COPT Defense Properties (NYSE:CDP) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of COPT Defense Properties (NYSE:CDP) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seven brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $33.14.

CDP has been the topic of several recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on COPT Defense Properties from $36.00 to $30.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 19th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of COPT Defense Properties in a research report on Monday, March 17th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $31.00 price target on the stock.

COPT Defense Properties Stock Up 0.6%

NYSE CDP opened at $28.30 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $3.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.01 and a beta of 0.88. COPT Defense Properties has a 1-year low of $23.84 and a 1-year high of $34.22. The company has a current ratio of 2.47, a quick ratio of 2.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.56. The company has a 50 day moving average of $26.62 and a 200-day moving average of $28.39.

COPT Defense Properties (NYSE:CDP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 28th. The company reported $0.65 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.65. The company had revenue of $187.86 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $186.37 million. COPT Defense Properties had a net margin of 18.44% and a return on equity of 9.07%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.62 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that COPT Defense Properties will post 2.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

COPT Defense Properties Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 16th. Investors of record on Monday, June 30th will be paid a $0.305 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 30th. This represents a $1.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.31%. COPT Defense Properties’s payout ratio is 97.60%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Robert L. Denton sold 4,398 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.70, for a total transaction of $117,426.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.42% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On COPT Defense Properties

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Strs Ohio purchased a new position in shares of COPT Defense Properties in the first quarter worth approximately $575,000. Intech Investment Management LLC raised its position in COPT Defense Properties by 9.2% in the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 75,489 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,059,000 after acquiring an additional 6,369 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of COPT Defense Properties by 152.4% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 214,122 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,839,000 after acquiring an additional 129,303 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in shares of COPT Defense Properties by 5.0% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 834,042 shares of the company’s stock valued at $22,744,000 after acquiring an additional 39,683 shares during the period. Finally, Woodline Partners LP grew its position in shares of COPT Defense Properties by 130.6% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 729,014 shares of the company’s stock valued at $19,880,000 after acquiring an additional 412,857 shares during the period.

COPT Defense Properties Company Profile

COPT Defense Properties is a real estate investment trust. It acquires, develops, manages, sells, and leases out office properties and data centers. The firm operates through the following segments: Defense/Information Technology Locations, Regional Office, Wholesale Data Center, and Other. The company was founded on January 22,1988 and is headquartered in Columbia, MD.