Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) Price Target Raised to $81.00

Key Points

• Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised its price target on Stewart Information Services to $81.00 and kept an "outperform" rating, with the consensus target at $81 implying roughly a 13% upside and an average analyst rating of "Buy".
• Stewart beat quarterly expectations with $0.78 EPS versus $0.52 estimated and $778.4 million in revenue (up 27.7% YoY), while shares traded at $71.70 and the company carries a $2.18 billion market capitalization.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC - Get Free Report) had its price objective raised by equities research analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $78.00 to $81.00 in a research note issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an "outperform" rating on the insurance provider's stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods' price objective would indicate a potential upside of 12.97% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Stephens raised shares of Stewart Information Services from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $82.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 27th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Citizens Jmp started coverage on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. They set a "market outperform" rating and a $80.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Stewart Information Services from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, April 11th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Stewart Information Services presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $81.00.

Stewart Information Services Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of NYSE:STC traded up $0.76 during trading on Friday, reaching $71.70. 40,674 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 242,937. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.18 billion, a PE ratio of 15.99 and a beta of 1.03. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $65.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $68.82. Stewart Information Services has a 12-month low of $56.39 and a 12-month high of $78.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 2.21 and a quick ratio of 2.21.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The insurance provider reported $0.78 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.26. The business had revenue of $778.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $730.43 million. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 4.19% and a return on equity of 10.27%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 27.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.25 earnings per share.

Insider Activity

In other Stewart Information Services news, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. acquired 1,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $65.34 per share, for a total transaction of $65,340.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 21,243 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,388,017.62. This trade represents a 4.94% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 2.94% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Stewart Information Services

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cooke & Bieler LP boosted its stake in shares of Stewart Information Services by 23.2% during the third quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 551,519 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $40,437,000 after purchasing an additional 103,777 shares in the last quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH acquired a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,389,000. Beacon Harbor Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $6,227,000. Intech Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 111.0% in the third quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 57,198 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $4,194,000 after acquiring an additional 30,093 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Portolan Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the third quarter valued at approximately $7,463,000. 96.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Stewart Information Services

Stewart Information Services Corporation NYSE: STC is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients.

In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.

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