CareTrust REIT, Inc. (NYSE:CTRE) Short Interest Update

CareTrust REIT, Inc. (NYSE:CTRE) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest during the month of August. As of August 31st, there was short interest totaling 15,432,408 shares, a decline of 37.7% from the August 15th total of 24,756,021 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 2,472,030 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 6.2 days. Currently, 6.6% of the shares of the company are sold short.

CareTrust REIT Stock Performance

CareTrust REIT stock traded down $0.16 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $38.26. The company had a trading volume of 136,014 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,523,138. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.76. The company has a current ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $40.39 and its 200 day simple moving average is $39.69. CareTrust REIT has a 52 week low of $32.79 and a 52 week high of $43.62.

CareTrust REIT (NYSE:CTRE) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.51. CareTrust REIT had a return on equity of 8.52% and a net margin of 62.19%.The business had revenue of $161.35 million during the quarter. CareTrust REIT has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.030-2.060 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that CareTrust REIT will post 2.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CareTrust REIT Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 30th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.1%. CareTrust REIT’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 98.11%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CTRE has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on shares of CareTrust REIT from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, June 15th. Huntington initiated coverage on CareTrust REIT in a report on Thursday, September 10th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $44.00 price objective for the company. Zacks Research raised CareTrust REIT from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, May 25th. Weiss Ratings cut CareTrust REIT from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 8th. Finally, Raymond James Financial began coverage on shares of CareTrust REIT in a research report on Tuesday, June 16th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $43.00 price target for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $44.50.

Key Stories Impacting CareTrust REIT

Here are the key news stories impacting CareTrust REIT this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Portfolio acquisition expands CareTrust’s asset base: CareTrust agreed to acquire a Southwest portfolio of skilled-nursing facilities for approximately $400 million. The portfolio includes 2,622 licensed beds and will be leased to the existing operator under a long-term triple-net lease with inflation-linked rent escalators and renewal options. These terms could provide predictable rental income and support future funds-from-operations growth. CareTrust REIT Acquires Skilled Nursing Portfolio for $400 Million; Announces $600 Million Reloaded Pipeline
• Positive Sentiment: Additional acquisition opportunities remain available: CareTrust announced a reloaded pipeline valued at roughly $600 million, suggesting continued growth potential beyond the newly acquired facilities and reinforcing its strategy of expanding in the skilled-nursing real estate market. CareTrust REIT Acquires Skilled Nursing Portfolio for $400 Million; Announces $600 Million Reloaded Pipeline
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call-option activity signals bullish speculation: Traders purchased 3,705 call options, compared with typical daily volume of about 111 contracts. While this is not a fundamental indicator, the sharp increase may reflect expectations for near-term upside or heightened investor interest in CTRE.
• Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly dividend maintained: CareTrust declared a $0.39-per-share dividend payable October 15 to shareholders of record September 30. The payment represents $1.56 annualized and an indicated yield of approximately 4.1%; however, the dividend was maintained rather than increased. CareTrust REIT Announces Quarterly Dividend of $0.39 per Share

Institutional Trading of CareTrust REIT

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC grew its position in CareTrust REIT by 1.1% during the first quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 27,684 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,015,000 after buying an additional 297 shares during the period. Anchor Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of CareTrust REIT by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 7,260 shares of the company’s stock worth $293,000 after acquiring an additional 297 shares in the last quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd boosted its stake in shares of CareTrust REIT by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 36,608 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,342,000 after acquiring an additional 345 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of CareTrust REIT by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 37,934 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,531,000 after acquiring an additional 362 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its position in shares of CareTrust REIT by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 21,597 shares of the company’s stock valued at $781,000 after acquiring an additional 380 shares during the period. 87.77% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

CareTrust REIT Company Profile

CareTrust REIT, Inc is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and manages a portfolio of healthcare-related properties across the United States. The company primarily invests in properties that are leased to healthcare operators under long-term, typically triple-net lease agreements.

CareTrust’s portfolio includes skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, independent living communities, memory care properties and other healthcare-related real estate. Its tenants are responsible for operating the facilities and generally cover property-level expenses such as taxes, insurance and maintenance under the terms of the leases.

CareTrust was established in 2014 through a separation from The Ensign Group, a healthcare services company.