Cousins Properties Incorporated (CUZ) AI Stock Analysis
CUZ AI stock analysis summary
AI ResearchCousins Properties Incorporated (CUZ) is a fully integrated real estate investment trust focused on Class A office towers in Sun Belt markets. The company generated $1.03B in trailing twelve-month revenue, but net income has declined from $278.6M in FY2021 to $40.5M in FY2025. Meanwhile, CUZ carries $3.73B in total debt against $6.7M in cash, while offering a 4.63% forward dividend yield.
- Market cap
- $4.55B
- Revenue (TTM)
- $1.03B
- P/E
- 691.0x fwd 10.1x
- 1Y return
- 9.5% S&P 500 16.8%
- Avg. target
- $33.64 21.7% vs last close
Bull case
- Quarterly earnings surged 84.4% year-over-year in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, alongside 11.6% quarterly revenue growth.
- Wall Street sentiment is positive, with 10 of 11 analysts rating the stock a Strong Buy or Buy and setting a mean price target of $33.64, representing 21.7% upside.
- CUZ trades at a forward P/E of 10.1x, which compares favorably to the 23.5x median of its US-listed Real Estate peers.
Bear case
- Annual net income dropped continuously from $278.6M in FY2021 to $40.5M in FY2025.
- The dividend payout ratio stands at 137.6%, and the 5-year annualized dividend growth rate fell 3.0%.
- The company carries $3.73B in net debt with only $6.7M in cash and short-term investments as of June 30, 2026.
What Cousins Properties does
Cousins Properties Incorporated operates as an independently managed real estate investment trust headquartered in Atlanta, GA. The company conducts business through Cousins Properties LP, targeting investments in premier Class A office towers throughout fast-growing Sun Belt markets. Founded in 1958, Cousins engages in development, acquisition, leasing, and property management with a focus on acquiring and developing trophy assets in dynamic urban locations. The REIT also pursues opportunistic investments to drive long-term returns and emphasizes sustainable, community-focused practices.
Growth and profitability
Revenue increased from $755.1M in FY2021 to $993.8M in FY2025, representing a 5-year revenue CAGR of 6.1%. Annual revenue growth reached 16.0% in FY2025, up from 6.7% in FY2024 and 5.3% in FY2023. However, net income fell from $278.6M in FY2021 to $166.8M in FY2022, $83.0M in FY2023, $46.0M in FY2024, and $40.5M in FY2025. Gross margin contracted sharply to 26.5% in FY2025 from 67.2% in FY2024, while operating margin was 22.4%. For the latest quarter ended June 30, 2026, quarterly revenue increased 11.6% year-over-year, and quarterly earnings grew 84.4%, supporting trailing twelve-month revenue of $1.03B.
Balance sheet and cash flow
As of June 30, 2026, Cousins Properties held $6.7M in cash and short-term investments alongside $3.73B in total debt, yielding net debt of $3.73B. Total assets stood at $9.04B, shareholders' equity was $4.49B, the current ratio was 1.73, and debt-to-equity was 0.83. Operating cash flow in FY2025 was $402.3M, generating free cash flow of $135.0M after $267.2M in capital expenditures. Capital returns in FY2025 included $215.8M in dividends paid and $1.9M spent on share buybacks.
Valuation and performance
CUZ trades at an enterprise value of $8.43B and a market cap of $4.55B, with a trailing P/E of 691.0x and a forward P/E of 10.1x. Its forward P/E is below the 23.5x median of its US-listed Real Estate peers, while its price-to-sales of 4.4x exceeds the peer median of 3.7x. The company's EV/EBITDA stands at 13.8x compared to the peer median of 14.7x. Over the past year, CUZ returned 9.5%, trailing the S&P 500 return of 16.8%, and its 5-year return of -12.1% underperformed the index's 83.0% gain.
CUZ dividend
Cousins Properties pays a quarterly dividend with an annualized forward payout of $1.28 per share, reflecting a 4.63% dividend yield. The company has paid dividends for 42 consecutive years, though its 5-year annualized dividend growth declined 3.0%. The dividend payout ratio stands elevated at 137.6%.
What analysts expect
Wall Street analysts maintain 8 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, and 1 Hold ratings on CUZ, with no Sell or Strong Sell ratings. The mean price target of $33.64 implies 21.7% upside relative to the last close of $27.64. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, analysts estimate EPS of $0.22, a projected decline of 10.2%, on $1.06B in revenue. CUZ beat EPS estimates in 2 of the last 4 quarters, with next earnings scheduled for October 29, 2026.
Key risks and what to watch
- Total debt of $3.73B against just $6.7M in cash leaves the balance sheet reliant on steady operational cash flow.
- Gross margin decreased from 67.2% in FY2024 to 26.5% in FY2025, putting pressure on overall operating profitability.
- Short interest represents 10.6% of the float, reflecting meaningful market skepticism.
- CUZ's 5-year return of -12.1% significantly lagged the S&P 500 gain of 83.0%.
AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer
About this CUZ AI stock analysis
This page is an AI-written research summary of Cousins Properties Incorporated (CUZ). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.
Related: CUZ income statement, CUZ balance sheet, CUZ key metrics, CUZ analyst forecast, CUZ chart. See the CUZ stock overview for the latest quote and news.
CUZ AI stock analysis FAQ
What is Cousins Properties' dividend yield?
CUZ pays an annualized forward dividend of $1.28 per share, yielding 4.63%. The payout ratio is 137.6%, and the company has paid dividends for 42 consecutive years.
What are analysts' price targets for CUZ?
The mean price target for Cousins Properties is $33.64, which implies an upside of 21.7% from the closing price of $27.64. The stock has 8 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, and 1 Hold ratings.
How much debt does Cousins Properties have?
As of June 30, 2026, Cousins Properties had $3.73B in total debt and $6.7M in cash and short-term investments, resulting in net debt of $3.73B. Its debt-to-equity ratio is 0.83.
What are CUZ's projected earnings and revenue?
For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, analysts estimate EPS of $0.22 and revenue of $1.06B. For the following fiscal year, EPS is projected to rise 20.0% to $0.46 on revenue of $1.08B.