Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) Shares Pass Above 200 Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?

Highwoods Properties, Inc. (NYSE:HIW)’s stock price passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $24.92 and traded as high as $29.70. Highwoods Properties shares last traded at $29.4270, with a volume of 1,249,788 shares.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on HIW shares. Weiss Ratings raised Highwoods Properties from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 9th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Highwoods Properties from $24.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Robert W. Baird set a $29.00 price objective on Highwoods Properties in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Highwoods Properties from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Highwoods Properties from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $24.00 to $23.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $27.33.

Highwoods Properties Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 1.50. The stock has a market cap of $3.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.03 and a beta of 1.09. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $26.05 and its 200 day moving average is $24.92.

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.29 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.16 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $214.03 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $209.06 million. Highwoods Properties had a net margin of 11.64% and a return on equity of 3.97%. Highwoods Properties’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.83 earnings per share. Highwoods Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.68 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Highwoods Properties, Inc. will post 3.53 EPS for the current year.

Highwoods Properties Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 9th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 18th were issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.8%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 18th. Highwoods Properties’s dividend payout ratio is currently 238.10%.

Highwoods Properties announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, April 22nd that allows the company to buyback $250.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the real estate investment trust to buy up to 9.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are generally an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its position in Highwoods Properties by 6.4% during the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 1,639,419 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $35,139,000 after buying an additional 98,531 shares in the last quarter. Amundi boosted its holdings in Highwoods Properties by 12.4% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 83,582 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,789,000 after acquiring an additional 9,245 shares in the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its holdings in Highwoods Properties by 27.8% in the first quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 131,276 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $2,811,000 after acquiring an additional 28,522 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada grew its stake in shares of Highwoods Properties by 1.7% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 150,747 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $3,228,000 after acquiring an additional 2,548 shares during the last quarter. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company grew its stake in shares of Highwoods Properties by 14.3% during the first quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 22,742 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $487,000 after acquiring an additional 2,846 shares during the last quarter. 96.31% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.