Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. Grows Stock Position in Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT)

Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT - Free Report) by 12.1% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 129,532 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 14,032 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. owned 0.07% of Essential Properties Realty Trust worth $4,228,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of EPRT. Franchise Capital Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust during the 1st quarter worth approximately $42,000. Quarry LP grew its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 439.4% in the fourth quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,451 shares of the company's stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 1,182 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust during the 1st quarter worth approximately $80,000. GF Fund Management CO. LTD. purchased a new stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $100,000. Finally, Morse Asset Management Inc boosted its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 44.6% in the fourth quarter. Morse Asset Management Inc now owns 3,325 shares of the company's stock valued at $104,000 after acquiring an additional 1,025 shares in the last quarter. 96.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:EPRT traded up $0.10 during trading on Friday, hitting $30.43. 1,633,698 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,687,245. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $31.38 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $31.64. The company has a market cap of $6.03 billion, a PE ratio of 25.79, a P/E/G ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a current ratio of 5.67, a quick ratio of 5.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. has a 12-month low of $27.44 and a 12-month high of $34.88.

Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 23rd. The company reported $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.47 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $129.11 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $131.72 million. Essential Properties Realty Trust had a net margin of 44.48% and a return on equity of 6.20%. Essential Properties Realty Trust's quarterly revenue was up 25.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.47 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. will post 1.83 EPS for the current year.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 30th were paid a dividend of $0.30 per share. This is a boost from Essential Properties Realty Trust's previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.9%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 30th. Essential Properties Realty Trust's payout ratio is currently 101.69%.

Insider Activity at Essential Properties Realty Trust

In other news, VP A Joseph Peil sold 13,227 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.96, for a total transaction of $435,961.92. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 76,590 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,524,406.40. The trade was a 14.73% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.77% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on EPRT. Barclays reduced their price target on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $37.00 to $36.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 21st. Scotiabank upped 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 report on Monday, May 12th. Truist Financial raised their price target on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, May 5th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $36.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $35.06.

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.