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

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 720,161 shares, an increase of 56.8% from the February 12th total of 459,346 shares. Approximately 2.6% of the company’s shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 192,611 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.7 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 192,611 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.7 days. Approximately 2.6% of the company’s shares are sold short.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on STC shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, December 29th. Citizens Jmp assumed coverage on Stewart Information Services in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. They issued a “market outperform” rating and a $80.00 target price on the stock. Stephens upgraded Stewart Information Services from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $82.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, February 27th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price objective on shares of Stewart Information Services from $81.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Stewart Information Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, February 8th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $81.33.

Insider Buying and Selling at Stewart Information Services

In related news, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. purchased 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $65.34 per share, for a total transaction of $65,340.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 21,243 shares in the company, valued at $1,388,017.62. The trade was a 4.94% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 1.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of Stewart Information Services by 2.4% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 128,363 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $9,158,000 after purchasing an additional 3,022 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 6.0% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 8,583 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $612,000 after purchasing an additional 483 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its stake in Stewart Information Services by 4.6% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 16,105 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $1,149,000 after purchasing an additional 712 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its position in Stewart Information Services by 44,842.9% in the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,146 shares of the insurance provider’s stock valued at $224,000 after purchasing an additional 3,139 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its stake in shares of Stewart Information Services by 10.2% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 85,522 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $6,102,000 after purchasing an additional 7,923 shares during the last quarter. 96.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Stewart Information Services Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:STC traded up $1.39 on Friday, hitting $64.66. The stock had a trading volume of 213,579 shares, compared to its average volume of 200,902. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a current ratio of 2.21. The company has a market capitalization of $1.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.00 and a beta of 1.01. Stewart Information Services has a twelve month low of $56.39 and a twelve month high of $78.61. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $68.03 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.95.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The insurance provider reported $1.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.30. The firm had revenue of $794.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $774.05 million. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 3.95% and a return on equity of 9.32%. Stewart Information Services’s revenue was up 18.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.12 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Stewart Information Services will post 6.29 earnings per share for the current year.

Stewart Information Services Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 16th will be given a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Stewart Information Services’s payout ratio is currently 51.98%.

Stewart Information Services Company Profile

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.