Analysts Set $69.50 Price Target for Saul Centers, Inc. (NYSE:BFS)

Saul Centers, Inc. (NYSE:BFS) has been given a consensus broker rating score of 2.33 (Buy) from the three analysts that provide coverage for the stock, Zacks Investment Research reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company.

Analysts have set a 1-year consensus target price of $69.50 for the company and are anticipating that the company will post $0.80 earnings per share for the current quarter, according to Zacks. Zacks has also assigned Saul Centers an industry rank of 176 out of 265 based on the ratings given to related companies.

BFS has been the topic of several analyst reports. BidaskClub lowered Saul Centers from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Saul Centers from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 26th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upgraded Saul Centers from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday.

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Saul Centers (BFS) traded up 1.94% on Wednesday, reaching $61.58. 30,882 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged. Saul Centers has a one year low of $55.86 and a one year high of $68.75. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $59.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $61.23. The firm has a market cap of $1.32 billion, a PE ratio of 39.68 and a beta of 0.73.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 31st. Investors of record on Monday, July 17th were issued a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 13th. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.31%. Saul Centers’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 129.11%.

In related news, insider Scott V. Schneider sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.12, for a total value of $300,600.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 4,500 shares in the company, valued at approximately $270,540. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 15,000 shares of company stock worth $885,800. 48.80% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY raised its stake in shares of Saul Centers by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY now owns 7,158 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $477,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. Prudential Financial Inc. raised its stake in shares of Saul Centers by 0.3% in the second quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 21,878 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $1,268,000 after buying an additional 58 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Saul Centers by 2.1% in the first quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 4,800 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $296,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Arizona State Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Saul Centers by 1.6% in the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 6,206 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $360,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Finally, Texas Permanent School Fund raised its stake in shares of Saul Centers by 1.3% in the second quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund now owns 8,633 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $501,000 after buying an additional 110 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 46.44% of the company’s stock.

Saul Centers Company Profile

Saul Centers, Inc operates as a real estate investment trust. The Company’s principal business activity is the ownership, management and development of income-producing properties. It operates through two segments: Shopping Centers and Mixed-Use Properties. The Company, which conducts all of its activities through its subsidiaries, the Saul Holdings Limited Partnership (Operating Partnership) and Subsidiary Partnerships, engages in the ownership, operation, management, leasing, acquisition, renovation, expansion, development and financing of community and neighborhood shopping centers and mixed-used properties in the Washington, District of Columbia/Baltimore metropolitan area.

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