KE (NYSE:BEKE) Shares Gap Up – What’s Next?

KE Holdings Inc. (NYSE:BEKE)’s share price gapped up prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $20.69, but opened at $21.42. KE shares last traded at $21.35, with a volume of 2,850,031 shares.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. UBS Group downgraded shares of KE from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their price target for the company from $22.70 to $24.50 in a report on Thursday, March 20th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of KE in a report on Tuesday, March 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price target on KE from $19.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, KE has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $27.26.

KE Trading Up 3.6 %

The firm has a market capitalization of $25.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 43.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.45 and a beta of -0.82. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $20.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $19.62.

KE Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a — dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 25th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.36 per share. This represents a yield of 1.4%. This is a positive change from KE’s previous — dividend of $0.17. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 9th. KE’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 64.58%.

Institutional Trading of KE

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. GF Fund Management CO. LTD. bought a new position in shares of KE in the 4th quarter worth $37,471,000. Sylebra Capital LLC raised its holdings in KE by 48.5% in the fourth quarter. Sylebra Capital LLC now owns 1,852,970 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,132,000 after purchasing an additional 605,257 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP bought a new position in KE in the fourth quarter worth about $10,867,000. Vident Advisory LLC lifted its position in shares of KE by 9.3% during the fourth quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 68,693 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,265,000 after buying an additional 5,850 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tiger Pacific Capital LP bought a new stake in shares of KE in the 4th quarter valued at about $17,319,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 39.34% of the company’s stock.

About KE

KE Holdings Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in operating an integrated online and offline platform for housing transactions and services in the People's Republic of China. It operates through four segments: Existing Home Transaction Services, New Home Transaction Services, Home Renovation and Furnishing, and Emerging and Other Services.