Walker & Dunlop (NYSE:WD) Stock Price Passes Above 200 Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Key Points

• Walker & Dunlop's stock price has crossed above its 200-day moving average of $77.10, trading as high as $86.38 before settling at $83.97.
• The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.15 for the last quarter, missing analysts' expectations, but its revenue grew by 17.9% year-over-year.
• A quarterly dividend of $0.67 per share has been declared, representing an annual yield of 3.2%, with a payout ratio of 82.72%.

Shares of Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD - Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $77.10 and traded as high as $86.38. Walker & Dunlop shares last traded at $83.97, with a volume of 212,270 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on WD. Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Walker & Dunlop in a report on Saturday, September 27th. Wedbush restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $90.00 target price on shares of Walker & Dunlop in a report on Thursday, August 14th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Walker & Dunlop from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, August 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $92.50.

Walker & Dunlop Stock Down 0.5%

The stock has a market cap of $2.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.92 and a beta of 1.59. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $83.10 and a 200-day simple moving average of $77.10.

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE:WD - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 7th. The financial services provider reported $1.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.29 by ($0.14). The company had revenue of $319.24 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $275.84 million. Walker & Dunlop had a return on equity of 8.81% and a net margin of 9.27%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 17.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.23 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Walker & Dunlop, Inc. will post 4.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walker & Dunlop Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 5th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 21st were paid a dividend of $0.67 per share. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 21st. Walker & Dunlop's payout ratio is currently 82.72%.

Insider Transactions at Walker & Dunlop

In related news, EVP Paula A. Pryor sold 5,336 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $86.20, for a total transaction of $459,963.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 9,341 shares in the company, valued at $805,194.20. The trade was a 36.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 3.66% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Kestra Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 12,426 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $1,061,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 26.1% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 764 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $65,000 after purchasing an additional 158 shares during the period. Yousif Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 12,006 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $846,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 90.5% in the 1st quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 383 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the period. Finally, Profund Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 6.5% in the 2nd quarter. Profund Advisors LLC now owns 2,982 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $210,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the period. 80.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Walker & Dunlop

Walker & Dunlop, Inc is a holding company, which engages in the provision of commercial real estate and finance services. It operates through the following segments: Capital Markets, Servicing and Asset Management, and Corporate. The Capital Markets segment offers a comprehensive range of commercial real estate finance products to customers.

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