Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) Stock Has Average Target Price of $98.78 According to Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts remain broadly positive on Ventas: Seventeen firms rate the stock “Moderate Buy,” including 14 buy ratings and three holds, with an average 12-month price target of $98.78 versus a recent price of $83.86.
• Ventas exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $0.97 in EPS against a $0.96 consensus estimate and $1.73 billion in revenue, up 21.7% year over year.
• The healthcare REIT declared a quarterly dividend of $0.52 per share, equivalent to an annualized $2.08 and a 2.5% yield; institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.18% of its shares.

Shares of Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR - Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the seventeen research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $98.78.

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings upgraded Ventas from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Barclays cut their price objective on Ventas from $102.00 to $91.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Raymond James Financial began coverage on Ventas in a research note on Tuesday, June 16th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $94.00 target price for the company. Mizuho lifted their target price on Ventas from $98.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Ventas in a report on Tuesday, September 15th. They set a "buy" rating and a $102.00 target price on the stock.

Ventas Stock Performance

NYSE VTR opened at $83.86 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $43.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 155.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a current ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $88.74 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $87.92. Ventas has a 1 year low of $67.36 and a 1 year high of $101.60.

Ventas (NYSE:VTR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.96 by $0.01. Ventas had a net margin of 4.08% and a return on equity of 1.99%. The company had revenue of $1.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.68 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.87 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 21.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Ventas will post 3.89 EPS for the current year.

Ventas Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, September 30th. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. Ventas's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 385.19%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ventas

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of VTR. Andra AP fonden lifted its position in shares of Ventas by 514.0% during the 2nd quarter. Andra AP fonden now owns 127,700 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $11,340,000 after acquiring an additional 106,902 shares during the period. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ventas during the 2nd quarter worth $1,281,000. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new stake in shares of Ventas during the 2nd quarter worth $17,244,000. Adelante Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ventas during the 2nd quarter worth $52,737,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. increased its position in shares of Ventas by 3.3% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 660,428 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $54,010,000 after purchasing an additional 21,378 shares during the period. 94.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ventas Company Profile

Ventas, Inc is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on owning and managing healthcare and senior housing properties. Its portfolio includes senior living communities, outpatient medical buildings, hospitals, research and innovation facilities, and other properties serving the healthcare industry.

The company generates revenue primarily by leasing its properties to healthcare providers, senior housing operators, academic institutions, and other tenants. Ventas may also participate in property operations through management and operating arrangements, particularly in senior living, while working with experienced third-party operators and healthcare partners.

Ventas serves markets across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

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