Russell Investments Group Ltd. Increases Stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. $ELS

Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) by 57.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 639,394 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after buying an additional 232,052 shares during the quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd.’s holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties were worth $38,811,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in ELS. Private Advisor Group LLC lifted its position in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 4,948 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $300,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties during the 3rd quarter valued at $855,000. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. now owns 116,726 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $7,085,000 after purchasing an additional 2,860 shares in the last quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC increased its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 21,327 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,295,000 after purchasing an additional 283 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC raised its stake in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 28.4% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 383,013 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $23,249,000 after purchasing an additional 84,760 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Stock Down 1.1%

ELS stock opened at $66.98 on Thursday. Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $58.15 and a fifty-two week high of $69.28. The business’s 50-day moving average is $64.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $62.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.04 and a current ratio of 0.04. The company has a market cap of $12.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.32, a P/E/G ratio of 3.76 and a beta of 0.75.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 27th will be given a dividend of $0.5425 per share. This represents a $2.17 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 27th. This is an increase from Equity Lifestyle Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. Equity Lifestyle Properties’s payout ratio is currently 102.49%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on ELS. UBS Group set a $67.00 price target on Equity Lifestyle Properties and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $71.00 price objective (up from $68.00) on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Robert W. Baird set a $73.00 target price on Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Zacks Research raised shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $70.42.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Company Profile

Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc (NYSE: ELS) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in the acquisition, development, ownership and operation of manufactured home communities and recreational vehicle resorts. The company’s portfolio includes more than 450 properties across the United States and Canada, serving over 200,000 residents and visitors. ELS organizes its operations into two primary segments: manufactured housing communities, which provide long-term housing solutions, and upscale RV and seasonal resorts designed for leisure travelers and seasonal patrons.

In its manufactured home division, ELS offers home-site leases combined with community amenities such as landscaped common areas, clubhouses, swimming pools and organized resident events.