Great Ajax Corp. (NYSE:AJX – Get Rating) was the target of significant short-term interest growth in September. As of September 30, there was short interest totaling 94,500 shares, a growth of 29.8% from the total of 72,800 shares as of September 15. Currently, 0.5% of the company’s shares are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 79,400 shares, the day-to-cover ratio is currently 1.2 days.
Analysts set new price targets
AJX has been the subject of several research analyst reports. StockNews.com launched coverage on Great Ajax in a research report on Wednesday, October 12. They set a “hold” rating for the company. B. Riley cut his price target on Great Ajax from $18.00 to $17.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a Thursday, July 21 report.
Great Ajax is trading down 0.8%
Shares of NYSE:AJX traded down $0.06 during Monday’s trading, hitting $7.73. The company had a trading volume of 42,449 shares, compared to an average volume of 120,717. The stock has a market capitalization of $175.73 million, a price-earnings ratio of 17.31 and a beta of 1, 77. Great Ajax has a 1-year low of $7.33 and a 1-year high of $14.74. The company has a fifty-day simple moving average of $8.92 and a two-hundred-day simple moving average of $9.65. The company has a debt ratio of 1.77, a current ratio of 2.12 and a quick ratio of 2.12.
Great Ajax (NYSE:AJX – Get Rating) last released quarterly earnings data on Thursday August 4th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.14) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.30 per ($0.44). Great Ajax had a net margin of 33.63% and a return on equity of 9.19%. In the same period a year earlier, the company had earned earnings per share of $0.42. As a group, stock analysts expect Great Ajax to post 1.08 earnings per share for the current year.
The great Ajax increases its dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 31. Shareholders of record on Monday August 15 received a dividend of $0.27. This represents an annualized dividend of $1.08 and a dividend yield of 13.97%. This is a positive change from Great Ajax’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 12. Great Ajax’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 240.01%.
Insiders place their bets
In other Great Ajax news, major shareholder Magnetar Financial Llc sold 200,000 shares of the company in a deal on Tuesday July 26. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.53, for a total value of $4,906,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 43,300 shares of the company, valued at $1,062,149. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders hold 6.00% of the company’s shares.
Institutional investors weigh in on the great Ajax
Several institutional investors have recently changed their stock portfolios. Amundi increased its stake in Great Ajax shares by 9.5% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 143,044 shares of the real estate investment trust worth $1,376,000 after acquiring an additional 12,434 shares in the last quarter. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC increased its stake in Great Ajax shares by 408.2% during Q2. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC now owns 53,472 shares of the real estate investment trust worth $513,000 after acquiring an additional 42,951 shares in the last quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC increased its stake in Great Ajax shares by 129.3% during the 2nd quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 124,812 shares of the real estate investment trust worth $1,197,000 after acquiring an additional 70,371 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in Great Ajax shares by 487.2% during the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 276,843 shares of the real estate investment trust worth $2,655,000 after acquiring an additional 229,696 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KG&L Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Great Ajax shares by 19.6% during the 2nd quarter. KG&L Capital Management LLC now owns 137,022 shares of the real estate investment trust worth $1,314,000 after acquiring an additional 22,496 shares in the last quarter. 65.84% of the shares are held by institutional investors.
Great Ajax Company Profile
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Great Ajax Corp., a real estate company, acquires, invests and manages a portfolio of low balance residential mortgages and commercial mortgages. The Company also holds real estate properties acquired through foreclosure or other settlement of its non-performing loans, as well as through outright purchases.
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