Walker & Dunlop (NYSE:WD) Director Acquires $246,050.00 in Stock

Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD) Director Ernest Michael Freedman acquired 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $49.21 per share, with a total value of $246,050.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 6,097 shares in the company, valued at approximately $300,033.37. This trade represents a 455.79% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Walker & Dunlop Stock Down 4.4%

Shares of WD opened at $48.30 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.45 and a beta of 1.57. Walker & Dunlop, Inc. has a 52 week low of $42.12 and a 52 week high of $90.00. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $60.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $70.36.

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE:WD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The financial services provider reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.46 by ($1.18). Walker & Dunlop had a net margin of 4.56% and a return on equity of 6.81%. The company had revenue of $340.02 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $343.66 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.32 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Walker & Dunlop, Inc. will post 4.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Walker & Dunlop Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.68 per share. This is a positive change from Walker & Dunlop’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.67. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. This represents a $2.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.6%. Walker & Dunlop’s payout ratio is presently 163.41%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently issued reports on WD. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Walker & Dunlop in a research note on Friday, December 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $75.00 target price for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price target on shares of Walker & Dunlop from $80.00 to $65.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 27th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Walker & Dunlop from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Walker & Dunlop in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $81.25.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in WD. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Walker & Dunlop during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Allworth Financial LP increased its holdings in Walker & Dunlop by 115.8% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 479 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 257 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its position in Walker & Dunlop by 65.7% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 479 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its position in Walker & Dunlop by 1,398.0% during the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 734 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 685 shares during the period. Finally, Huntington National Bank lifted its holdings in Walker & Dunlop by 49.6% during the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 585 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. 80.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Walker & Dunlop

Walker & Dunlop is one of the largest providers of commercial real estate finance in the United States, specializing in the origination, servicing and sale of loans secured by multifamily, seniors housing, healthcare, student housing and manufactured housing properties. The firm offers a full suite of debt and equity solutions, including agency financing through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, HUD and FHA-insured loans, bridge and construction financing, mezzanine debt, preferred equity, and investment sales advisory.

With roots dating back to 1937 and its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, Walker & Dunlop has expanded its platform through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions.