Equity Lifestyle Properties (NYSE:ELS) Stock Crosses Above 50-Day Moving Average Following Analyst Downgrade

Key Points

• Equity Lifestyle Properties shares rose above their 50-day moving average, trading as high as $62.79 after Jefferies upgraded the stock to Strong Buy.
• Despite the upgrade, analysts’ overall consensus remains Hold, with an average price target of $67.02.
• The REIT missed quarterly EPS estimates ($0.45 versus $0.79) but beat revenue expectations; it also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.5425 per share, equivalent to a 3.5% yield.

Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS - Get Free Report)'s stock price crossed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Wednesday after Jefferies Financial Group upgraded the stock to a strong-buy rating. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $60.46 and traded as high as $62.79. Equity Lifestyle Properties shares last traded at $62.5520, with a volume of 1,941,181 shares trading hands.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on ELS. Truist Financial set a $64.00 price objective on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, September 11th. Barclays set a $69.00 price target on Equity Lifestyle Properties and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, August 17th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Equity Lifestyle Properties from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. Odeon Capital Group set a $65.00 price target on Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued a "mixed" rating and issued a $59.00 price objective (down from $62.50) on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Equity Lifestyle Properties presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $67.02.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Equity Lifestyle Properties

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in Equity Lifestyle Properties during the second quarter worth approximately $1,576,449,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties during the second quarter worth $125,301,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties during the 2nd quarter valued at about $91,434,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties in the 2nd quarter valued at $89,012,000. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties during the second quarter worth about $69,938,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.21% of the company's stock.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Price Performance

The stock's fifty day moving average price is $60.46 and its 200-day moving average price is $63.51. The company has a current ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 0.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The firm has a market cap of $12.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.81, a P/E/G ratio of 3.66 and a beta of 0.60.

Equity Lifestyle Properties (NYSE:ELS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 21st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.45 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.79 by ($0.34). The business had revenue of $409.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $402.75 million. Equity Lifestyle Properties had a net margin of 24.97% and a return on equity of 21.73%. Equity Lifestyle Properties's revenue for the quarter was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.75 EPS. Equity Lifestyle Properties has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 0.780-0.840 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 3.150-3.210 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. will post 3.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 24th will be issued a $0.5425 dividend. This represents a $2.17 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 24th. Equity Lifestyle Properties's payout ratio is currently 106.90%.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Company Profile

Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc NYSE: ELS is a real estate investment trust that owns, operates and manages manufactured housing communities, recreational vehicle resorts and campgrounds, and marinas. Its properties are designed to provide residential and vacation accommodations, with offerings that range from long-term manufactured home sites to seasonal and transient RV sites and boat storage.

The company serves residents, vacationers and boat owners across the United States. Its portfolio is concentrated in locations with favorable climates, recreational appeal and access to coastal, lakefront or other leisure destinations.

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