Franklin BSP Realty Trust (NYSE:FBRT) Rating Increased to Hold at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust (NYSE:FBRT) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report released on Thursday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $14.00.

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Trading Up 1.7%

NYSE FBRT opened at $8.86 on Thursday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $10.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $10.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.33, a quick ratio of 67.81 and a current ratio of 70.78. Franklin BSP Realty Trust has a twelve month low of $8.42 and a twelve month high of $13.58. The stock has a market cap of $722.66 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.84 and a beta of 0.98.

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be given a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 31st. Franklin BSP Realty Trust’s payout ratio is currently 177.50%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Franklin BSP Realty Trust

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 0.6% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,001,039 shares of the company’s stock worth $21,394,000 after buying an additional 12,252 shares during the last quarter. Strong Tower Advisory Services raised its position in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 2.4% in the third quarter. Strong Tower Advisory Services now owns 1,442,728 shares of the company’s stock valued at $15,668,000 after purchasing an additional 34,102 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,256,179 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,599,000 after buying an additional 59,424 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 7.3% during the 3rd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 1,042,207 shares of the company’s stock worth $11,318,000 after buying an additional 70,645 shares during the period. Finally, UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in shares of Franklin BSP Realty Trust by 24.0% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 873,047 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,481,000 after buying an additional 168,993 shares during the period. 59.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Franklin BSP Realty Trust

Here are the key news stories impacting Franklin BSP Realty Trust this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst note calls FBRT a dip-buying opportunity after the market selloff, highlighting portfolio growth via new loans and an acquisition, strong profit margins and a lower debt/equity profile versus peers — a view that can attract yield-focused and value buyers. Franklin BSP Realty Trust: A Dip Buying Opportunity As Portfolio Grows
• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 (annualized yield ~9.2%) with a March 31 record date — the high yield is likely drawing income-seeking investors and supporting the share uptick.
• Neutral Sentiment: Management outlined a $4.8B–$5B “core book” asset target and said it will reset the dividend as part of a shift toward more stable, predictable earnings — a strategic pivot that could reduce volatility but may lower near-term payout expectations. FBRT outlines $4.8B–$5B core book target and dividend reset as company shifts toward stable earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Leadership changes were announced at the CEO and senior level — increases governance/transition risk in the near term but could be positive if new leadership executes the stated strategy. Franklin BSP Realty Trust Announces CEO and Leadership Changes
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 results missed expectations: EPS came in below consensus, GAAP net income fell year-over-year and the company missed revenue/earnings estimates — these operational misses pressured sentiment. Franklin BSP (FBRT) Misses Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: coverage and commentaries explain a large recent share decline tied to the dividend reset and earnings misses — that volatility makes near-term price moves sensitive to further execution updates and payout guidance. Why Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc.’s (FBRT) Stock Is Down 14.83%

Franklin BSP Realty Trust Company Profile

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.