Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Buy” by Brokerages

Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) has earned an average rating of “Buy” from the five ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $16.00.

WSR has been the topic of several recent research reports. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH assumed coverage on shares of Whitestone REIT in a report on Tuesday. They set a “buy” rating and a $17.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup restated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Whitestone REIT from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th.

Whitestone REIT Stock Down 0.4%

Shares of Whitestone REIT stock traded down $0.05 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $13.84. 39,943 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 194,442. The stock has a market cap of $706.12 million, a P/E ratio of 16.28 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a 50 day moving average of $13.49 and a two-hundred day moving average of $12.82. The company has a current ratio of 1.74, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44. Whitestone REIT has a fifty-two week low of $11.43 and a fifty-two week high of $14.77.

Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.26. The business had revenue of $41.05 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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, sell-side analysts forecast that Whitestone REIT will post 0.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Whitestone REIT declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Friday, December 19th that authorizes the company to repurchase $50.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the real estate investment trust to buy up to 7.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Whitestone REIT Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be given a $0.1425 dividend. This represents a $0.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.1%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. Whitestone REIT’s payout ratio is currently 63.53%.

About Whitestone REIT

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.