Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) Sets New 12-Month Low After Earnings Miss

Highwoods Properties, Inc. (NYSE:HIW) shares hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday after the company announced weaker than expected quarterly earnings. The stock traded as low as $23.73 and last traded at $23.5260, with a volume of 1650971 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.99.

The real estate investment trust reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.84 by ($0.58). The company had revenue of $203.36 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $208.08 million. Highwoods Properties had a return on equity of 6.85% and a net margin of 20.10%.Highwoods Properties’s quarterly revenue was down .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.85 EPS. Highwoods Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.680 EPS.

Highwoods Properties Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.6%. Highwoods Properties’s payout ratio is presently 170.94%.

Highwoods Properties News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Highwoods Properties this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 FFO beat estimates — Highwoods reported quarterly FFO of $0.90 vs. Zacks consensus $0.84, cited as driven by solid leasing and rent growth; company said 2026 FFO guidance is in line with expectations. Highwoods Properties Q4 FFO Beats Estimates, Revenues Miss
• Positive Sentiment: Raised / confident FY‑2026 guidance — management set FY‑2026 EPS guidance at $3.40–$3.68, which is around or above recent analyst expectations (~$3.36), giving investors a constructive outlook for next year. Highwoods Announces Availability of Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcript published — full Q4 2025 call transcript is available for investors who want management commentary and color on leasing, portfolio performance and capital allocation. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly metrics review available — coverage comparing key Q4 metrics to Street estimates and year‑ago figures to help modelers update forecasts. How Key Metrics Compare to Wall Street Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: GAAP EPS and revenue missed — company reported GAAP EPS of $0.26 (vs. consensus ~$0.84) and revenue of $203.4M (vs. ~$208.1M); revenue was down ~0.9% year‑over‑year, which pressured the stock. MarketBeat Earnings Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Launched up to $300M ATM equity program — management registered equity distribution agreements/at‑the‑market program that could dilute shareholders if used, a common reason for near‑term selling pressure. Equity Distribution Agreements Announcement

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

HIW has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded Highwoods Properties from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, January 17th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Highwoods Properties from $23.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Highwoods Properties from $31.00 to $30.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Highwoods Properties from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $29.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Highwoods Properties in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $30.75.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Highwoods Properties

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its position in Highwoods Properties by 88.6% in the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 792 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 372 shares in the last quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc increased its position in shares of Highwoods Properties by 921.4% during the 3rd quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 858 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 774 shares during the last quarter. Avalon Trust Co bought a new stake in Highwoods Properties in the third quarter worth $37,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new position in Highwoods Properties during the fourth quarter worth $34,000. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. bought a new position in Highwoods Properties during the third quarter valued at $49,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.31% of the company’s stock.

Highwoods Properties Price Performance

The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $26.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $28.54. The firm has a market cap of $2.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.95 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.39.

Highwoods Properties Company Profile

Highwoods Properties, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, develops, leases and manages office properties. The company’s portfolio is primarily focused on Class A office space, with an emphasis on high-quality buildings in key urban and suburban submarkets. Highwoods seeks to generate long-term, recurring revenues through a mix of in-place lease renewals, strategic dispositions and build-to-suit developments. Its asset management platform drives operational efficiencies and tenant service initiatives across its holdings.

Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, Highwoods Properties has expanded its presence to eight major metropolitan regions across the Southeastern United States and Texas.