Should You Buy Cousins Properties Inc (CUZ) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.
Conclusion
Buy
Latest Price
25.240
1 Day change
-0.20%
52 Week Range
31.020
Analysis Updated At
2026/01/28
BUY for a beginner, long-term investor (with $50k–$100k) who wants to act now. CUZ is trading at ~$24.82 after a -2.86% regular-session drop and is sitting near a key support zone (S2 ~24.64). Despite the short-term downtrend, Wall Street sentiment has turned notably more bullish (multiple upgrades to Outperform/Overweight with ~$29–$33 targets), and the setup is attractive for a long-term entry ahead of the next earnings catalyst (Feb 5). Intellectia signals are not flashing today, so this is a fundamentals/sentiment-driven buy rather than a quant-timed one.
Technical Analysis
Trend is bearish: moving averages are stacked negatively (SMA_200 > SMA_20 > SMA_5), and MACD histogram is negative (-0.174) and worsening, confirming downside momentum. RSI(6) is ~20.48, which is deeply oversold and often coincides with near-term stabilization/bounce potential. Key levels: immediate support S2 ~24.64 (price ~24.82 is close), then S1 ~25.20 above; resistance pivots at ~26.09 and ~26.98. Near-term pattern stats suggest slightly weak next-day odds (60% chance of ~-0.91%), but a modestly positive 1-month tendency (+4.16%), fitting a long-term entry near support.
**Intellectia Proprietary Trading Signals**
- [AI Stock Picker](module://ai_stock_pick): No signal on given stock today.
- [SwingMax](module://swingmax): No signal on given stock recently.
Options Data
Bullish
Open Interest Put-Call Ratio
Bullish
Option Volume Put-Call Ratio
Options positioning is extremely call-heavy based on open interest (put/call OI ~0.01; calls 1,578 vs puts 16), which leans bullish on sentiment/positioning. However, reported option volume is effectively zero today, so the put/call volume ratio (0.0) is not very informative for “today’s” sentiment. Volatility is elevated: 30D IV ~80.83 vs historical vol ~20.96, with IV percentile ~88.8—options are pricing substantial uncertainty/risk around upcoming events (notably earnings), which can amplify moves in either direction.
Technical Summary
Sell
9
Buy
4
Positive Catalysts
Multiple recent analyst upgrades (Evercore, Mizuho, BMO, Wells) highlighting improving leasing/occupancy trends and positioning in the Sunbelt office markets; potential event catalyst with Q4/Full-year earnings on 2026-02-05 (after hours); option open-interest skew is strongly call-leaning (bullish positioning).
Neutral/Negative Catalysts
Price trend remains clearly bearish (negative MA stack, weakening MACD), so the tape is still working against the stock in the near term; office REIT sector remains structurally challenged (“landmines” language from analysts reflects this); very high implied volatility suggests the market expects large moves and uncertainty into catalysts; latest quarter profitability metrics weakened (net income and EPS down YoY). No recent supportive news flow in the past week.
Financial Performance
Latest reported quarter: 2025/Q3. Revenue rose to $248.326M (+18.70% YoY), showing top-line growth. However, profitability weakened: net income fell to $8.590M (-23.29% YoY) and EPS dropped to $0.05 (-28.57% YoY). Gross margin also slipped to 25.21 (down ~0.67 YoY). Overall: strong revenue growth but pressured earnings, which puts more weight on management’s forward leasing/FFO outlook at the next earnings release (2026-02-05).
Growth
Profitability
Efficiency
Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends
Recent trend is improving: several firms upgraded CUZ to Outperform/Overweight (Wells Fargo, Mizuho, Evercore ISI, BMO). Price targets cluster around ~$29–$33, with some targets trimmed versus prior levels (e.g., $32→$30, $31→$29), but upgrades indicate conviction that relative fundamentals/positioning are better than peers. Wall Street pros: improving occupancy/leasing momentum, Sunbelt positioning, perceived best risk/reward in office REITs for 2026. Cons: office sector risk remains high and some analysts are still cautious enough to reduce targets, implying upside exists but is not without fundamental execution risk.
Influential/political trading check: No recent congress trading data available; hedge funds and insiders are reported as Neutral with no significant recent trend.
Wall Street analysts forecast CUZ stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CUZ is 31.13 USD with a low forecast of 28 USD and a high forecast of 35 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
8 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast CUZ stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CUZ is 31.13 USD with a low forecast of 28 USD and a high forecast of 35 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
7 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 25.290
Low
28
Averages
31.13
High
35
Current: 25.290
Low
28
Averages
31.13
High
35
BMO Capital
Market Perform -> Outperform
upgrade
$30 -> $31
AI Analysis
2026-01-09
Reason
BMO Capital
Price Target
$30 -> $31
AI Analysis
2026-01-09
upgrade
Market Perform -> Outperform
Reason
BMO Capital upgraded Cousins Properties to Outperform from Market Perform with a price target of $31, up from $30. The firm says that in an office sector "full of landmines," Cousins is one of three office real estate investment trusts with improving occupancy and funds from operations growth in 2026 and 2027. BMO adjusted real estate investment trust ratings as part of its 2026 outlook.
Evercore ISI
In Line -> Outperform
upgrade
$32 -> $30
2025-12-15
Reason
Evercore ISI
Price Target
$32 -> $30
2025-12-15
upgrade
In Line -> Outperform
Reason
Evercore ISI upgraded Cousins Properties to Outperform from In Line with a price target of $30, down from $32. More insights than expected emerged at the NAREIT conference, including notable positive shifts in the REIT landscape, says the analyst, who cites a strong rebound in leasing activity and strategic positioning for the firm's upgrade of Cousins.
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