Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) Given Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI - Get Free Report) have received an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the fourteen brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $54.17.

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $53.00 to $48.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 16th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $53.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. Scotiabank decreased their price target on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $49.00 to $48.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 12th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $51.00 to $49.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $56.00 to $54.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 28th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Gaming and Leisure Properties news, Director E Scott Urdang sold 4,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.58, for a total transaction of $186,320.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 136,953 shares in the company, valued at $6,379,270.74. This trade represents a 2.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 4.26% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Gaming and Leisure Properties

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Alpine Bank Wealth Management bought a new stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties during the first quarter worth about $26,000. TD Private Client Wealth LLC lifted its stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 64.2% during the first quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 545 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 213 shares during the last quarter. Private Trust Co. NA bought a new stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties during the first quarter worth about $28,000. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. lifted its stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 1,872.7% during the first quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 651 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 618 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wayfinding Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties during the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. Institutional investors own 91.14% of the company's stock.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Stock Down 0.2%

GLPI traded down $0.07 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $46.38. The company had a trading volume of 1,649,514 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,330,237. Gaming and Leisure Properties has a 52 week low of $43.81 and a 52 week high of $52.60. The company has a quick ratio of 4.12, a current ratio of 4.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51. The company has a market capitalization of $12.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.51, a PEG ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 0.72. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $46.92 and its 200 day moving average price is $48.13.

Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.96 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.96. Gaming and Leisure Properties had a net margin of 50.41% and a return on equity of 17.02%. The firm had revenue of $395.24 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $396.27 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.92 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Gaming and Leisure Properties will post 3.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 27th. Investors of record on Friday, June 13th were paid a dividend of $0.78 per share. This is a boost from Gaming and Leisure Properties's previous quarterly dividend of $0.76. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.73%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 13th. Gaming and Leisure Properties's dividend payout ratio is presently 111.03%.

About Gaming and Leisure Properties

Gaming & Leisure Properties, Inc engages in the provision of acquiring, financing, and owning real estate property to be leased to gaming operators in triple-net lease arrangements. The company was founded on February 13, 2013 and is headquartered in Wyomissing, PA.