Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fifteen research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and thirteen have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $33.91.

A number of research firms recently weighed in on EPRT. Barclays assumed coverage on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research report on Tuesday, December 17th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $35.94 price objective for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $37.00 to $34.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Mizuho increased their target price on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $31.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. Scotiabank lifted their target price on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, November 25th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $33.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd.

Institutional Trading of Essential Properties Realty Trust

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of EPRT. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,033,209 shares of the company’s stock worth $345,535,000 after acquiring an additional 96,615 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 2.7% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,468,922 shares of the company’s stock worth $152,642,000 after purchasing an additional 118,927 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its position in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,138,674 shares of the company’s stock worth $141,336,000 after buying an additional 76,475 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,829,776 shares of the company’s stock valued at $96,637,000 after buying an additional 141,612 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 11.4% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,575,683 shares of the company’s stock valued at $71,372,000 after buying an additional 264,052 shares during the last quarter. 96.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Price Performance

EPRT stock opened at $31.34 on Tuesday. Essential Properties Realty Trust has a 52-week low of $23.58 and a 52-week high of $34.88. The company has a quick ratio of 5.59, a current ratio of 5.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The stock has a market cap of $5.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 1.38. The business has a fifty day moving average of $32.78 and a two-hundred day moving average of $31.43.

Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 23rd. The company reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.43 by ($0.16). Essential Properties Realty Trust had a return on equity of 6.20% and a net margin of 46.00%. The business had revenue of $117.13 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.73 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.42 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Essential Properties Realty Trust will post 1.68 earnings per share for the current year.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 14th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be issued a $0.295 dividend. This represents a $1.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.77%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 31st. This is a positive change from Essential Properties Realty Trust’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s dividend payout ratio is 102.61%.

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.