Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) is Hazelview Securities Inc.’s 8th Largest Position

Hazelview Securities Inc. raised its holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) by 112.9% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 867,585 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 460,065 shares during the period. Essential Properties Realty Trust makes up 4.3% of Hazelview Securities Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest position. Hazelview Securities Inc.’s holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust were worth $22,731,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 0.5% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 24,730,518 shares of the company’s stock valued at $534,921,000 after buying an additional 134,840 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 18.4% in the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 9,931,196 shares of the company’s stock worth $253,841,000 after purchasing an additional 1,543,346 shares during the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG raised its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 31.4% in the third quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 5,305,696 shares of the company’s stock valued at $114,762,000 after purchasing an additional 1,267,534 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 17.7% during the fourth quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 2,614,218 shares of the company’s stock valued at $66,947,000 after purchasing an additional 393,041 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,230,214 shares of the company’s stock worth $57,004,000 after buying an additional 21,058 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.98% of the company’s stock.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of EPRT stock traded up $0.03 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $27.00. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 363,898 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,353,207. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 7.61 and a current ratio of 7.61. Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. has a 52-week low of $20.49 and a 52-week high of $28.18. The stock has a market cap of $4.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.02, a PEG ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 1.30. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $26.89 and a 200 day moving average price of $25.83.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.29 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 28th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.30%. This is a boost from Essential Properties Realty Trust’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s dividend payout ratio is currently 92.68%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Stephen D. Sautel sold 25,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.09, for a total transaction of $677,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 247,492 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,704,558.28. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $26.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. Citigroup upgraded Essential Properties Realty Trust from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $25.00 to $28.50 in a report on Friday, March 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $27.00 to $27.50 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 19th. B. Riley reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $29.00 price target (up from $27.50) on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a report on Friday, May 31st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $30.00 price objective for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $28.60.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Company Profile

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc, a real estate company, acquires, owns, and manages single-tenant properties in the United States. The company leases its properties to middle-market companies, such as restaurants, car washes, automotive services, medical and dental services, convenience stores, equipment rental, entertainment, early childhood education, grocery, and health and fitness on a long-term basis.