Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume – Here’s What Happened

Whitestone REIT (NYSE:WSR) shares saw strong trading volume on Monday . Approximately 2,177,973 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 469% from the previous session’s volume of 382,859 shares.The stock last traded at $18.9250 and had previously closed at $18.95.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald cut Whitestone REIT from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Maxim Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Whitestone REIT in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH cut Whitestone REIT from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Citigroup downgraded Whitestone REIT from a “market outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Colliers Securities set a $19.00 price objective on shares of Whitestone REIT in a report on Friday, April 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $17.80.

Whitestone REIT Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $972.12 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.70 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a current ratio of 1.34, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39. The company’s fifty day moving average is $18.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $16.26.

Whitestone REIT Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 29th. Investors of record on Wednesday, June 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.1425 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 17th. This represents a $0.57 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%. Whitestone REIT’s dividend payout ratio is presently 59.37%.

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.