Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report released on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

SVC has been the topic of several other research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Service Properties Trust in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. B. Riley reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $3.00 price target (up previously from $2.00) on shares of Service Properties Trust in a research report on Thursday, September 25th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Service Properties Trust to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, October 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $2.75.

Service Properties Trust Stock Performance

SVC stock opened at $1.90 on Thursday. Service Properties Trust has a 12-month low of $1.55 and a 12-month high of $3.08. The firm has a market cap of $319.37 million, a P/E ratio of -1.14 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a current ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.68. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $1.85 and its 200 day simple moving average is $2.35.

Service Properties Trust Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 13th. Investors of record on Monday, October 27th were issued a $0.01 dividend. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, October 27th. Service Properties Trust’s dividend payout ratio is currently -2.40%.

Institutional Trading of Service Properties Trust

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Service Properties Trust by 247.9% in the 2nd quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 625,705 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,495,000 after purchasing an additional 445,866 shares during the period. Ieq Capital LLC grew its holdings in Service Properties Trust by 75.8% during the first quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 30,781 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $80,000 after purchasing an additional 13,269 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC increased its position in Service Properties Trust by 54.0% in the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 101,155 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $264,000 after buying an additional 35,487 shares during the last quarter. Capital Management Corp VA increased its position in Service Properties Trust by 27.5% in the second quarter. Capital Management Corp VA now owns 7,225,765 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $17,270,000 after buying an additional 1,559,600 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio raised its stake in shares of Service Properties Trust by 2.1% in the second quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 261,809 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $626,000 after buying an additional 5,457 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 77.62% of the company’s stock.

About Service Properties Trust

Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ: SVC) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the acquisition, ownership and leasing of service-oriented properties, with a primary focus on the lodging sector. The company structures long-term, triple-net leases with established hotel operators under franchise agreements with leading global brands. By partnering with recognized hotel companies, Service Properties Trust seeks to generate a stable income stream through rent payments, while offering operators the capital and balance-sheet flexibility to grow their portfolios.

Since its formation in 2010, Service Properties Trust has grown its portfolio through strategic sale-leaseback transactions, targeted property acquisitions and selective dispositions.