Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:FBRT) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:FBRT) have received a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the five research firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $13.50.

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on FBRT shares. JonesTrading cut their price objective on Franklin BSP Realty Trust from $13.00 to $12.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday.

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Trading Up 2.8%

NYSE:FBRT opened at $9.13 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $744.69 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.26 and a beta of 0.98. Franklin BSP Realty Trust has a 52 week low of $8.42 and a 52 week high of $13.58. The company has a quick ratio of 67.81, a current ratio of 70.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.33. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $10.07 and a 200 day moving average of $10.54.

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be paid a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.8%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 31st. Franklin BSP Realty Trust’s payout ratio is currently 221.88%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Franklin BSP Realty Trust

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of FBRT. CWM LLC lifted its position in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 126.7% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,428 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 1,357 shares in the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. purchased a new position in Franklin BSP Realty Trust in the 4th quarter valued at $40,000. Arlington Trust Co LLC acquired a new stake in Franklin BSP Realty Trust during the 4th quarter worth $40,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Franklin BSP Realty Trust during the 4th quarter worth $44,000. Finally, Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust during the third quarter worth $45,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 59.87% of the company’s stock.

About Franklin BSP Realty Trust

Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: FBRT) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust sponsored by an affiliate of Franklin Square Capital Partners. The company focuses on acquiring, owning and managing single-tenant net leased commercial properties across the United States. Its portfolio spans retail, office, industrial and other property types, with leases structured to shift most property‐level responsibilities—such as maintenance, property taxes and insurance—to the tenants.

By concentrating on net lease investments, Franklin BSP Realty Trust aims to generate stable and predictable rental income streams.