National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI) Short Interest Up 19.1% in March

Key Points

• Short interest in National Health Investors rose 19.1% in March to 1,479,704 shares, representing about 3.3% of the float and a 4.7 days-to-cover ratio.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.92 (annualized $3.68) yielding 4.6%, with an ex-dividend date of March 31 and a payout ratio of 121.85%.
• National Health Investors reported Q4 EPS of $1.22 (missing by $0.01) with revenue beating estimates, and set FY2026 guidance of 4.94–4.99 EPS, above analyst expectations of 4.41.

National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI - Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest during the month of March. As of March 13th, there was short interest totaling 1,479,704 shares, an increase of 19.1% from the February 26th total of 1,242,209 shares. Approximately 3.3% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 314,800 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 4.7 days.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

NHI has been the topic of several research analyst reports. KeyCorp increased their target price on National Health Investors from $80.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of National Health Investors in a research report on Friday. National Bank Financial set a $85.00 price objective on shares of National Health Investors in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of National Health Investors from $85.00 to $86.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of National Health Investors from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $85.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $86.83.

National Health Investors Trading Down 1.9%

Shares of NYSE NHI traded down $1.58 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $80.83. The stock had a trading volume of 400,952 shares, compared to its average volume of 332,260. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $84.62 and its 200 day simple moving average is $79.85. The firm has a market cap of $3.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.46 and a beta of 0.65. National Health Investors has a fifty-two week low of $66.41 and a fifty-two week high of $91.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 6.90 and a quick ratio of 6.90.

National Health Investors (NYSE:NHI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.23 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $105.82 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $95.12 million. National Health Investors had a net margin of 37.81% and a return on equity of 9.56%. The company's revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.24 EPS. National Health Investors has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.940-4.990 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that National Health Investors will post 4.41 EPS for the current year.

National Health Investors Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be paid a $0.92 dividend. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 31st. National Health Investors's dividend payout ratio is presently 121.85%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On National Health Investors

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Renaissance Group LLC increased its position in shares of National Health Investors by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 3,206 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $245,000 after buying an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in National Health Investors by 41.8% during the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 461 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors grew its stake in National Health Investors by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 8,907 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $680,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares during the period. Creative Planning grew its stake in National Health Investors by 2.2% in the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 8,217 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $576,000 after acquiring an additional 177 shares during the period. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its position in shares of National Health Investors by 5.0% during the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,731 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $297,000 after purchasing an additional 177 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.51% of the company's stock.

National Health Investors Company Profile

National Health Investors, Inc NYSE: NHI is a specialized real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on owning and financing high-quality healthcare and senior housing facilities in the United States. The company's portfolio encompasses a diverse range of properties, including skilled nursing centers, assisted living and memory care communities, behavioral health facilities, dialysis clinics, and medical office buildings. NHI typically enters into long-term net-lease agreements with experienced healthcare operators, providing stable and predictable rental income streams while enabling its tenants to concentrate on delivering quality care.

Since its founding in 1991 and initial public offering later that year, National Health Investors has pursued a disciplined growth strategy centered on strategic acquisitions, joint ventures, and selective development.

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