Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT) VP A Joseph Peil Sells 19,657 Shares

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) VP A Joseph Peil sold 19,657 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.10, for a total value of $630,989.70. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 76,525 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,456,452.50. This trade represents a 20.44% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Stock Performance

EPRT stock traded down $0.36 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $31.35. The stock had a trading volume of 2,338,067 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,067,576. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $32.03 and a 200 day simple moving average of $30.93. Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $27.44 and a fifty-two week high of $34.73. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.58 billion, a PE ratio of 24.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 6.37 and a quick ratio of 6.37.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 14th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be issued a $0.31 dividend. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 31st. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s dividend payout ratio is currently 96.88%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on EPRT shares. Mizuho increased their price target on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $33.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Scotiabank upped their target price on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $37.00 price target on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. UBS Group lifted their target price on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $38.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $36.60.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Essential Properties Realty Trust

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cohen & Steers Inc. raised its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 111.6% in the fourth quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc. now owns 18,611,967 shares of the company’s stock valued at $552,031,000 after buying an additional 9,816,042 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 1,930,360.7% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 6,737,308 shares of the company’s stock valued at $199,829,000 after buying an additional 6,736,959 shares during the last quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. boosted its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 4,681.4% during the 4th quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 3,997,593 shares of the company’s stock valued at $118,569,000 after buying an additional 3,913,986 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust in the second quarter worth $84,188,000. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 195.4% in the 3rd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 3,970,789 shares of the company’s stock valued at $118,171,000 after purchasing an additional 2,626,478 shares during the period. 96.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Company Profile

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: EPRT) is a self-administered real estate investment trust that acquires, owns and manages single-tenant commercial properties subject to long-term, triple-net leases. The company’s portfolio primarily consists of small-box retail and industrial assets, including convenience stores, automotive service centers, quick-service restaurants, fitness centers and other necessity-based businesses. Under a triple-net lease structure, tenants assume responsibility for property taxes, insurance and most maintenance expenses, providing Essential Properties with predictable, stable cash flows.

Since its founding in April 2016 and its initial public offering later that year, Essential Properties has pursued a growth strategy focused on partnering with creditworthy tenants operating in densely populated trade areas.