Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) Receives Average Rating of “Buy” from Analysts

Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) has earned an average recommendation of “Buy” from the five brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $16.00.

WSR has been the subject of several analyst reports. Citigroup reiterated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH began coverage on Whitestone REIT in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $17.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Whitestone REIT from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th.

Whitestone REIT Price Performance

Shares of WSR stock opened at $14.13 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.74 and a quick ratio of 1.74. The company has a market capitalization of $720.96 million, a PE ratio of 16.62 and a beta of 0.81. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $13.57 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.87. Whitestone REIT has a 12 month low of $11.43 and a 12 month high of $14.77.

Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.26. The business had revenue of $41.05 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations 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. Analysts predict that Whitestone REIT will post 0.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Whitestone REIT declared that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Friday, December 19th that authorizes the company to buyback $50.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the real estate investment trust to buy up to 7.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Whitestone REIT Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Investors of record on Monday, March 16th will be given a dividend of $0.1425 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $0.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.0%. Whitestone REIT’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 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.