Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:HST) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:HST) has been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seventeen ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have given a hold recommendation and eleven have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $21.12.

Several analysts recently commented on the company. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on Host Hotels & Resorts from $22.00 to $21.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on shares of Host Hotels & Resorts from $21.00 to $19.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on shares of Host Hotels & Resorts from $23.00 to $21.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Compass Point lowered shares of Host Hotels & Resorts from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their price target for the company from $25.00 to $18.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $22.00 price objective on shares of Host Hotels & Resorts in a research note on Thursday, May 30th.

Host Hotels & Resorts Stock Up 0.4 %

NASDAQ HST opened at $16.16 on Thursday. Host Hotels & Resorts has a 1-year low of $14.92 and a 1-year high of $21.31. The company has a market capitalization of $11.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.84, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.33. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $17.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $18.86. The company has a current ratio of 4.55, a quick ratio of 6.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64.

Host Hotels & Resorts Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 28th were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 28th. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.95%. Host Hotels & Resorts’s payout ratio is presently 78.43%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Host Hotels & Resorts

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of HST. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts during the 4th quarter worth about $1,214,000. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund raised its holdings in Host Hotels & Resorts by 61.1% in the fourth quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 662,269 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,894,000 after purchasing an additional 251,112 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts by 7.6% during the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,710,175 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,297,000 after purchasing an additional 120,555 shares in the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts by 645.5% in the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 64,416 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,331,000 after buying an additional 55,775 shares during the period. Finally, CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co increased its position in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts by 4.7% in the 1st quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 1,888,031 shares of the company’s stock valued at $39,037,000 after buying an additional 84,687 shares in the last quarter. 98.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Host Hotels & Resorts

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc is an S&P 500 company and is the largest lodging real estate investment trust and one of the largest owners of luxury and upper-upscale hotels. The Company currently owns 72 properties in the United States and five properties internationally totaling approximately 42,000 rooms.