United Dominion Realty Trust (NYSE:UDR) Price Target Raised to $44.50 at Morgan Stanley

Key Points

• Morgan Stanley raised its price target on United Dominion Realty Trust (NYSE: UDR) to $44.50 from $43.00, while keeping an equal weight rating. The new target implies about 13.8% upside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment on UDR remains mixed: the stock has a Hold consensus with an average target price of $40.67, even as Wells Fargo recently boosted its target and several other firms trimmed theirs.
• The stock was trading around $39.09, and UDR recently reported Q1 earnings of $0.57 per share, missing estimates, while also authorizing a 25 million-share buyback program.

United Dominion Realty Trust (NYSE:UDR - Get Free Report) had its target price hoisted by analysts at Morgan Stanley from $43.00 to $44.50 in a report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an "equal weight" rating on the real estate investment trust's stock. Morgan Stanley's target price suggests a potential upside of 13.83% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on United Dominion Realty Trust from $39.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Wall Street Zen raised United Dominion Realty Trust from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 16th. Citigroup decreased their target price on United Dominion Realty Trust from $42.00 to $40.50 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on United Dominion Realty Trust from $39.00 to $35.00 and set a "sell" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Scotiabank cut their price target on United Dominion Realty Trust from $39.00 to $38.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $40.67.

United Dominion Realty Trust Price Performance

Shares of United Dominion Realty Trust stock traded up $0.70 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $39.09. 1,339,810 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,341,796. United Dominion Realty Trust has a fifty-two week low of $32.94 and a fifty-two week high of $41.60. The company has a market cap of $12.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 12.93 and a beta of 0.73. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $37.17 and a 200 day simple moving average of $36.66. The company has a current ratio of 5.56, a quick ratio of 5.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75.

United Dominion Realty Trust (NYSE:UDR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.57 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.62 by ($0.05). The firm had revenue of $425.85 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $427.08 million. United Dominion Realty Trust had a net margin of 28.60% and a return on equity of 15.10%. United Dominion Realty Trust's quarterly revenue was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.61 earnings per share. United Dominion Realty Trust has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.470-2.570 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.620-0.640 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that United Dominion Realty Trust will post 2.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Dominion Realty Trust announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Monday, May 4th that permits the company to buyback 25,000,000 shares. This buyback authorization permits the real estate investment trust to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often a sign that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at United Dominion Realty Trust

In other United Dominion Realty Trust news, CEO Thomas W. Toomey sold 80,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $39.25, for a total transaction of $3,140,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 810,455 shares in the company, valued at approximately $31,810,358.75. This represents a 8.98% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.82% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Dominion Realty Trust

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of UDR. Jane Street Group LLC grew its holdings in United Dominion Realty Trust by 35.0% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 14,028 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $634,000 after acquiring an additional 3,637 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in shares of United Dominion Realty Trust by 5.8% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,129 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $277,000 after acquiring an additional 337 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of United Dominion Realty Trust by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 60,692 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $2,741,000 after purchasing an additional 986 shares during the period. 97.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About United Dominion Realty Trust

United Dominion Realty Trust NYSE: UDR is a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, acquisition, development and redevelopment of multifamily apartment communities. The company's core focus is on Class A and Class A–plus residential properties, offering a diverse portfolio designed to meet the evolving needs of renters. UDR employs a full-service management platform to oversee daily operations, property maintenance, leasing, and resident services, ensuring consistency and quality across its holdings.

UDR's business activities encompass ground-up development, strategic property redevelopment, and selective acquisitions.

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