Morgan Stanley Upgrades Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) to “Equal Weight”

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) was upgraded by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, MarketBeat reports. The firm presently has a $23.00 price target on the real estate investment trust’s stock, down from their previous price target of $24.00. Morgan Stanley’s price target suggests a potential upside of 7.25% from the company’s current price.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of Highwoods Properties from $30.00 to $25.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Highwoods Properties in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Wall Street Zen raised Highwoods Properties from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Citigroup reduced their target price on Highwoods Properties from $30.00 to $24.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $29.00 price target on Highwoods Properties in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $27.67.

Highwoods Properties Stock Performance

NYSE HIW opened at $21.45 on Tuesday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $23.23 and its 200 day moving average price is $26.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51. Highwoods Properties has a twelve month low of $20.45 and a twelve month high of $32.76. The company has a market capitalization of $2.36 billion, a PE ratio of 14.69 and a beta of 1.05.

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.84 by ($0.58). Highwoods Properties had a net margin of 20.10% and a return on equity of 6.86%. The business had revenue of $203.36 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $208.08 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.85 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down .9% compared to the same quarter last year. Highwoods Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.680 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Highwoods Properties will post 3.36 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Highwoods Properties

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of HIW. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its stake in shares of Highwoods Properties by 88.6% during the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 792 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 372 shares during the period. Bell Investment Advisors Inc boosted its stake in shares of Highwoods Properties by 921.4% in the third 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 period. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP acquired a new stake in Highwoods Properties during the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. Avalon Trust Co purchased a new stake in Highwoods Properties during the 3rd quarter worth $37,000. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. purchased a new stake in Highwoods Properties during the 3rd quarter worth $49,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.31% of the company’s stock.

About Highwoods Properties

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.