Key Highlights

  • Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) reports third-quarter results after the close on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, with consensus earnings of USD 0.13 per share in market data.
  • After the second quarter, the office real estate investment trust raised 2026 funds from operations guidance to USD 3.46 to USD 3.70 per share, citing stronger leasing and rent growth.
  • Funds from operations, the measure real estate investment trusts favour because it adds back depreciation, beat estimates in the second quarter, so the guidance range is the key bar.
  • The Federal Reserve decides on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 after raising rates in September, which keeps pressure on financing costs and on property valuations.

Setup and What Management Guided

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) owns and operates office buildings in the Sun Belt, and it reports third-quarter results after the close on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Consensus earnings are USD 0.13 per share in market data, a low figure because depreciation reduces reported earnings, so the more relevant measure is funds from operations. In July the company reported second-quarter funds from operations above estimates and raised its 2026 range to USD 3.46 to USD 3.70 per share on stronger leasing and rent growth. The raise set a higher bar for the third quarter. Results cannot be known in advance.

Why Leasing and Financing Costs Drive the Result

Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) earns rent from long leases, so occupancy, the rent achieved on new and renewed leases, and the pace of lease commencements drive funds from operations. Stronger leasing in the second quarter matters because signed leases convert into rent only after tenants move in, which delays the earnings benefit. Financing is the second driver: the Federal Reserve raised its target range to 3.75% to 4.00% on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, which lifts the cost of refinancing debt and weighs on property values. Quality and location separate buildings that fill quickly from those that do not.

Risks and What to Watch

In the bull case, Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) reports funds from operations at or above expectations, confirms or narrows the USD 3.46 to USD 3.70 range upward and shows occupancy gains, which would likely support the shares. In the bear case, softer leasing, a guidance range left unchanged despite a strong first half or higher interest expense would probably prompt selling, since office real estate investment trusts trade on confidence in occupancy recovery. Investors should watch occupancy, cash rent change on renewals, the lease signing volume, the dividend coverage and the debt maturity schedule. Dated events are the release on October 27 and the Federal Reserve decision on October 28.

Where Things Stand

The answer is that Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW) reports against a bar raised by its own July guidance, and the funds from operations figure and the 2026 range matter more than the USD 0.13 earnings estimate. A confirmed leasing recovery would support the raised range, while any hesitation would be read against the stock. The next catalysts are the release on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 and the Federal Reserve decision on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, which sets the tone for financing costs. Estimates and guidance are not guarantees, and this is not investment advice.