Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the fourteen ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, six have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $70.4231.

A number of research firms have recently commented on ELS. Bank of America raised shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $76.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Zacks Research raised shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Robert W. Baird set a $73.00 target price on Equity Lifestyle Properties in a report on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $65.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Price Performance

Equity Lifestyle Properties stock opened at $67.83 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $65.06 and its 200 day moving average price is $62.68. Equity Lifestyle Properties has a 1 year low of $58.15 and a 1 year high of $69.28. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.75, a P/E/G ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.04 and a current ratio of 0.04.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Stockholders 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 dividend yield of 3.2%. This is a positive change from Equity Lifestyle Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 27th. Equity Lifestyle Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 102.49%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Equity Lifestyle Properties

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wiser Advisor Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 943.8% during the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 501 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 453 shares during the period. Clearstead Trust LLC boosted its holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 74.8% during the 4th quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 540 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 231 shares during the period. Finally, Fulcrum Asset Management LLP acquired a new position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Company Profile

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.