EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR) Short Interest Down 13.3% in January

EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 4,098,441 shares, a decrease of 13.3% from the December 31st total of 4,725,698 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 793,785 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 5.2 days. Approximately 5.5% of the company’s shares are short sold. Approximately 5.5% of the company’s shares are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 793,785 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 5.2 days.

Insider Buying and Selling at EPR Properties

In related news, EVP Gregory E. Zimmerman sold 7,500 shares of EPR Properties stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.89, for a total transaction of $404,175.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 66,294 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,572,583.66. The trade was a 10.16% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 2.31% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of EPR Properties

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in EPR Properties by 5.6% in the fourth quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 60,036 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $3,047,000 after purchasing an additional 3,166 shares in the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of EPR Properties by 11.6% in the 4th quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 31,634 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,579,000 after buying an additional 3,294 shares during the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp raised its stake in shares of EPR Properties by 34.2% during the 4th quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 6,956 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $347,000 after acquiring an additional 1,773 shares in the last quarter. Strs Ohio raised its stake in shares of EPR Properties by 953.1% during the 4th quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 18,787 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $937,000 after acquiring an additional 17,003 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Horizon Investments LLC purchased a new stake in EPR Properties during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $712,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.66% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on EPR Properties from $56.00 to $54.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Wall Street Zen downgraded EPR Properties from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 1st. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of EPR Properties in a research report on Monday, December 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of EPR Properties from $65.00 to $58.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and issued a $58.00 price target on shares of EPR Properties in a research note on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, EPR Properties currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $58.36.

EPR Properties Stock Up 2.8%

Shares of EPR traded up $1.48 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $55.11. 80,292 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 796,148. The company has a market capitalization of $4.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.08, a PEG ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 7.21, a quick ratio of 7.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. EPR Properties has a 52 week low of $41.75 and a 52 week high of $61.24. The company’s 50 day moving average is $51.94 and its two-hundred day moving average is $53.49.

EPR Properties Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be given a dividend of $0.295 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.4%. EPR Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 154.59%.

EPR Properties Company Profile

EPR Properties is a real estate investment trust that specializes in experiential properties across the United States, Canada and select international markets. Established in 1997 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, the company targets properties in the entertainment, recreation and education sectors. Its portfolio includes movie theaters, ski resorts, family entertainment centers, charter schools and other venues that benefit from consumer-driven experiences.

The trust employs long-term, triple-net lease agreements, where tenants are responsible for real estate taxes, insurance and maintenance.