Aberdeen Group plc Sells 9,049 Shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. $ELS

Aberdeen Group plc lessened its position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) by 11.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 70,945 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after selling 9,049 shares during the period. Aberdeen Group plc’s holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties were worth $4,300,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ELS. Private Advisor Group LLC lifted its holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 3.7% in the third quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 4,948 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $300,000 after buying an additional 178 shares during the period. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 1.6% in the third quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 14,229 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $864,000 after buying an additional 220 shares during the period. M&G PLC lifted its holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 8.2% in the third quarter. M&G PLC now owns 3,293 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $201,000 after buying an additional 249 shares during the period. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB lifted its holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 27.4% in the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 1,250 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $76,000 after buying an additional 269 shares during the period. Finally, Gabelli Funds LLC lifted its holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 1.3% in the third quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 21,327 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $1,295,000 after buying an additional 283 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Equity Lifestyle Properties

In other Equity Lifestyle Properties news, Director David J. Contis sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.22, for a total value of $201,660.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 14,890 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,000,905.80. This represents a 16.77% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Price Performance

Shares of NYSE ELS opened at $63.86 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 0.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $65.82 and its 200-day moving average price is $63.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.77, a P/E/G ratio of 3.56 and a beta of 0.76. Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. has a 1-year low of $58.15 and a 1-year high of $69.00.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 27th will be given a $0.5425 dividend. This represents a $2.17 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 27th. This is a positive change from Equity Lifestyle Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. Equity Lifestyle Properties’s payout ratio is currently 107.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on ELS shares. Bank of America upgraded shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $76.00 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Zelman & Associates started coverage on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a report on Monday, March 16th. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $59.25 target price on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $70.00 price objective on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a report on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, February 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $69.05.

About Equity Lifestyle Properties

Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc (NYSE: ELS) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in the acquisition, development, ownership and operation of manufactured home communities and recreational vehicle resorts. The company’s portfolio includes more than 450 properties across the United States and Canada, serving over 200,000 residents and visitors. ELS organizes its operations into two primary segments: manufactured housing communities, which provide long-term housing solutions, and upscale RV and seasonal resorts designed for leisure travelers and seasonal patrons.

In its manufactured home division, ELS offers home-site leases combined with community amenities such as landscaped common areas, clubhouses, swimming pools and organized resident events.