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

Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:FBRT) has been given an average rating of “Hold” by the five brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $11.50.

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on FBRT shares. Zacks Research raised Franklin BSP Realty Trust from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Citizens Jmp restated a “market outperform” rating and set a $11.00 price objective on shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust in a report on Monday, July 6th. Citigroup reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 2nd.

Insider Buying and Selling at Franklin BSP Realty Trust

In related news, Director Buford H. Ortale acquired 29,597 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $9.85 per share, with a total value of $291,530.45. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 28,900 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $284,665. This represents a -4,246.34% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 1.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Franklin BSP Realty Trust

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Arlington Trust Co LLC acquired a new stake in Franklin BSP Realty Trust during the 4th quarter worth about $40,000. Assetmark Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust in the fourth quarter valued at about $40,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust in the fourth quarter valued at about $44,000. Danske Bank A S purchased a new position in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust in the third quarter worth about $45,000. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 96.3% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 5,471 shares of the company’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 2,684 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 59.87% of the company’s stock.

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Stock Up 2.6%

Franklin BSP Realty Trust stock opened at $7.80 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.74, a current ratio of 90.06 and a quick ratio of 90.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $600.67 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.30 and a beta of 0.92. Franklin BSP Realty Trust has a 1-year low of $7.57 and a 1-year high of $11.84. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $8.27 and a 200-day moving average price of $8.94.

Franklin BSP Realty Trust (NYSE:FBRT) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The company reported $0.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.22 by ($0.13). Franklin BSP Realty Trust had a net margin of 24.26% and a return on equity of 6.46%. The business had revenue of $74.38 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $73.09 million. Equities research analysts forecast that Franklin BSP Realty Trust will post 0.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 30th were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 10.2%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 30th. Franklin BSP Realty Trust’s payout ratio is presently 156.86%.

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.