EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR) Sets New 52-Week High - Here's What Happened

EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $54.12 and last traded at $54.15, with a volume of 136781 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $53.07.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

EPR has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of EPR Properties in a report on Thursday, November 14th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $48.00 price target for the company. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of EPR Properties from $51.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $50.00 price target on shares of EPR Properties in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, EPR Properties currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $48.50.

EPR Properties Stock Performance

The stock's 50-day moving average is $47.05 and its 200-day moving average is $46.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.27 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a current ratio of 7.81, a quick ratio of 7.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19.

EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 26th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.66 by $0.56. The business had revenue of $149.12 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $161.25 million. EPR Properties had a net margin of 28.87% and a return on equity of 8.22%. On average, analysts predict that EPR Properties will post 4.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

EPR Properties Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Monday, March 31st will be given a dividend of $0.295 per share. This represents a $3.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.58%. This is a boost from EPR Properties's previous monthly dividend of $0.29. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. EPR Properties's dividend payout ratio is currently 213.75%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other EPR Properties news, SVP Gwendolyn Mary Johnson sold 3,900 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.02, for a total value of $210,678.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 8,216 shares in the company, valued at approximately $443,828.32. This represents a 32.19 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 2.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On EPR Properties

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EPR. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new position in EPR Properties in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Synergy Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in EPR Properties in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in EPR Properties by 36.6% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,127 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $50,000 after acquiring an additional 302 shares during the period. Principal Securities Inc. increased its position in EPR Properties by 54.5% in the 4th quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 1,296 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $57,000 after acquiring an additional 457 shares during the period. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. bought a new stake in shares of EPR Properties in the 4th quarter valued at $60,000. 74.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About EPR Properties

EPR Properties NYSE: EPR is the leading diversified experiential net lease real estate investment trust (REIT), specializing in select enduring experiential properties in the real estate industry. We focus on real estate venues that create value by facilitating out of home leisure and recreation experiences where consumers choose to spend their discretionary time and money.