United Asset Strategies Inc. Sells 2,408 Shares of Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR)

United Asset Strategies Inc. reduced its holdings in shares of Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) by 6.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 37,004 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after selling 2,408 shares during the period. United Asset Strategies Inc.’s holdings in Ventas were worth $1,844,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Ventas in the 4th quarter worth $185,774,000. Deutsche Bank AG lifted its stake in shares of Ventas by 315.0% in the 3rd quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 3,218,555 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $135,598,000 after acquiring an additional 2,443,076 shares during the last quarter. Resolution Capital Ltd purchased a new stake in Ventas during the 3rd quarter valued at about $77,297,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its position in Ventas by 37.5% during the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 6,602,496 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $312,100,000 after acquiring an additional 1,801,365 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC increased its stake in Ventas by 7.1% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 22,246,452 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $937,243,000 after purchasing an additional 1,483,908 shares during the period. 94.18% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Ventas Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of VTR stock traded down $0.19 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $42.05. 483,046 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,419,131. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $43.57 and its 200-day moving average price is $44.99. The company has a market cap of $16.99 billion, a P/E ratio of -378.78, a P/E/G ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41. Ventas, Inc. has a 12 month low of $39.33 and a 12 month high of $50.99.

Ventas Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.45 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 28th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.28%. Ventas’s payout ratio is -1,636.21%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

VTR has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered Ventas from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Ventas in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. They set a “buy” rating and a $60.00 price objective for the company. Mizuho boosted their price target on Ventas from $53.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Bank of America raised Ventas from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the company from $48.00 to $53.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $46.00 price objective (down from $52.00) on shares of Ventas in a research report on Monday, February 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Ventas currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $51.54.

Ventas Company Profile

Ventas Inc (NYSE: VTR) is a leading S&P 500 real estate investment trust focused on delivering strong, sustainable shareholder returns by enabling exceptional environments that benefit a large and growing aging population. The Company's growth is fueled by its senior housing communities, which provide valuable services to residents and enable them to thrive in supported environments.