Brokerages Set Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) PT at $29.00

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the eleven brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and ten have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $29.00.

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on EPRT shares. B. Riley reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $29.00 price target (up from $27.50) on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $26.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 10th. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research note on Friday, May 31st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $30.00 price target on the stock. Citigroup raised shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $25.00 to $28.50 in a research note on Friday, March 22nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research note on Friday, June 28th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $33.00 price target on the stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Essential Properties Realty Trust

In other Essential Properties Realty Trust news, Director Stephen D. Sautel sold 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the director now directly owns 247,492 shares in the company, valued at $6,704,558.28. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Peter M. Mavoides sold 1,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.00, for a total value of $33,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 513,264 shares in the company, valued at $14,371,392. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Stephen D. Sautel sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the director now owns 247,492 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,704,558.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 47,063 shares of company stock worth $1,285,417 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Essential Properties Realty Trust

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 4.4% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 25,377,389 shares of the company’s stock valued at $676,561,000 after buying an additional 1,060,079 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in 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 in the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG raised its position 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 worth $114,762,000 after purchasing an additional 1,267,534 shares in the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 7.5% in the first quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,697,079 shares of the company’s stock worth $71,904,000 after purchasing an additional 187,256 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 17.7% in the fourth quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 2,614,218 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,947,000 after purchasing an additional 393,041 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.98% of the company’s stock.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Trading Up 1.0 %

NYSE EPRT opened at $28.28 on Tuesday. Essential Properties Realty Trust has a 1-year low of $20.49 and a 1-year high of $28.38. The company has a current ratio of 7.61, a quick ratio of 7.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The company has a market capitalization of $4.96 billion, a PE ratio of 22.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.35. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $27.25 and its 200-day simple moving average is $25.97.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.10%. This is a boost from Essential Properties Realty Trust’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 28th. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s dividend payout ratio is 94.31%.

About Essential Properties Realty Trust

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.