Welltower (NYSE:WELL) Announces Earnings Results

Key Points

• Welltower's earnings exceeded analysts' expectations, reporting $1.28 earnings per share compared to the consensus estimate of $1.22.
• The company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.67, with a dividend yield of 1.69% and a payout ratio of 154.02%.
• Research firms have varying opinions on Welltower's stock, with price targets ranging from $160 to $175 and an average rating of "Moderate Buy".

Welltower (NYSE:WELL - Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday. The real estate investment trust reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.22 by $0.06, Zacks reports. Welltower had a return on equity of 3.41% and a net margin of 12.65%.

Welltower Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE WELL traded down $3.14 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $158.42. 1,609,372 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,974,372. Welltower has a twelve month low of $109.37 and a twelve month high of $162.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 4.23 and a quick ratio of 4.23. The firm has a market cap of $103.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 91.05, a PEG ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.92. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $153.61 and its 200-day moving average price is $148.02.

Welltower Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 22nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 14th were issued a $0.67 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 14th. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.69%. Welltower's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 154.02%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WELL. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Welltower from $155.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 6th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Welltower from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 8th. Scotiabank reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Welltower in a research report on Monday, June 23rd. Wedbush reiterated an "underperform" rating on shares of Welltower in a research note on Thursday, April 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Welltower from $158.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $168.18.

Insider Activity at Welltower

In related news, Director Andrew Gundlach acquired 20,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 30th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $151.46 per share, for a total transaction of $3,029,200.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 20,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,029,200. The trade was a ∞ increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.21% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Welltower

A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Welltower stock. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL - Free Report) by 7.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,185 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock after purchasing an additional 279 shares during the quarter. Brighton Jones LLC's holdings in Welltower were worth $527,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. 94.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Welltower Company Profile

Welltower Inc NYSE: WELL, a real estate investment trust ("REIT") and S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. Welltower invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience.

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