Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) Given Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the fourteen brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $34.91.

Several equities research analysts have commented on EPRT shares. B. Riley cut Essential Properties Realty Trust from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and boosted their target price for the company from $29.50 to $33.50 in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, May 5th. UBS Group cut their target price on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $40.00 to $37.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Barclays restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $37.00 target price (up previously from $35.00) on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research note on Wednesday, May 21st. Finally, Scotiabank boosted their target price on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Monday, May 12th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Essential Properties Realty Trust

In other Essential Properties Realty Trust news, VP A Joseph Peil sold 13,227 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.96, for a total value of $435,961.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 76,590 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,524,406.40. This trade represents a 14.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.77% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Essential Properties Realty Trust

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EPRT. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 10.5% in the fourth quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 33,318 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,042,000 after acquiring an additional 3,166 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 18.9% during the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,948,952 shares of the company's stock valued at $92,246,000 after purchasing an additional 469,610 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp bought a new stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust during the 4th quarter valued at $287,000. Handelsbanken Fonder AB raised its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 11.7% during the 4th quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 674,300 shares of the company's stock valued at $21,092,000 after purchasing an additional 70,800 shares during the period. Finally, TCW Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust during the 4th quarter valued at $872,000. 96.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Stock Performance

Essential Properties Realty Trust stock opened at $32.04 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 5.36 and a quick ratio of 5.36. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $31.97 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $31.84. Essential Properties Realty Trust has a 52-week low of $26.75 and a 52-week high of $34.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.11, a P/E/G ratio of 2.90 and a beta of 1.10.

Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.46 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $129.35 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $124.88 million. Essential Properties Realty Trust had a net margin of 45.15% and a return on equity of 6.12%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 24.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.42 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Essential Properties Realty Trust will post 1.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 30th will be given a $0.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 30th. This is an increase from Essential Properties Realty Trust's previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.75%. Essential Properties Realty Trust's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 104.35%.

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.

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