COPT Defense Properties (NYSE:CDP) Shares Up 0.1% – Should You Buy?

COPT Defense Properties (NYSE:CDP)’s stock price was up 0.1% on Friday . The company traded as high as $32.80 and last traded at $32.65. Approximately 145,635 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 84% from the average daily volume of 883,928 shares. The stock had previously closed at $32.63.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on COPT Defense Properties from $33.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on COPT Defense Properties from $26.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 4th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of COPT Defense Properties from $33.00 to $32.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, September 11th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on COPT Defense Properties from $31.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 4th. Finally, BTIG Research lifted their target price on COPT Defense Properties from $33.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $32.00.

COPT Defense Properties Trading Down 0.4 %

The business has a fifty day moving average price of $31.93 and a 200 day moving average price of $29.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 2.38 and a quick ratio of 2.38. The company has a market capitalization of $3.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.76 and a beta of 0.98.

COPT Defense Properties (NYSE:CDP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 28th. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.64 by ($0.32). The business had revenue of $189.23 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $167.37 million. COPT Defense Properties had a net margin of 18.34% and a return on equity of 8.99%. COPT Defense Properties’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.60 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that COPT Defense Properties will post 2.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

COPT Defense Properties Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of $0.295 per share. This represents a $1.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.63%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. COPT Defense Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 96.72%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Spirit of America Management Corp NY purchased a new stake in shares of COPT Defense Properties during the second quarter valued at approximately $50,000. Quarry LP lifted its stake in shares of COPT Defense Properties by 711.4% in the second quarter. Quarry LP now owns 3,481 shares of the company’s stock worth $87,000 after buying an additional 3,052 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new stake in COPT Defense Properties in the 3rd quarter worth about $91,000. KBC Group NV boosted its stake in shares of COPT Defense Properties by 28.3% in the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 3,810 shares of the company’s stock worth $116,000 after buying an additional 840 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its stake in COPT Defense Properties by 34.9% in the 3rd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 4,372 shares of the company’s stock worth $134,000 after buying an additional 1,130 shares in the last quarter.

About COPT Defense Properties

COPT Defense, an S&P MidCap 400 Company, is a self-managed REIT focused on owning, operating and developing properties in locations proximate to, or sometimes containing, key U.S. Government (USG) defense installations and missions (referred to as its Defense/IT Portfolio). The Company's tenants include the USG and their defense contractors, who are primarily engaged in priority national security activities, and who generally require mission-critical and high security property enhancements.