Short Interest in Urban Edge Properties (NYSE:UE) Decreases By 16.7%

Urban Edge Properties (NYSE:UE) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of February. As of February 28th, there was short interest totalling 3,050,000 shares, a decrease of 16.7% from the February 13th total of 3,660,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 847,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 3.6 days. Currently, 2.5% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UE. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in Urban Edge Properties by 1,499.6% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,599,628 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $34,216,000 after acquiring an additional 1,499,628 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA purchased a new stake in shares of Urban Edge Properties in the fourth quarter worth $27,584,000. FMR LLC grew its stake in Urban Edge Properties by 8.6% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 13,911,571 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $297,568,000 after acquiring an additional 1,096,560 shares in the last quarter. Hudson Bay Capital Management LP grew its stake in Urban Edge Properties by 56.1% during the fourth quarter. Hudson Bay Capital Management LP now owns 1,800,970 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $38,721,000 after acquiring an additional 646,960 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its stake in Urban Edge Properties by 438.7% during the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 782,921 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $16,747,000 after acquiring an additional 637,587 shares in the last quarter. 94.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on UE. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Urban Edge Properties from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday. Evercore ISI lowered their price objective on shares of Urban Edge Properties from $23.00 to $22.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, December 24th.

Urban Edge Properties Stock Performance

Urban Edge Properties stock traded up $0.04 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $18.79. 24,893 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 815,053. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.92 and a quick ratio of 1.92. Urban Edge Properties has a 12 month low of $15.81 and a 12 month high of $23.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.85 and a beta of 1.54. The business has a 50 day moving average of $20.11 and a two-hundred day moving average of $21.27.

Urban Edge Properties (NYSE:UE) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.09 by $0.25. Urban Edge Properties had a net margin of 16.31% and a return on equity of 5.59%. As a group, research analysts predict that Urban Edge Properties will post 1.4 earnings per share for the current year.

Urban Edge Properties Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be given a $0.19 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This is an increase from Urban Edge Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.04%. Urban Edge Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 128.81%.

Urban Edge Properties Company Profile

Urban Edge Properties is a NYSE listed real estate investment trust focused on owning, managing, acquiring, developing, and redeveloping retail real estate in urban communities, primarily in the Washington, DC to Boston corridor. Urban Edge owns 76 properties totaling 17.1 million square feet of gross leasable area.