Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) Stock Rating Upgraded by StockNews.com

Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday.

Separately, B. Riley boosted their target price on shares of Saul Centers from $43.50 to $45.50 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 22nd.

Saul Centers Price Performance

NYSE:BFS traded up $0.69 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $40.07. 23,154 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 52,744. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.61, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.13. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $40.41 and its 200 day simple moving average is $38.76. Saul Centers has a 1 year low of $34.87 and a 1 year high of $42.39. The company has a market cap of $968.49 million, a PE ratio of 21.78 and a beta of 1.11.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of BFS. Millennium Management LLC acquired a new position in Saul Centers during the second quarter valued at approximately $3,272,000. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Saul Centers by 115.0% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 59,675 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $2,194,000 after purchasing an additional 31,919 shares in the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC acquired a new position in shares of Saul Centers during the second quarter worth $1,060,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Saul Centers by 149.6% in the third quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 40,512 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,700,000 after buying an additional 24,281 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its stake in shares of Saul Centers by 10.2% in the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 228,474 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $8,401,000 after buying an additional 21,100 shares during the last quarter. 49.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Saul Centers Company Profile

Saul Centers is a self-managed, self-administered equity REIT headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Saul Centers currently operates and manages a real estate portfolio comprised of 61 properties that includes (a) 57 community and neighborhood Shopping Centers and Mixed-Use properties with approximately 9.8 million square feet of leasable area and (b) four land and development properties.