Short Interest in Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) Decreases By 80.0%

Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of July. As of July 15th, there was short interest totaling 4,471,072 shares, a decrease of 80.0% from the June 30th total of 22,394,106 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 2,200,641 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.0 days. Approximately 3.5% of the company’s shares are short sold.

Service Properties Trust Stock Performance

SVC traded down $0.07 during trading on Friday, hitting $8.46. 1,095,103 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,156,020. Service Properties Trust has a 1-year low of $5.65 and a 1-year high of $15.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 0.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.56. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.10 billion, a P/E ratio of -1.19 and a beta of 1.65. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $8.50 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $9.08.

Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.82) by $2.02. Service Properties Trust had a negative net margin of 13.59% and a negative return on equity of 38.18%. The firm had revenue of $364.45 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $347.82 million. Service Properties Trust has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.240-0.270 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Service Properties Trust will post 1.25 earnings per share for the current year.

Service Properties Trust Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 13th. Investors of record on Monday, July 20th will be issued a $0.05 dividend. This is an increase from Service Properties Trust’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.05. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 20th. Service Properties Trust’s dividend payout ratio is presently -2.82%.

Institutional Trading of Service Properties Trust

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. HighRoad Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Service Properties Trust in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Abel Hall LLC acquired a new position in shares of Service Properties Trust in the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Caxton Associates LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Service Properties Trust during the third quarter worth $33,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its position in shares of Service Properties Trust by 54.4% in the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 14,470 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 5,099 shares during the period. Finally, AdvisorShares Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Service Properties Trust in the 1st quarter valued at $44,000. 77.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

SVC has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Zacks Research lowered Service Properties Trust from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Odeon Capital Group assumed coverage on shares of Service Properties Trust in a research report on Friday, May 8th. They set a “buy” rating and a $17.50 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Service Properties Trust from a “sell (d-)” rating to a “sell (e+)” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH assumed coverage on shares of Service Properties Trust in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. They set a “buy” rating and a $11.25 price objective for the company. Finally, B. Riley Financial upped their price target on Service Properties Trust from $10.00 to $12.50 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $12.81.

Service Properties Trust Company Profile

Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ: SVC) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the acquisition, ownership and leasing of service-oriented properties, with a primary focus on the lodging sector. The company structures long-term, triple-net leases with established hotel operators under franchise agreements with leading global brands. By partnering with recognized hotel companies, Service Properties Trust seeks to generate a stable income stream through rent payments, while offering operators the capital and balance-sheet flexibility to grow their portfolios.

Since its formation in 2010, Service Properties Trust has grown its portfolio through strategic sale-leaseback transactions, targeted property acquisitions and selective dispositions.