CubeSmart stock rating cut to Hold at Jefferies on weak move-in rates in Q4

Published 02/01/2025, 13:24
CubeSmart stock rating cut to Hold at Jefferies on weak move-in rates in Q4

On Thursday, Jefferies analysts downgraded CubeSmart (NYSE:CUBE) stock, a self-storage real estate investment trust listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CUBE), from "Buy" to "Hold."

Alongside the rating change, the firm also reduced the price target for CubeSmart shares from $57.00 to $46.00.

Jefferies pointed to weaker-than-expected move-in rates during the fourth quarter, based on their web scraping data, and a softening in Economic Cycle Research Institute's (ECRI) leading indexes as factors likely to impact the company's earnings in the coming year.

The analysts noted that their forecast for funds from operations (FFO) next year is 1.1% below the consensus on Wall Street, indicating a more cautious outlook.

The firm also expressed concerns regarding CubeSmart's urban-focused portfolio, suggesting it may not benefit from the housing recovery to the same extent as its peers. This could potentially exert pressure on the company's stock multiples.

Despite these challenges, Jefferies acknowledged that CubeSmart's stock is trading at a price-to-FFO (P/FFO) multiple of 16.2 times, which aligns with its long-term discount when compared to industry counterparts Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) and Extra Space Storage (NYSE:EXR).

The analysts concluded that given these metrics, CubeSmart's stock appears to be fairly valued at its current levels, leading to their decision to adjust the rating and price target.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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