Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC) Short Interest Up 95.1% in December

Stewart Information Services Corporation (NYSE:STC - Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 1,135,284 shares, a growth of 95.1% from the November 30th total of 581,995 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 271,030 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 4.2 days. Currently, 4.2% of the company's stock are sold short. Currently, 4.2% of the company's stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 271,030 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 4.2 days.Institutional Investors Weigh In On Stewart Information ServicesA number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in STC. Heritage Family Offices LLP boosted its position in shares of Stewart Information Services by 4.5% during the third quarter. Heritage Family Offices LLP now owns 4,012 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $294,000 after buying an additional 173 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in Stewart Information Services by 8.5% during the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,676 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $196,000 after acquiring an additional 209 shares during the period. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund grew its stake in shares of Stewart Information Services by 1.5% in the third quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 14,647 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $1,074,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its stake in shares of Stewart Information Services by 0.9% in the third quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 28,704 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $2,105,000 after purchasing an additional 254 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amalgamated Bank increased its holdings in shares of Stewart Information Services by 3.7% during the third quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 8,184 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $600,000 after purchasing an additional 293 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 96.90% of the company's stock. Stewart Information Services Stock PerformanceSTC traded down $0.77 during trading on Friday, reaching $71.02. 162,578 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 243,649. Stewart Information Services has a 52 week low of $56.39 and a 52 week high of $78.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $72.84 and a 200 day moving average of $69.80. The stock has a market cap of $1.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.78 and a beta of 1.04. Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The insurance provider reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.42 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $791.30 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $737.30 million. Stewart Information Services had a net margin of 3.65% and a return on equity of 8.57%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 19.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.07 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Stewart Information Services will post 6.29 EPS for the current fiscal year. Stewart Information Services Announces DividendThe company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 15th will be given a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 15th. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%. Stewart Information Services's dividend payout ratio is 58.50%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast GrowthA number of brokerages have recently weighed in on STC. Wall Street Zen upgraded Stewart Information Services from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Sunday, October 19th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on shares of Stewart Information Services from $78.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Stewart Information Services in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $81.50.Get Our Latest Stock Report on Stewart Information ServicesStewart Information Services Company Profile (Get Free Report)Stewart Information Services Corporation NYSE: STC is a publicly traded provider of title insurance and real estate transaction services. The company underwrites title insurance policies for residential and commercial properties, offering lenders and property owners protection against title defects and liens. Beyond title insurance, Stewart delivers a range of ancillary services, including closing and escrow administration, property valuation, and risk mitigation solutions designed to streamline the mortgage process and reduce operational complexity for clients. In addition to core title and settlement services, Stewart offers technology-driven products aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in real estate transactions.Recommended StoriesFive stocks we like better than Stewart Information ServicesDo not delete, read immediatelyHow the Rich RetireINVESTOR ALERT: Tiny “$3 AI Wonder Stock” on the Verge of Blasting OffCan Any Expenses Be Deducted From Capital Gains Tax?Do you know what Amazon is planning for January 1?This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. 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