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Cousins Properties Inc. (CUZ)
NYSE:CUZ
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Cousins Properties (CUZ) AI Stock Analysis

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CUZ

Cousins Properties

(NYSE:CUZ)

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Neutral 63 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:63Neutral
Price Target:
$28.00
▲(7.03% Upside)
Cousins Properties has a strong earnings call performance, highlighting strategic growth and leasing activities, which positively impacts the score. However, financial performance is hindered by cash flow challenges, and technical indicators suggest bearish momentum. The high P/E ratio indicates potential overvaluation, balanced somewhat by a strong dividend yield.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth
Consistent revenue growth indicates a positive trajectory and expanding market presence, essential for sustaining long-term business operations.
Strategic Acquisitions
Strategic acquisitions in high-growth markets enhance competitive positioning and align with lifestyle office strategy, supporting future expansion.
Leasing Activity
Robust leasing activity reflects strong demand for office spaces, contributing to stable cash flows and occupancy targets, bolstering long-term growth.
Negative Factors
Cash Flow Challenges
Negative free cash flow growth indicates potential cash management issues, affecting liquidity and limiting investment capacity for future projects.
Occupancy Impact
The loss of a major tenant impacts occupancy rates and revenue, necessitating efforts to backfill space to maintain income stability.
Leasing Challenges at Neuhoff
Slow leasing progress at key projects like Neuhoff may delay revenue realization and impact overall portfolio performance, requiring strategic focus.

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

Cousins Properties Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCousins Properties (CUZ) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) based in the United States that focuses primarily on the acquisition, development, and management of office properties in high-growth markets. The company operates mainly in the Sun Belt region, including major cities such as Atlanta, Austin, and Charlotte. Cousins Properties is dedicated to creating high-quality, sustainable office environments that cater to the needs of modern businesses, leveraging its expertise in property development and management.
How the Company Makes MoneyCousins Properties generates revenue primarily through leasing its commercial office spaces to tenants. The company earns rental income from long-term leases with various businesses, which are typically structured to include base rent along with additional costs such as property operating expenses and taxes. Additionally, Cousins Properties may engage in property sales or repositioning, generating capital gains. The company also benefits from strategic partnerships with developers and investors, allowing it to expand its portfolio and enhance its revenue-generating capabilities. Market demand for office spaces in targeted regions and the company’s focus on sustainable and innovative building practices further contribute to its revenue growth.

Cousins Properties Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Oct 30, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Feb 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call presented a strong financial performance and strategic growth initiatives, with significant leasing activity and strategic acquisitions offsetting the impact of the Bank of America lease expiration. Positive market trends and a robust leasing pipeline indicate potential for future growth, although certain projects like Neuhoff require attention.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Financial Performance
The company delivered $0.69 a share in FFO and raised the midpoint of guidance by $0.02 a share to $2.84, representing 5.6% growth compared to 2024.
Robust Leasing Activity
Completed 551,000 square feet of leases during the quarter, marking the second highest quarterly volume over the last 3 years.
Strategic Acquisition
Acquired The Link in Dallas for $218 million, expanding presence in a fast-growing market and fitting the lifestyle office strategy.
Leasing Pipeline Growth
Leasing pipeline at record levels with significant interest from West Coast and NYC-based companies.
Positive Market Trends
Office fundamentals are improving with net absorption at a post-pandemic high and vacancy declining for the first time in 7 years.
Occupancy Goals
The goal of achieving occupancy of 90% or higher by year-end 2026 is supported by a robust leasing pipeline.
Efficient Operations
The operations team delivered exceptional results with a total office portfolio end-of-period lease and weighted average occupancy percentages at 90% and 88.3%, respectively.
Negative Updates
Bank of America Lease Expiration Impact
Occupancy percentages were down this quarter due to the known move out of Bank of America at 201 North Tryon in Charlotte.
Slow Pace at Neuhoff Project
The Neuhoff project in Nashville is 53% leased on the commercial side, with stabilization expected at the end of the year.
General Economic Concerns
Investor sentiment around the office sector seems affected by recent rise in layoff announcements.
Company Guidance
During the Cousins Properties Inc. conference call, the company provided an optimistic overview of its third-quarter performance and future guidance. The team reported $0.69 per share in FFO and raised the midpoint of their annual guidance by $0.02 to $2.84 per share, representing a 5.6% growth over the previous year. The company achieved significant leasing activity, completing 551,000 square feet of leases, marking the second highest quarterly volume in three years. The strategic acquisition of the Link for $218 million expanded their presence in Dallas, a fast-growing market. Occupancy was reported at 88.3%, with a goal to exceed 90% by the end of 2026. Cousins highlighted a strong leasing pipeline across all markets, especially in the Sunbelt, with increasing activity from major financial and technology firms. Despite recent layoff announcements in the industry, the company has not observed any substantial impact on demand, attributing this to the robust return-to-office trend. The company underscored its focus on internal and external growth opportunities while maintaining a low-leverage balance sheet, positioning itself to capitalize on investment opportunities.

Cousins Properties Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Cousins Properties demonstrates solid revenue growth and operational efficiency with strong EBIT and EBITDA margins. The balance sheet reflects moderate leverage and a stable equity position. However, cash flow management poses a risk, with negative free cash flow growth and conversion issues.
Income Statement
75
Positive
Cousins Properties shows strong revenue growth with a 4.23% increase in TTM, indicating a positive trajectory. The gross profit margin remains healthy at 57.50%, although it has decreased from previous years. The net profit margin is modest at 5.98%, reflecting stable profitability. EBIT and EBITDA margins are robust, suggesting efficient operations.
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
The company's debt-to-equity ratio is 0.70, indicating moderate leverage, which is typical for the REIT industry. Return on equity is low at 1.20%, suggesting limited profitability relative to equity. The equity ratio of 53.45% shows a solid capital structure with a good proportion of equity financing.
Cash Flow
60
Neutral
Operating cash flow is strong, covering net income 1.39 times, indicating good cash generation. However, free cash flow is negative, and its growth rate is concerning at -109.57%, highlighting potential cash management issues. The free cash flow to net income ratio is negative, suggesting challenges in converting income into free cash flow.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue964.11M856.76M802.87M762.29M755.07M740.34M
Gross Profit554.41M576.10M536.44M503.92M495.61M489.49M
EBITDA561.80M536.80M504.18M479.14M468.49M466.73M
Net Income57.61M45.96M82.96M279.65M209.37M172.40M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets8.90B8.80B7.63B7.54B7.31B7.11B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments4.67M7.35M6.05M5.14M8.94M4.29M
Total Debt3.48B3.15B2.51B2.39B2.29B2.22B
Total Liabilities4.14B3.93B3.09B2.89B2.71B2.61B
Stockholders Equity4.76B4.85B4.52B4.63B4.57B4.47B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-16.35M147.50M368.36M22.93M-398.33M-268.68M
Operating Cash Flow416.84M400.23M368.36M365.17M389.48M351.09M
Investing Cash Flow-1.39B-1.31B-295.74M-334.50M-191.07M-132.46M
Financing Cash Flow898.73M906.47M-71.72M-35.69M-194.38M-230.09M

Cousins Properties Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price26.16
Price Trends
50DMA
27.58
Negative
100DMA
27.81
Negative
200DMA
27.93
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.49
Negative
RSI
44.43
Neutral
STOCH
50.28
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CUZ, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 26.16 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 26.23, below the 50-day MA of 27.58, and below the 200-day MA of 27.93, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.49 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 44.43 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 50.28 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for CUZ.

Cousins Properties Risk Analysis

Cousins Properties disclosed 27 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
72
Outperform
$5.08B15.675.94%5.06%0.77%62.58%
70
Outperform
$6.50B21.8310.01%4.19%0.06%8.88%
65
Neutral
$2.17B12.193.79%4.94%3.15%1.96%
65
Neutral
$3.16B24.945.37%6.75%-2.10%-13.30%
63
Neutral
$4.32B74.191.26%4.89%16.38%3.60%
54
Neutral
$2.15B59.331.04%6.35%-0.12%
51
Neutral
$3.86B0.61%6.13%8.60%
* Real Estate Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CUZ
Cousins Properties
26.16
-4.15
-13.69%
DEI
Douglas Emmett
12.41
-5.98
-32.52%
HIW
Highwoods Properties
29.36
-2.25
-7.12%
KRC
Kilroy Realty
43.48
4.29
10.95%
SLG
SL Green Realty
52.22
-24.48
-31.92%
CDP
COPT Defense Properties
28.98
-1.82
-5.91%

Cousins Properties Corporate Events

Cousins Properties Inc. Earnings Call Highlights Strategic Growth
Nov 4, 2025

Cousins Properties Inc. recently held an earnings call that conveyed a strong sense of optimism and strategic foresight. The company reported robust financial performance and strategic growth initiatives, effectively counterbalancing the impact of the Bank of America lease expiration. Positive market trends and a promising leasing pipeline suggest potential for future growth, although certain projects like Neuhoff require ongoing attention.

Business Operations and Strategy
Cousins Properties Highlights Growth at BofA Conference
Positive
Sep 8, 2025

On September 8, 2025, Cousins Properties provided an investor presentation at the BofA Securities Global Real Estate Conference. The presentation highlighted the company’s strategic positioning in the Sun Belt, emphasizing its focus on high-quality, amenity-rich office spaces that command premium rents and enjoy high occupancy rates. Cousins Properties is benefiting from trends such as the migration to the Sun Belt, increased in-office requirements, and a shrinking supply of new office spaces. These factors position the company for continued growth and success in the office sector.

The most recent analyst rating on (CUZ) stock is a Buy with a $35.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Cousins Properties stock, see the CUZ Stock Forecast page.

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: Nov 04, 2025