HighTower Advisors LLC Grows Position in Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. $EPRT

HighTower Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) by 22.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 93,618 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 17,104 shares during the quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC’s holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust were worth $2,786,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust during the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 54.2% in the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,867 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 656 shares during the period. Bayforest Capital Ltd purchased a new stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust in the third quarter valued at approximately $61,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 24.8% during the third quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 2,861 shares of the company’s stock worth $85,000 after purchasing an additional 569 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.98% of the company’s stock.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Trading Up 0.7%

NYSE EPRT opened at $33.68 on Friday. Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. has a 52 week low of $27.44 and a 52 week high of $33.70. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $30.84 and a two-hundred day moving average of $30.63. The company has a quick ratio of 6.37, a current ratio of 6.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.07 billion, a PE ratio of 26.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.99.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were issued a dividend of $0.31 per share. This is a positive change from Essential Properties Realty Trust’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.7%. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 96.88%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

EPRT has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $37.00 price objective on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Scotiabank increased their target price on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Essential Properties Realty Trust has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $35.67.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Company Profile

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: EPRT) is a self-administered real estate investment trust that acquires, owns and manages single-tenant commercial properties subject to long-term, triple-net leases. The company’s portfolio primarily consists of small-box retail and industrial assets, including convenience stores, automotive service centers, quick-service restaurants, fitness centers and other necessity-based businesses. Under a triple-net lease structure, tenants assume responsibility for property taxes, insurance and most maintenance expenses, providing Essential Properties with predictable, stable cash flows.

Since its founding in April 2016 and its initial public offering later that year, Essential Properties has pursued a growth strategy focused on partnering with creditworthy tenants operating in densely populated trade areas.