Host Hotels & Resorts Inc (HST): Today's Featured Real Estate Winner

Host Hotels & Resorts (HST) pushed the Real Estate industry higher today making it today's featured real estate winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.5%. By the end of trading, Host Hotels & Resorts rose 15 cents (1%) to $15.19 on light volume. Throughout the day, five million shares of Host Hotels & Resorts exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 7.9 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $15-$15.33 after having opened the day at $15.11 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $15.04. Other companies within the Real Estate industry that increased today were: American Spectrum Realty (AQQ), up 19%, Institutional Financial Markets (IFMI), up 7.6%, E-House China Holdings (EJ), up 6.7%, and ZipRealty (ZIPR), up 6.2%.

• ACTIVE STOCK TRADERS: Check out TheStreet's special offer for Real Money, headlined by Jim Cramer, now!

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust (REIT). The firm primarily engages in the ownership and operation of hotel properties. It invests in the real estate markets of United States. Host Hotels & Resorts has a market cap of $10.49 billion and is part of the financial sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 726, above the average real estate industry P/E ratio of 161.3 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 0.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are six analysts that rate Host Hotels & Resorts a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 13 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Host Hotels & Resorts as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its growth in earnings per share, compelling growth in net income and revenue growth. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself and poor profit margins.

• You can view the full Host Hotels Ratings Report.

On the negative front, IFM Investments (CTC), down 5.2%, American Capital Mortgage Investment (MTGE), down 3.7%, MFA Financial (MFA), down 3.7%, and Doral Financial (DRL), down 3.5%, were all laggards within the real estate industry with Equity Residential (EQR) being today's real estate industry laggard.

• Use our real estate section to find industry-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the real estate industry could consider iShares Dow Jones US Real Estate (IYR) while those bearish on the real estate industry could consider ProShares Short Real Estate Fund (REK).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on Host Hotels & Resorts Inc click any of the following:

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Stock Price

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Analyst Ratings

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Key Stats & Profile

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Earnings

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Ratio Comparison

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Growth Rates

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Balance Sheet

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Cash Flow

• Host Hotels & Resorts Inc Income Statement