ - Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest during the month of March. As of March 13th, there was short interest totaling 165,836 shares, an increase of 70.7% from the February 26th total of 97,175 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 94,469 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.8 days. Approximately 0.3% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in shares of BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund in the 4th quarter valued at $60,000. Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new position in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund during the fourth quarter worth $69,000. Nomura Holdings Inc. bought a new position in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund during the second quarter valued at about $110,000. Green Ridge Wealth Planning LLC bought a new position in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund during the fourth quarter valued at about $133,000. Finally, Cary Street Partners Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund in the fourth quarter worth about $133,000. 15.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Stock Performance

NYSE:MUJ traded down $0.12 on Friday, reaching $11.44. The stock had a trading volume of 255,437 shares, compared to its average volume of 96,958. The company has a 50-day moving average of $12.28 and a 200 day moving average of $11.95. BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund has a 12-month low of $10.50 and a 12-month high of $12.68.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be issued a $0.054 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th.

About BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund NYSE: MUJ is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide shareholders with a high level of current income exempt from federal and New Jersey state income taxes. The fund primarily invests in investment-grade municipal securities issued by or on behalf of the State of New Jersey and its municipalities, authorities, and instrumentalities. By concentrating on high-quality New Jersey public finance obligations, MUJ aims to offer tax-efficient income for investors with exposure to the state's credit profile.

The fund's portfolio is actively managed by BlackRock's municipal fixed income team, which conducts credit analysis and sector allocation to identify opportunities within New Jersey's diverse municipal marketplace.

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