Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Increases Stock Holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI – Get Rating) by 4.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,506,265 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after buying an additional 149,609 shares during the quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP’s holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties were worth $182,641,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of GLPI. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 2,063.7% in the fourth quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 5,024,745 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $261,739,000 after purchasing an additional 4,792,518 shares during the last quarter. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 19.7% in the 4th quarter. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC now owns 89,864 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $4,681,000 after buying an additional 14,815 shares during the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 18.8% during the 4th quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 124,316 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $6,476,000 after buying an additional 19,673 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 1.3% in the 4th quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 1,753,938 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $91,410,000 after buying an additional 22,858 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Prudential PLC purchased a new position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,051,000. 90.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Price Performance

NASDAQ GLPI opened at $48.24 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 0.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. The company has a market cap of $12.66 billion, a PE ratio of 16.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.99. Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. has a 52 week low of $42.71 and a 52 week high of $55.13. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $50.82 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $51.67.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 24th. Investors of record on Friday, March 10th were issued a $0.97 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 9th. This is an increase from Gaming and Leisure Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. This represents a $3.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.04%. Gaming and Leisure Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 98.97%.

Insider Activity at Gaming and Leisure Properties

In related news, Director E Scott Urdang bought 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 1st. The shares were purchased at an average price of $53.82 per share, for a total transaction of $53,820.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 150,132 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,080,104.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 4.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently commented on GLPI shares. StockNews.com downgraded Gaming and Leisure Properties from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Raymond James raised their target price on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $55.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. Finally, JMP Securities reiterated a “market outperform” rating and set a $57.00 target price on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in a research note on Tuesday, March 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $56.80.

About Gaming and Leisure Properties

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Gaming & Leisure Properties, Inc engages in acquiring, financing, and owning real estate property to be leased to gaming operators in triple-net lease arrangements. The company was founded on February 13, 2013 and is headquartered in Wyomissing, PA.