Short Interest in Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) Expands By 56.8%

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) saw 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. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 192,611 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 3.7 days. Currently, 2.6% of the shares of the company are sold short. Currently, 2.6% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 192,611 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 3.7 days.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

STC has been the subject of several recent research reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on shares of Stewart Information Services from $81.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. 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. Stephens upgraded shares of Stewart Information Services from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $82.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, February 27th. Citizens Jmp assumed coverage on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. They issued a “market outperform” rating and a $80.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a report on Monday, December 29th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Stewart Information Services has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $81.33.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director C Allen Bradley, Jr. acquired 1,000 shares of Stewart Information Services stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $65.34 per share, for a total transaction of $65,340.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 21,243 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,388,017.62. This trade represents a 4.94% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new position in Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter worth $43,000. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in Stewart Information Services by 138.3% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 741 shares of the insurance provider’s stock worth $54,000 after buying an additional 430 shares during the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC bought a new position in Stewart Information Services during the fourth quarter valued at about $65,000. Finally, Horizon Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Stewart Information Services in the fourth quarter worth about $65,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.90% of the company’s stock.

Stewart Information Services Price Performance

NYSE STC traded up $1.39 on Friday, reaching $64.66. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 213,579 shares, compared to its average volume of 200,902. The stock has a market cap of $1.81 billion, a PE 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 is $68.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $70.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a current ratio of 2.21.

Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The insurance provider reported $1.65 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.35 by $0.30. The business had revenue of $794.40 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $774.05 million. Stewart Information Services had a return on equity of 9.32% and a net margin of 3.95%.Stewart Information Services’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.12 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Stewart Information Services will post 6.29 EPS for the current year.

Stewart Information Services Dividend Announcement

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

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.