Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. (NYSE:WHG) Short Interest Update

Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. (NYSE:WHG - Get Free Report) experienced a notable increase in short interest during October. As of October 15th, the total short interest reached 25,700 shares, marking an increase of 471.1% from the prior total of 4,500 shares on September 30th. With an average daily trading volume of 11,700 shares, the current days-to-cover ratio stands at 2.2 days, indicating that 0.4% of the company's shares are currently sold short.

Hedge Funds Weigh In on Westwood Holdings Group

Various institutional investors have recently adjusted their stakes in Westwood Holdings Group. In the first quarter, SpiderRock Advisors LLC acquired a new position valued at $144,000. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its holdings by 7.6%, now owning 22,281 shares worth $275,000 after adding 1,575 shares last quarter. Prosperity Consulting Group LLC also entered a new position, investing $537,000. Garner Asset Management Corp raised its stake by 4.4% to own 63,067 shares valued at $777,000 following the purchase of 2,672 additional shares. Lastly, Gabelli Funds LLC increased its holdings by 5.2%, owning 104,673 shares worth $1,290,000 after acquiring an extra 5,127 shares. Currently, 56.64% of Westwood’s stock is owned by hedge funds and institutional investors.

Westwood Holdings Group Stock Performance

On Friday, WHG stock rose by $0.15, reaching $15.95, with a trading volume of 21,875 shares compared to its average volume of 11,391 shares. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $13.83 and a 200-day simple moving average of $12.97. Westwood Holdings Group has a market capitalization of $148.54 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.73, and a beta of 1.15. The stock has ranged from a twelve-month low of $8.95 to a high of $18.03.

Westwood Holdings Group last reported its quarterly earnings on July 31st, where it posted an EPS of ($0.18). The firm recorded a net margin of 7.63% and a return on equity of 7.86%, with revenues totaling $22.69 million for the quarter.

Westwood Holdings Group Dividend Announcement

The company also announced a quarterly dividend, which was distributed on Tuesday, October 1st. Shareholders registered by September 2nd received a dividend of $0.15 per share, which translates to a $0.60 annualized dividend with a yield of 3.76%. The ex-dividend date was set for August 30th. Westwood Holdings Group has a dividend payout ratio of 44.12%.

Wall Street Analyst Insights

In a separate development, StockNews.com began coverage on Westwood Holdings Group, providing a research note where it issued a “buy” rating for the company.

About Westwood Holdings Group

Westwood Holdings Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in managing investment assets and delivering services to its clients. The company operates in two segments: Advisory and Trust. The Advisory segment offers investment advisory services for corporate retirement plans, public retirement plans, endowments, foundations, individuals, and the Westwood Funds. Additionally, it provides investment sub-advisory services for mutual funds and pooled investment vehicles in its Trust segment.

Westwood, ShortInterest, Investors