Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) Rating Increased to Hold at StockNews.com

Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities research analysts at StockNews.com from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued on Monday.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Equity Residential from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price target for the company from $77.75 to $81.50 in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Bank of America lowered Equity Residential from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and raised their target price for the stock from $78.00 to $82.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 24th. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on Equity Residential from $75.00 to $76.00 and gave the company an "in-line" rating in a research note on Monday, September 16th. Mizuho decreased their price objective on shares of Equity Residential from $78.00 to $74.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Equity Residential from $68.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, September 16th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $78.69.

Equity Residential Stock Up 3.4 %

Shares of EQR traded up $2.26 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $69.24. 2,270,301 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,721,484. Equity Residential has a 1 year low of $57.33 and a 1 year high of $78.83. The company has a current ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 0.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.94 and a beta of 0.93. The firm's fifty day moving average is $72.64 and its 200-day moving average is $72.57.

Institutional Trading of Equity Residential

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EQR. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Equity Residential in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new stake in shares of Equity Residential during the third quarter worth $29,000. Assetmark Inc. grew its position in shares of Equity Residential by 2,529.4% during the third quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 447 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 430 shares in the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new stake in shares of Equity Residential in the 3rd quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. lifted its holdings in Equity Residential by 69.6% during the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 475 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 195 shares during the last quarter. 92.68% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Equity Residential Company Profile

Equity Residential is committed to creating communities where people thrive. The Company, a member of the S&P 500, is focused on the acquisition, development and management of residential properties located in and around dynamic cities that attract affluent long-term renters. Equity Residential owns or has investments in 305 properties consisting of 80,683 apartment units, with an established presence in Boston, New York, Washington, DC, Seattle, San Francisco and Southern California, and an expanding presence in Denver, Atlanta, Dallas/Ft.

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