NFJ Investment Group LLC Sells 40,224 Shares of Walker & Dunlop, Inc. $WD

NFJ Investment Group LLC lessened its position in Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD) by 23.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 129,036 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 40,224 shares during the period. NFJ Investment Group LLC’s holdings in Walker & Dunlop were worth $7,762,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. ProShare Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 6,425 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $386,000 after buying an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. Huntington National Bank lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 49.6% in the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 585 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 18,787 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,129,000 after buying an additional 202 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 1.0% in the third quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 20,245 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,693,000 after buying an additional 209 shares in the last quarter. Finally, California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of Walker & Dunlop by 0.7% in the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 31,143 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,195,000 after buying an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.97% of the company’s stock.

Walker & Dunlop Trading Up 1.8%

WD opened at $53.30 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $1.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.39 and a beta of 1.50. The company’s 50 day moving average is $50.17 and its 200 day moving average is $55.44. Walker & Dunlop, Inc. has a 12-month low of $42.12 and a 12-month high of $90.00.

Walker & Dunlop Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 21st were issued a $0.68 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $2.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.1%. Walker & Dunlop’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 134.65%.

Insider Activity

In other Walker & Dunlop news, Director Dana L. Schmaltz acquired 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were bought at an average price of $45.78 per share, with a total value of $45,780.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 84,325 shares in the company, valued at $3,860,398.50. This represents a 1.20% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 4.02% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WD has been the topic of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Walker & Dunlop from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 28th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of Walker & Dunlop from $65.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Walker & Dunlop from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 9th. Finally, Stephens began coverage on shares of Walker & Dunlop in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $69.00 price target for the company. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $79.20.

Walker & Dunlop Profile

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.