Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 1,135,284 shares, a growth of 95.1% from the November 30th total of 581,995 shares. Currently, 4.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 271,030 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.2 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 271,030 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.2 days. Currently, 4.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short.

Analyst Ratings Changes

STC has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on shares of Stewart Information Services from $78.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Stewart Information Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday, October 19th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $81.50.

Stewart Information Services Price Performance

Shares of NYSE STC traded down $0.77 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $71.02. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 162,578 shares, compared to its average volume of 243,649. Stewart Information Services has a one year low of $56.39 and a one year high of $78.61. The company has a market cap of $1.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.78 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $72.84 and a 200 day moving average price of $69.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.42 by $0.22. The firm had revenue of $791.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $737.30 million. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 3.65% and a return on equity of 8.57%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 19.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.07 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Stewart Information Services will post 6.29 EPS for the current year.

Stewart Information Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th will be issued a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 15th. Stewart Information Services’s payout ratio is presently 58.50%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Stewart Information Services

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of STC. Heritage Family Offices LLP increased its stake in Stewart Information Services by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter. Heritage Family Offices LLP now owns 4,012 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $294,000 after purchasing an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 8.5% during the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,676 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $196,000 after buying an additional 209 shares in the last quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund boosted its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 1.5% in the third quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 14,647 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $1,074,000 after buying an additional 216 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its position in shares of Stewart Information Services by 0.9% in the third quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 28,704 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $2,105,000 after acquiring an additional 254 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amalgamated Bank raised its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 3.7% during the third quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 8,184 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $600,000 after acquiring an additional 293 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.90% of the company’s stock.

About Stewart Information Services

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE: STC) is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients.

In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.