Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT) Receives New Coverage from Analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group

The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT) in a research note published on Friday morning, Marketbeat reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $33.00 target price on the stock.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Citigroup raised Essential Properties Realty Trust from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their target price for the stock from $25.00 to $28.50 in a research report on Friday, March 22nd. B. Riley reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $29.00 price objective (up previously from $27.50) on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. UBS Group began coverage on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research report on Friday, May 31st. They issued a buy rating and a $30.00 target price for the company. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $27.00 to $27.50 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, March 19th. Finally, Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $26.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, May 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $29.00.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Trading Up 1.5 %

Essential Properties Realty Trust stock opened at $27.71 on Friday. Essential Properties Realty Trust has a 12 month low of $20.49 and a 12 month high of $28.18. The company has a quick ratio of 7.61, a current ratio of 7.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The stock has a market cap of $4.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.53, a P/E/G ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 1.30. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $27.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $25.87.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 28th will be given a $0.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 28th. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.19%. This is an increase from Essential Properties Realty Trust’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 92.68%.

Insider Activity

In other Essential Properties Realty Trust news, Director Stephen D. Sautel sold 25,000 shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust stock in a transaction on Monday, May 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.09, for a total transaction of $677,250.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 247,492 shares in the company, valued at $6,704,558.28. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.81% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Heritage Wealth Advisors raised its holdings in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 71.4% in the 4th quarter. Heritage Wealth Advisors now owns 1,200 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 1.6% during the fourth quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 33,614 shares of the company’s stock worth $859,000 after acquiring an additional 540 shares in the last quarter. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 5.3% during the first quarter. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC now owns 12,879 shares of the company’s stock valued at $343,000 after acquiring an additional 654 shares during the period. New York State Teachers Retirement System boosted its stake in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 230,417 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,143,000 after purchasing an additional 658 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Foundry Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 4.1% in the 4th quarter. Foundry Partners LLC now owns 17,174 shares of the company’s stock worth $439,000 after purchasing an additional 670 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.98% of the company’s stock.

About Essential Properties Realty Trust

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc, a real estate company, acquires, owns, and manages single-tenant properties in the United States. The company leases its properties to middle-market companies, such as restaurants, car washes, automotive services, medical and dental services, convenience stores, equipment rental, entertainment, early childhood education, grocery, and health and fitness on a long-term basis.