Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE:AHH) Sees Large Growth in Short Interest

Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE:AHH - Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totalling 2,190,000 shares, a growth of 79.5% from the December 15th total of 1,220,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 713,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.1 days.

Armada Hoffler Properties Stock Up 3.2 %

Shares of NYSE:AHH traded up $0.30 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $9.66. The stock had a trading volume of 1,083,135 shares, compared to its average volume of 712,715. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $10.62 and its 200 day simple moving average is $11.18. The company has a current ratio of 7.17, a quick ratio of 7.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00. Armada Hoffler Properties has a one year low of $9.26 and a one year high of $12.46. The company has a market capitalization of $979.14 million, a P/E ratio of -46.00 and a beta of 1.03.

Armada Hoffler Properties (NYSE:AHH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.11) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.31 by ($0.42). The firm had revenue of $68.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $65.01 million. Armada Hoffler Properties had a negative return on equity of 1.18% and a negative net margin of 1.01%. Armada Hoffler Properties's revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.31 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Armada Hoffler Properties will post 1.27 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Armada Hoffler Properties Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, December 26th were given a dividend of $0.205 per share. This represents a $0.82 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.49%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 26th. Armada Hoffler Properties's dividend payout ratio is currently -390.48%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently commented on AHH shares. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Armada Hoffler Properties from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Armada Hoffler Properties from $12.50 to $12.75 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Armada Hoffler Properties news, Director Dennis H. Gartman purchased 4,500 shares of Armada Hoffler Properties stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 11th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $10.85 per share, for a total transaction of $48,825.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 31,649 shares in the company, valued at $343,391.65. This trade represents a 16.58 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 11.90% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Armada Hoffler Properties

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Point72 DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Armada Hoffler Properties during the second quarter valued at about $46,000. KBC Group NV increased its stake in Armada Hoffler Properties by 66.0% during the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 4,934 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 1,962 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Armada Hoffler Properties in the second quarter worth $55,000. Quarry LP lifted its stake in shares of Armada Hoffler Properties by 446.4% during the second quarter. Quarry LP now owns 5,863 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $65,000 after buying an additional 4,790 shares during the period. Finally, Versor Investments LP purchased a new stake in shares of Armada Hoffler Properties during the third quarter valued at $108,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.35% of the company's stock.

Armada Hoffler Properties Company Profile

Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc (the "Company") is a vertically integrated, self-managed real estate investment trust ("REIT") with over four decades of experience developing, building, acquiring, and managing high-quality retail, office, and multifamily properties located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States.