Equity Lifestyle Properties (NYSE:ELS) Raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Equity Lifestyle Properties (NYSE:ELS) was upgraded by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat reports. The firm presently has a $72.00 price target on the real estate investment trust’s stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 12.22% from the stock’s current price.

Several other brokerages have also issued reports on ELS. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $70.00 price target (up from $68.00) on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Friday, February 27th. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 price objective (up from $72.00) on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. UBS Group set a $67.00 price objective on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Zelman & Associates assumed coverage on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Monday, March 16th. They set an “underperform” rating and a $59.25 price objective for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Equity Lifestyle Properties has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $69.55.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties stock opened at $64.16 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 0.04 and a quick ratio of 0.04. The company has a 50-day moving average of $65.82 and a 200 day moving average of $63.28. The firm has a market cap of $12.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.92, a PEG ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 0.76. Equity Lifestyle Properties has a 1 year low of $58.15 and a 1 year high of $69.00.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director David J. Contis sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.22, for a total transaction of $201,660.00. Following the sale, the director owned 14,890 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,000,905.80. This trade represents a 16.77% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Equity Lifestyle Properties

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ELS. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,516 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $435,000 after acquiring an additional 804 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 598.5% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 119,397 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $7,964,000 after buying an additional 102,303 shares during the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 62.3% in the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 23,114 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,542,000 after buying an additional 8,873 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 111.0% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 10,122 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $624,000 after buying an additional 5,325 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Gamco Investors INC. ET AL purchased a new position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in the second quarter worth approximately $300,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

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.