Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD) to Issue $0.68 Quarterly Dividend

Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD) declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, May 6th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be paid a dividend of 0.68 per share by the financial services provider on Thursday, June 4th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.0%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 21st.

Walker & Dunlop has increased its dividend payment by an average of 0.1%per year over the last three years and has raised its dividend every year for the last 7 years. Walker & Dunlop has a payout ratio of 61.5% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings.

Walker & Dunlop Price Performance

NYSE:WD traded up $1.54 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $54.71. The company had a trading volume of 365,582 shares, compared to its average volume of 325,311. Walker & Dunlop has a 1-year low of $42.12 and a 1-year high of $90.00. The firm has a market cap of $1.88 billion, a PE ratio of 33.36 and a beta of 1.52. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $47.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $59.67.

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE:WD) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The financial services provider reported $1.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.06 by $0.96. The business had revenue of $301.33 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $269.07 million. Walker & Dunlop had a return on equity of 6.81% and a net margin of 4.56%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 26.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.08 EPS.

Insider Transactions at Walker & Dunlop

In other Walker & Dunlop news, Director Ernest Michael Freedman bought 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $49.21 per share, with a total value of $246,050.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 6,097 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $300,033.37. The trade was a 455.79% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Dana L. Schmaltz bought 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $45.78 per share, for a total transaction of $45,780.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 84,325 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,860,398.50. This represents a 1.20% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. 4.02% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Huntington National Bank boosted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 49.6% in the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 585 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. Strs Ohio purchased a new stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop in the first quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 1,398.0% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 734 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 685 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $62,000. 80.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Walker & Dunlop

Walker & Dunlop is one of the largest providers of commercial real estate finance in the United States, specializing in the origination, servicing and sale of loans secured by multifamily, seniors housing, healthcare, student housing and manufactured housing properties. The firm offers a full suite of debt and equity solutions, including agency financing through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, HUD and FHA-insured loans, bridge and construction financing, mezzanine debt, preferred equity, and investment sales advisory.

With roots dating back to 1937 and its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, Walker & Dunlop has expanded its platform through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions.