Short Interest in Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) Decreases By 37.3%

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 711,919 shares, a decline of 37.3% from the December 15th total of 1,135,284 shares. Currently, 2.6% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 232,299 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.1 days. Based on an average trading volume of 232,299 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.1 days. Currently, 2.6% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Stewart Information Services Stock Down 0.8%

Shares of NYSE:STC traded down $0.55 during trading on Friday, hitting $66.09. 713,306 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 207,615. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $72.20 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.37. Stewart Information Services has a 12-month low of $56.39 and a 12-month high of $78.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 1.77 and a quick ratio of 1.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.41 and a beta of 1.02.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.64 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.22. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 3.65% and a return on equity of 8.57%. The firm had revenue of $791.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $737.30 million. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.07 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 19.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that Stewart Information Services will post 6.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Stewart Information Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 15th were issued a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 15th. Stewart Information Services’s payout ratio is presently 58.50%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Caitlin John LLC purchased a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 138.3% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 741 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $54,000 after acquiring an additional 430 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the 4th quarter valued at $65,000. Copeland Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 96.7% during the 3rd quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC now owns 1,119 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $82,000 after purchasing an additional 550 shares during the period. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 2,735.8% during the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,503 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $98,000 after purchasing an additional 1,450 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.90% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on STC shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded Stewart Information Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday, October 19th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of Stewart Information Services from $78.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Stewart Information Services currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $81.50.

About Stewart Information Services

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE: STC) is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients.

In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.