tiprankstipranks
Cousins Properties Inc. (CUZ)
NYSE:CUZ
Want to see CUZ full AI Analyst Report?

Cousins Properties (CUZ) AI Stock Analysis

186 Followers

Top Page

CUZ

Cousins Properties

(NYSE:CUZ)

Select Model
Select Model
Select Model
Neutral 52 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:52Neutral
Price Target:
$30.00
â–¼(-6.69% Downside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:08/18/26
The score is held back primarily by pressured fundamentals (sharp TTM revenue decline, a shift to a small net loss, and negative free cash flow) and weak near-term technical momentum (below key short-term moving averages with negative MACD). These are partially offset by a positive earnings call with raised 2026 FFO guidance and strong operating metrics (leasing, NOI growth, rent roll-ups). Valuation is a notable headwind due to an extremely high P/E, even with a solid dividend yield.
Positive Factors
Sustained leasing and rent growth
Consistent rent roll-ups demonstrate pricing power in Cousins’ Class A Sun Belt portfolio. Strong leasing demand and higher renewal economics can support durable revenue growth as leases renew and occupancy improves.
Negative Factors
Sharp revenue decline and earnings deterioration
The material top-line contraction and shift from prior profits to a small net loss indicate pressure on current earnings quality. Sustained weakness would reduce internal funding capacity and make recovery dependent on occupancy and leasing execution.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Sustained leasing and rent growth
Consistent rent roll-ups demonstrate pricing power in Cousins’ Class A Sun Belt portfolio. Strong leasing demand and higher renewal economics can support durable revenue growth as leases renew and occupancy improves.
Read all positive factors

Cousins Properties (CUZ) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Cousins Properties Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description
Cousins Properties functions as a self-governing and fully integrated Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) based in Atlanta, Georgia. Operating via its partnership, Cousins Properties LP, the firm primarily focuses on investing in prestigious Class...
How the Company Makes Money
Cousins Properties primarily makes money by generating recurring real estate revenues from its office portfolio. The largest revenue stream is rental income earned under leases with office tenants, which typically includes (1) base rent and (2) re...

Cousins Properties Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 30, 2026
(Q2-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 22, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call conveyed a predominantly positive operational and financial performance: robust leasing volumes (924k sq ft in Q2, 1.9M H1), solid rent roll-ups (9.2% company-wide; market-leading results in Atlanta and Austin), same-property NOI growth (+5.9% YoY in Q2), improved net effective rents (+8.5% Q2, +16.8% H1 vs. 2025), and strengthened liquidity with a new $1.2B unsecured facility. Management is actively recycling capital into higher-quality and development opportunities (Neuhoff stabilization, 5th & Walsh JV, 100 Mill buyout) while retaining flexibility via forward equity and financing. Headwinds are largely operational/timing in nature—notably large upcoming expirations in certain assets (Charlotte, Legacy Union One), a wider leased-to-occupied spread that delays NOI recognition, and limited remaining noncore inventory implying tighter spreads on future recycling. Given that the positive indicators (leasing, rent growth, NOI, balance sheet) materially outweigh the manageable risks, the overall tone is constructive and confident for the back half of 2026 and beyond.
Positive Updates
Strong FFO Performance and Upgraded Guidance
Reported Q2 FFO of $0.75 per share; raised full-year 2026 FFO midpoint by $0.01 to $2.95 per share (represents 3.9% growth vs. 2025). This marks the third consecutive year of FFO growth and a 4.0% compounded annual growth rate since 2023.
Negative Updates
Timing and Occupancy Risk from Large Expirations
Management noted several large expirations (notably in Charlotte and the Legacy/Legacy Union One building in Dallas) that could cause a modest occupancy downtick next quarter. Legacy Union One has roughly 80% of subtenant space expiring May 2027 and potential vacancy/downtime of ~187,000 sq ft starting June 2027, with some new leases not commencing until early 2028.
Read all updates
Q2-2026 Updates
Negative
Strong FFO Performance and Upgraded Guidance
Reported Q2 FFO of $0.75 per share; raised full-year 2026 FFO midpoint by $0.01 to $2.95 per share (represents 3.9% growth vs. 2025). This marks the third consecutive year of FFO growth and a 4.0% compounded annual growth rate since 2023.
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Cousins updated 2026 FFO guidance to $2.92–$2.98 per share with a midpoint of $2.95 (up $0.01 from the prior $2.94 midpoint), implying 3.9% growth vs. 2025 and marking a third consecutive year of FFO growth (4% CAGR since 2023); Q2 FFO was $0.75. The company says the guide reflects stronger-than-expected leasing and recent property transactions, assumes settlement of 2.9 million forward shares in Q3 and only includes the planned sale of the 303 Tremont land parcel in Q4. Key operating metrics that supported the update include 924,000 sq ft of leasing in Q2 (1.9M sq ft in H1), same-property cash NOI +5.9% in Q2 (+5.5% in Q1), second‑generation cash rent roll‑up +9.2% (49 consecutive quarters), end‑of‑period lease %/occupied % of 92.8%/89.4% (year‑end occupancy target ~90%), and the close of a new $1.2B unsecured credit facility with a 15 bps spread improvement.

Cousins Properties Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Operating profitability is still solid on a margin basis (TTM EBITDA margin ~54%) and operating cash flow remains positive (~$432M). However, revenue declined sharply (~24% TTM), profitability slipped to a small net loss (net margin ~-0.5%), and free cash flow turned negative (~-$90M). Leverage is manageable (debt-to-equity ~0.85) but trending higher while returns weakened.
Income Statement
44
Neutral
Balance Sheet
63
Positive
Cash Flow
47
Neutral
BreakdownTTMDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.03B993.82M856.76M802.87M762.29M755.07M
Gross Profit682.04M263.42M576.10M536.44M503.92M495.61M
EBITDA566.33M456.61M534.10M504.18M535.57M634.12M
Net Income6.58M40.50M45.96M82.96M166.79M278.59M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets9.04B8.89B8.80B7.63B7.54B7.31B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments6.70M5.72M7.35M6.05M5.14M8.94M
Total Debt3.73B3.68B3.15B2.51B2.39B2.29B
Total Liabilities4.55B4.19B3.93B3.09B2.89B2.71B
Stockholders Equity4.49B4.68B4.85B4.52B4.63B4.57B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-90.49M135.04M147.50M88.84M22.93M389.48M
Operating Cash Flow431.95M402.27M400.23M368.36M365.17M389.48M
Investing Cash Flow-759.63M-425.66M-1.31B-295.74M-334.50M-191.07M
Financing Cash Flow-82.46M21.76M906.47M-71.72M-35.69M-194.38M

Cousins Properties Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price32.15
Price Trends
50DMA
30.21
Negative
100DMA
27.82
Positive
200DMA
25.89
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.21
Positive
RSI
51.81
Neutral
STOCH
78.12
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CUZ, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 32.15 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 30.16, above the 50-day MA of 30.21, and above the 200-day MA of 25.89, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.21 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 51.81 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 78.12 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for CUZ.

Cousins Properties Risk Analysis

Cousins Properties disclosed 26 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Cousins Properties reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Cousins Properties Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (65)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
67
Neutral
$3.50B20.907.09%5.94%3.30%28.46%
67
Neutral
$8.47B25.8310.82%3.29%4.50%13.52%
65
Neutral
$2.17B12.193.79%4.94%3.15%1.96%
62
Neutral
$4.33B25.613.17%5.48%-3.76%-22.82%
61
Neutral
$4.47B-22.88-4.61%4.62%7.60%-387.48%
52
Neutral
$4.94B730.170.14%3.98%11.89%-89.22%
50
Neutral
$2.00B-89.02-1.21%6.19%0.78%-167.70%
* Real Estate Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CUZ
Cousins Properties
30.20
2.64
9.59%
DEI
Douglas Emmett
12.16
-2.90
-19.26%
HIW
Highwoods Properties
31.91
3.33
11.64%
KRC
Kilroy Realty
37.20
-1.53
-3.96%
SLG
SL Green Realty
59.83
5.64
10.41%
CDP
COPT Defense Properties
37.55
9.81
35.35%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 18, 2026