Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Boosts Holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT)

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT - Free Report) by 5.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 251,593 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 13,041 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned about 0.13% of Essential Properties Realty Trust worth $8,212,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Arizona State Retirement System grew its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 50,884 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,592,000 after buying an additional 399 shares during the last quarter. Summit Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 3.3% during the fourth quarter. Summit Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 18,355 shares of the company's stock valued at $574,000 after purchasing an additional 581 shares in the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association boosted its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 7.0% during the 4th quarter. United Services Automobile Association now owns 11,183 shares of the company's stock valued at $350,000 after acquiring an additional 730 shares in the last quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC boosted its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 1.9% during the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 46,270 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,447,000 after purchasing an additional 851 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Xponance Inc. boosted its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 7.0% in the fourth quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 13,380 shares of the company's stock valued at $419,000 after acquiring an additional 874 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.98% of the company's stock.

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 Essential Properties Realty Trust 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 directly owned 76,590 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,524,406.40. The trade was a 14.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.81% of the company's stock.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Trading Down 1.8%

Shares of EPRT traded down $0.58 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $31.47. The company had a trading volume of 1,634,585 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,471,591. Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. has a 1-year low of $27.44 and a 1-year high of $34.88. The stock has a market cap of $6.22 billion, a PE ratio of 27.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.08. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $32.18 and a 200-day simple moving average of $31.80. The company has a quick ratio of 7.76, a current ratio of 7.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55.

Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.46 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $129.35 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $124.88 million. Essential Properties Realty Trust had a return on equity of 6.13% and a net margin of 44.62%. Essential Properties Realty Trust's revenue was up 24.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.42 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. will post 1.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 14th. Investors of record on Monday, June 30th will be issued a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.81%. 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. Essential Properties Realty Trust's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 104.35%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on EPRT. UBS Group lowered their price target on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $40.00 to $37.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 13th. Scotiabank boosted their target price on shares of 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 boosted their target price on shares of 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. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $37.00 price target (up previously from $35.00) on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a report on Wednesday, May 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Essential Properties Realty Trust currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $35.06.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Company Profile

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.