Short Interest in Stag Industrial, Inc. (NYSE:STAG) Declines By 35.9%

Stag Industrial, Inc. (NYSE:STAG) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 4,983,519 shares, a drop of 35.9% from the November 30th total of 7,777,541 shares. Currently, 2.7% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 1,199,729 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.2 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,199,729 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.2 days. Currently, 2.7% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Stag Industrial Price Performance

Stag Industrial stock traded down $0.12 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $37.12. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 778,947 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,254,125. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.55 and a beta of 1.06. Stag Industrial has a twelve month low of $28.61 and a twelve month high of $39.73. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $38.36 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $36.79. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89.

Stag Industrial (NYSE:STAG) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.02. Stag Industrial had a net margin of 29.24% and a return on equity of 6.84%. The company had revenue of $211.12 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $210.26 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.60 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 10.7% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Stag Industrial will post 2.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Stag Industrial Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be given a $0.1242 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.0%. Stag Industrial’s dividend payout ratio is presently 114.62%.

Insider Activity at Stag Industrial

In other news, EVP Michael Chase sold 13,144 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.75, for a total transaction of $509,330.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 9,422 shares in the company, valued at approximately $365,102.50. The trade was a 58.25% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Stag Industrial

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of STAG. Park Avenue Securities LLC grew its stake in Stag Industrial by 3.5% in the third quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 7,639 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $270,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. grew its stake in shares of Stag Industrial by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 6,230 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $220,000 after buying an additional 282 shares in the last quarter. First Hawaiian Bank increased its holdings in Stag Industrial by 1.5% in the first quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 19,132 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $691,000 after buying an additional 289 shares during the last quarter. Tectonic Advisors LLC raised its position in Stag Industrial by 2.4% during the second quarter. Tectonic Advisors LLC now owns 13,018 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $472,000 after acquiring an additional 304 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Stag Industrial by 4.2% in the second quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 8,275 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $300,000 after acquiring an additional 332 shares during the last quarter. 88.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have commented on STAG. Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on shares of Stag Industrial in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $37.00 price objective for the company. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of Stag Industrial from $38.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. Citigroup increased their price objective on Stag Industrial from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of Stag Industrial from $38.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Stag Industrial from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, December 6th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $38.89.

About Stag Industrial

Stag Industrial, Inc is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the acquisition, ownership and operation of single-tenant industrial properties throughout the United States. The company’s portfolio is focused on free-standing warehouses, distribution centers and light manufacturing facilities designed to meet the logistical needs of a diverse tenant base. By concentrating on properties with straightforward layouts and minimal common-area maintenance, Stag Industrial seeks to deliver stable rental income and attractive risk-adjusted returns for its shareholders.

Since its founding in 2010 and initial public offering in 2011, Stag Industrial has pursued a disciplined investment strategy centered on high-quality, well-located assets.