SG Americas Securities LLC Raises Stock Holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. $ELS

SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) by 96.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 188,898 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after purchasing an additional 92,666 shares during the quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC owned approximately 0.10% of Equity Lifestyle Properties worth $11,449,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. GoalVest Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Wiser Advisor Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in the third quarter worth $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its holdings in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 943.8% in the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 501 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 453 shares in the last quarter. Fulcrum Asset Management LLP acquired a new stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties in the third quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties by 126.9% during the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 574 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 321 shares during the last quarter. 97.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Stock Up 0.1%

ELS stock opened at $62.15 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 0.04 and a quick ratio of 0.04. Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. has a 1-year low of $58.15 and a 1-year high of $69.15. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $65.76 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $63.00. The firm has a market cap of $12.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.92, a PEG ratio of 3.45 and a beta of 0.75.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Investors of record on Friday, March 27th will be paid a dividend of $0.5425 per share. This represents a $2.17 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.5%. 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 107.96%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ELS has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. UBS Group set a $67.00 price objective on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $75.00 target price (up from $72.00) on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $71.00 price target (up from $68.00) on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Zelman & Associates started coverage on Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Monday, March 16th. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $59.25 price target for the company. Finally, Bank of America raised Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $76.00 price objective for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $69.63.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Equity Lifestyle Properties 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 value of $201,660.00. Following the transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.