Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) Receives Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts

Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI - Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the fourteen analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and nine have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $54.17.

GLPI has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $51.00 to $49.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 2nd. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $53.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Mizuho cut their target price on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $53.00 to $48.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 16th. Macquarie reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $60.00 price target on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in a report on Friday, April 25th. Finally, Scotiabank cut their price objective on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $49.00 to $48.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 12th.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ GLPI traded up $0.22 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $46.67. 186,426 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,325,056. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $46.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $48.17. The company has a market cap of $12.83 billion, a PE ratio of 16.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51, a quick ratio of 4.12 and a current ratio of 4.12. Gaming and Leisure Properties has a 1-year low of $43.81 and a 1-year high of $52.60.

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

Gaming and Leisure Properties Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 13th will be paid a $0.78 dividend. This is a boost from Gaming and Leisure Properties's previous quarterly dividend of $0.76. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 13th. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.69%. Gaming and Leisure Properties's dividend payout ratio is presently 111.03%.

Insider Transactions at Gaming and Leisure Properties

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. GF Fund Management CO. LTD. increased its position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 4.2% during the first quarter. GF Fund Management CO. LTD. now owns 5,197 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $265,000 after buying an additional 211 shares during the period. TD Private Client Wealth LLC grew its holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 64.2% during the 1st quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 545 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 213 shares during the period. Pure Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Pure Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8,676 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $442,000 after acquiring an additional 221 shares during the period. Freedom Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Freedom Investment Management Inc. now owns 6,063 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $292,000 after acquiring an additional 222 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Woodward Diversified Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. Woodward Diversified Capital LLC now owns 4,402 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $224,000 after purchasing an additional 243 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.14% of the company's stock.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Company Profile

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.