The Goldman Sachs Group Issues Positive Forecast for Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) Stock Price

Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) had its price target raised by The Goldman Sachs Group from $69.00 to $71.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the real estate investment trust’s stock.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $78.00 price target on shares of Equity Residential in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Equity Residential from $75.00 to $71.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. UBS Group increased their price objective on Equity Residential from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their target price on shares of Equity Residential from $68.00 to $65.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price target on shares of Equity Residential from $61.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $69.68.

Equity Residential Price Performance

Shares of NYSE EQR opened at $63.06 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $61.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $62.63. The company has a market cap of $23.99 billion, a PE ratio of 21.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.76. Equity Residential has a twelve month low of $58.38 and a twelve month high of $75.86.

Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.04 by ($0.01). Equity Residential had a return on equity of 9.98% and a net margin of 36.20%.The business had revenue of $781.91 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $786.35 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.00 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equity Residential has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.940-0.980 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 4.020-4.140 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Equity Residential will post 3.98 EPS for the current year.

Equity Residential Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd were given a dividend of $0.6925 per share. This represents a $2.77 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. Equity Residential’s payout ratio is currently 94.54%.

Insider Activity at Equity Residential

In other Equity Residential news, COO Michael L. Manelis sold 5,765 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.13, for a total transaction of $375,474.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 46,131 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,004,512.03. The trade was a 11.11% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Robert Garechana sold 3,637 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.13, for a total transaction of $236,877.81. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 18,740 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,220,536.20. The trade was a 16.25% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 10,058 shares of company stock valued at $655,078 over the last ninety days. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Equity Residential during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. CVA Family Office LLC grew its holdings in shares of Equity Residential by 425.3% during the second quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 415 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 336 shares during the last quarter. Fulcrum Asset Management LLP bought a new stake in shares of Equity Residential during the third quarter worth about $27,000. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton increased its stake in shares of Equity Residential by 69.2% in the fourth quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 440 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 180 shares during the period. Finally, Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in Equity Residential in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 92.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Equity Residential

Here are the key news stories impacting Equity Residential this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $71 (maintained a “neutral” rating), giving institutional support that can attract buyers. Goldman Sachs Adjusts Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Independent analysts (Evercore ISI, Cantor Fitzgerald) published bullish price-appreciation forecasts, adding more analyst-level conviction that could support the share price over time. Evercore ISI Forecast Cantor Fitzgerald Forecast
• Positive Sentiment: Operational note: management reported benefits from AI and automation in 2025, which could reduce operating costs and improve margins over time. AI & Automation Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent quarter was mixed — a very small EPS miss (~$0.01) and modest revenue growth; management provided Q1 and FY 2026 EPS guidance (Q1: $0.94–$0.98; FY: $4.02–$4.14), which sets expectations but is not a fresh catalyst. EQR Earnings & Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend remains attractive (~4.3% yield) for income investors, but the payout ratio (~95%) limits room for further increases and is a structural consideration.
• Negative Sentiment: A wave of insider selling by senior executives (EVPs and the COO) on Feb. 10–11 has been reported and called out by coverage services; coordinated sells often spook traders and can create short-term downward pressure. TipRanks Insider Article
• Negative Sentiment: SEC Form 4 filings confirm material disposals by named insiders (e.g., Garechana, Manelis, Carraway), amplifying the negative signal for short-term traders watching insider flows. Garechana Form 4

About Equity Residential

Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that acquires, develops, owns and operates rental apartment properties. Headquartered in Chicago, the company focuses on delivering professionally managed, market-rate apartment homes and related services to renters. Its operations cover a range of property types, including high-rise and mid-rise assets, with amenities and on-site management designed to support resident retention and occupancy.

The company’s core activities include property acquisitions, development and redevelopment, leasing, and day-to-day property management.