Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) Now Covered by LADENBURG THALM/SH SH

LADENBURG THALM/SH SH initiated coverage on shares of Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) in a report issued on Tuesday. The brokerage issued a buy rating and a $17.00 price target on the real estate investment trust’s stock.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on WSR. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup restated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Whitestone REIT from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Whitestone REIT has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $16.00.

Whitestone REIT Stock Performance

NYSE:WSR opened at $13.83 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.74 and a quick ratio of 1.74. The firm has a market cap of $705.35 million, a PE ratio of 16.26 and a beta of 0.81. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $13.50 and a 200-day simple moving average of $12.83. Whitestone REIT has a 1-year low of $11.43 and a 1-year high of $14.77.

Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.26. The firm had revenue of $41.05 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $39.21 million. Whitestone REIT had a net margin of 28.16% and a return on equity of 10.10%. Whitestone REIT has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.030-1.070 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Whitestone REIT will post 0.99 EPS for the current year.

Whitestone REIT announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Friday, December 19th that permits the company to buyback $50.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the real estate investment trust to buy up to 7.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Whitestone REIT Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a $0.1425 dividend. This represents a $0.57 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. Whitestone REIT’s payout ratio is currently 67.06%.

Whitestone REIT Company Profile

Whitestone REIT is a real estate investment trust headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, that specializes in the acquisition, development and management of retail and mixed-use properties. The company’s portfolio is concentrated in high-growth Texas markets, including the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, where it primarily owns open-air neighborhood and community shopping centers. Whitestone REIT focuses on convenience- and necessity-based retail, partnering with grocers, fitness operators, service providers and other essential tenants to drive consistent foot traffic and stable occupancy.

In addition to property ownership, Whitestone REIT provides asset and property management services, leasing expertise and development capabilities.