Mizuho Securities USA LLC Grows Position in AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB)

Mizuho Securities USA LLC boosted its stake in AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB) by 46.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 13,463 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,253 shares during the quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC’s holdings in AvalonBay Communities were worth $2,961,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in AvalonBay Communities in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in AvalonBay Communities during the fourth quarter worth approximately $36,000. Brooklyn Investment Group purchased a new stake in AvalonBay Communities during the third quarter worth approximately $39,000. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new stake in AvalonBay Communities during the fourth quarter worth approximately $66,000. Finally, Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in AvalonBay Communities by 312.5% during the fourth quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC now owns 363 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $80,000 after buying an additional 275 shares during the period. 92.61% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $270.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $230.00 to $226.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of AvalonBay Communities from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $247.00 to $262.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $229.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 10th. Finally, Zelman & Associates upgraded shares of AvalonBay Communities from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, AvalonBay Communities has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $238.64.

AvalonBay Communities Trading Down 0.9 %

AVB opened at $209.49 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.80 billion, a PE ratio of 27.60, a P/E/G ratio of 3.11 and a beta of 1.00. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $217.90 and its 200 day moving average price is $222.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.64. AvalonBay Communities, Inc. has a 12-month low of $177.40 and a 12-month high of $239.29.

AvalonBay Communities (NYSE:AVB) last issued its 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, research analysts expect that AvalonBay Communities, Inc. will post 11.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

AvalonBay Communities Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 31st will be issued a dividend of $1.75 per share. This represents a $7.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.34%. This is a boost from AvalonBay Communities’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.70. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. AvalonBay Communities’s dividend payout ratio is 92.23%.

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.