Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) was upgraded by analysts at Zacks Research to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Wall Street Zen raised Stewart Information Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, April 25th. Citizens Jmp began coverage on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, February 2nd. They set a “market outperform” rating and a $80.00 price target on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on shares of Stewart Information Services from $78.00 to $81.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $88.00 price target on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, May 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Friday, March 27th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $83.00.

Stewart Information Services Price Performance

NYSE:STC opened at $66.25 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.79 and a beta of 1.02. Stewart Information Services has a 1 year low of $56.39 and a 1 year high of $78.61. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $65.52 and a 200-day simple moving average of $68.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 2.12 and a quick ratio of 2.12.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 22nd. The insurance provider reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.52 by $0.26. The business had revenue of $778.40 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $730.43 million. Stewart Information Services had a return on equity of 10.07% and a net margin of 4.19%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.25 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Stewart Information Services will post 5.8 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. purchased 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $65.34 per share, for a total transaction of $65,340.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 21,243 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,388,017.62. This trade represents a 4.94% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CFO David C. Hisey sold 10,992 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.28, for a total transaction of $783,509.76. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 61,929 shares in the company, valued at $4,414,299.12. The trade was a 15.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 2.94% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Stewart Information Services

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Beacon Harbor Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at $6,227,000. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 111.0% in the third quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 57,198 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $4,194,000 after acquiring an additional 30,093 shares during the period. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH purchased a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the third quarter worth about $1,389,000. Portolan Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the third quarter worth about $7,463,000. Finally, Penn Capital Management Company LLC purchased a new stake in Stewart Information Services in the third quarter worth about $2,309,000. 96.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Stewart Information Services Company Profile

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.