Financial Review: Healthcare Trust (NASDAQ:HTIBP) & National Health Investors (NYSE:NHI)

National Health Investors (NYSE:NHI) and Healthcare Trust (NASDAQ:HTIBP) are both real estate companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, institutional ownership, risk, earnings, dividends and analyst recommendations.

Profitability

This table compares National Health Investors and Healthcare Trust’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
National Health Investors	35.99%	8.58%	4.40%
Healthcare Trust	N/A	N/A	N/A

Dividends

National Health Investors pays an annual dividend of $3.60 per share and has a dividend yield of 7.0%. Healthcare Trust pays an annual dividend of $1.78 per share and has a dividend yield of 12.4%. National Health Investors pays out 142.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares National Health Investors and Healthcare Trust’s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
National Health Investors	$278.19 million	8.03	$66.40 million	$2.53	20.33
Healthcare Trust	$341.83 million	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

National Health Investors has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Healthcare Trust.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for National Health Investors and Healthcare Trust, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
National Health Investors	0	5	0	0	2.00
Healthcare Trust	0	0	0	0	N/A

National Health Investors currently has a consensus price target of $53.17, suggesting a potential upside of 3.36%. Given National Health Investors’ higher probable upside, equities analysts clearly believe National Health Investors is more favorable than Healthcare Trust.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

62.1% of National Health Investors shares are held by institutional investors. 7.3% of National Health Investors shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

National Health Investors beats Healthcare Trust on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About National Health Investors

Incorporated in 1991, National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI) is a real estate investment trust specializing in sale, leasebacks, joint-ventures, senior housing operating partnerships, and mortgage and mezzanine financing of need-driven and discretionary senior housing and medical investments. NHI's portfolio consists of independent living, assisted living and memory care communities, entrance-fee retirement communities, skilled nursing facilities, and specialty hospitals.

About Healthcare Trust

Healthcare Trust, Inc. is a publicly registered real estate investment trust focused on acquiring a diversified portfolio of healthcare real estate, with an emphasis on seniors housing and medical office buildings, located in the United States.