Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:HOV) Short Interest Update

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:HOV) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totalling 217,000 shares, a growth of 12.1% from the December 15th total of 193,500 shares. Approximately 5.0% of the company’s shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 80,900 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.7 days.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Rhumbline Advisers grew its stake in shares of Hovnanian Enterprises by 3.8% in the second quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 9,033 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,282,000 after acquiring an additional 330 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its holdings in Hovnanian Enterprises by 16.1% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 133,933 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $19,008,000 after buying an additional 18,622 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in shares of Hovnanian Enterprises by 72.3% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 45,363 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $6,438,000 after buying an additional 19,031 shares in the last quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC grew its holdings in shares of Hovnanian Enterprises by 94.4% during the second quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 3,549 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $504,000 after buying an additional 1,723 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AXA S.A. increased its position in shares of Hovnanian Enterprises by 306.7% during the second quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 6,930 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $984,000 after acquiring an additional 5,226 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.40% of the company’s stock.

Hovnanian Enterprises Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of HOV traded down $1.36 on Monday, reaching $139.21. The stock had a trading volume of 70,604 shares, compared to its average volume of 85,057. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a current ratio of 1.52. Hovnanian Enterprises has a 12-month low of $115.90 and a 12-month high of $240.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $843.58 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.34 and a beta of 2.70. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $155.30 and a 200-day simple moving average of $179.30.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Wedbush reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $155.00 target price on shares of Hovnanian Enterprises in a research report on Monday, December 16th.

Hovnanian Enterprises Company Profile

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc, through its subsidiaries, designs, constructs, markets, and sells residential homes in the United States. It offers single-family detached homes, attached townhomes and condominiums, urban infill, and active lifestyle homes with amenities, such as clubhouses, swimming pools, tennis courts, tot lots, and open areas.