Schroder Investment Management Group Trims Position in AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB)

Schroder Investment Management Group lessened its stake in shares of AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB) by 4.1% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 398,366 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after selling 17,083 shares during the quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group’s holdings in AvalonBay Communities were worth $86,880,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new position in AvalonBay Communities during the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Crowley Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in AvalonBay Communities during the fourth quarter worth about $44,000. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new position in AvalonBay Communities during the fourth quarter worth about $66,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC lifted its position in AvalonBay Communities by 312.5% in the fourth quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC now owns 363 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $80,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the period. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P boosted its holdings in AvalonBay Communities by 42.6% in the 4th quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 442 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $97,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares in the last quarter. 92.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

AvalonBay Communities Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:AVB opened at $213.50 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The company has a market capitalization of $30.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.13, a P/E/G ratio of 3.11 and a beta of 1.00. AvalonBay Communities, Inc. has a 52-week low of $177.40 and a 52-week high of $239.29. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $217.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $222.39.

AvalonBay Communities (NYSE:AVB) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The real estate investment trust reported $2.80 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.83 by ($0.03). AvalonBay Communities had a return on equity of 9.15% and a net margin of 37.13%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that AvalonBay Communities, Inc. will post 11.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

AvalonBay Communities Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Monday, March 31st will be issued a $1.75 dividend. This represents a $7.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.28%. This is an increase from AvalonBay Communities’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.70. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 31st. AvalonBay Communities’s payout ratio is presently 92.23%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley cut AvalonBay Communities from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and reduced their price target for the company from $236.00 to $223.00 in a report on Friday, January 24th. Truist Financial raised their target price on AvalonBay Communities from $229.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, March 10th. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $270.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Evercore ISI increased their price target on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a report on Monday, February 10th. Finally, Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $230.00 to $226.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, AvalonBay Communities presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $238.64.

AvalonBay Communities Company Profile

AvalonBay Communities, Inc is a real estate investment trust, which engages in the development, acquisition, ownership, and operation of multifamily communities. It operates through the following segments: Same Store, Other Stabilized, and Development or Redevelopment. The Same Store segment refers to the operating communities that were owned and had stabilized occupancy.