Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT) VP A Joseph Peil Sells 19,657 Shares of Stock

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) VP A Joseph Peil sold 19,657 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.10, for a total transaction of $630,989.70. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 76,525 shares in the company, valued at $2,456,452.50. The trade was a 20.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Price Performance

EPRT stock opened at $31.35 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $32.06 and a 200-day moving average of $30.93. Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. has a 12-month low of $27.44 and a 12-month high of $34.73. The company has a current ratio of 6.37, a quick ratio of 6.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The company has a market cap of $6.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.49, a PEG ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.95.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 14th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be paid a $0.31 dividend. This represents a $1.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 31st. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 96.88%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have commented on EPRT. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Scotiabank lifted their price target on Essential Properties Realty Trust from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $33.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Essential Properties Realty Trust presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $36.60.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Essential Properties Realty Trust

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 15.3% in the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 16,678 shares of the company’s stock valued at $495,000 after acquiring an additional 2,215 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 273.6% during the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 1,614 shares of the company’s stock worth $48,000 after purchasing an additional 1,182 shares in the last quarter. Sit Investment Associates Inc. raised its stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 20.0% in the 4th quarter. Sit Investment Associates Inc. now owns 26,375 shares of the company’s stock valued at $782,000 after purchasing an additional 4,400 shares during the last quarter. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Essential Properties Realty Trust in the 4th quarter valued at about $99,000. Finally, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV lifted its holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 8.2% in the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 25,954 shares of the company’s stock valued at $770,000 after purchasing an additional 1,962 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.98% of the company’s stock.

About Essential Properties Realty Trust

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: EPRT) is a self-administered real estate investment trust that acquires, owns and manages single-tenant commercial properties subject to long-term, triple-net leases. The company’s portfolio primarily consists of small-box retail and industrial assets, including convenience stores, automotive service centers, quick-service restaurants, fitness centers and other necessity-based businesses. Under a triple-net lease structure, tenants assume responsibility for property taxes, insurance and most maintenance expenses, providing Essential Properties with predictable, stable cash flows.

Since its founding in April 2016 and its initial public offering later that year, Essential Properties has pursued a growth strategy focused on partnering with creditworthy tenants operating in densely populated trade areas.