Handelsbanken Fonder AB Grows Stock Position in Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT)

Handelsbanken Fonder AB lifted its holdings in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) by 58.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 34,000 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 12,500 shares during the period. Handelsbanken Fonder AB’s holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust were worth $869,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,942,658 shares of the company’s stock valued at $42,020,000 after acquiring an additional 78,577 shares during the period. Bailard Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 4.1% in the third quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 30,253 shares of the company’s stock valued at $654,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200 shares during the period. Brown Advisory Inc. raised its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 2.6% in the third quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 1,599,201 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,591,000 after purchasing an additional 40,087 shares during the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System lifted its holdings in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 0.3% during the third quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 229,759 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,970,000 after purchasing an additional 683 shares during the period. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 8.4% in the third quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 90,695 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,962,000 after buying an additional 7,058 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.98% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Peter M. Mavoides sold 17,618 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.90, for a total value of $438,688.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 353,303 shares in the company, valued at $8,797,244.70. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other Essential Properties Realty Trust news, CEO Peter M. Mavoides sold 17,618 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.90, for a total transaction of $438,688.20. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 353,303 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,797,244.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Peter M. Mavoides sold 9,188 shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.01, for a total transaction of $238,979.88. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 554,904 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,433,053.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 44,524 shares of company stock worth $1,113,438. 0.81% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have issued reports on EPRT. Citigroup raised shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $25.00 to $28.50 in a research report on Friday, March 22nd. B. Riley reissued a “buy” rating and set a $29.00 target price (up previously from $27.50) on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a report on Wednesday, March 13th. Mizuho lowered their price target on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $27.00 to $26.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 7th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $29.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Raymond James boosted their price objective on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, January 8th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $28.22.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Trading Up 2.4 %

Shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust stock opened at $26.31 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $25.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $24.57. 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 fifty-two week low of $20.49 and a fifty-two week high of $26.77. The company has a market cap of $4.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 1.27.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 12th. Investors of record on Friday, March 29th were issued a $0.285 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $1.14 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.33%. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s payout ratio is 92.68%.

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.