Analysts Set Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) PT at $70.19

Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) has received a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the fourteen ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have issued a hold recommendation, seven have issued a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $70.2692.

ELS has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Robert W. Baird set a $73.00 price objective on Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $71.00 price target (up from $68.00) on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. UBS Group set a $67.00 price objective on Equity Lifestyle Properties and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 1st.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Equity Lifestyle Properties

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ELS. GoalVest Advisory LLC purchased a new position in Equity Lifestyle Properties in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Wiser Advisor Group LLC bought a new stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew 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 acquiring an additional 453 shares during the last quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC increased its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 74.8% in the 4th quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 540 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 231 shares during the period. Finally, Fulcrum Asset Management LLP acquired a new position in Equity Lifestyle Properties during the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of ELS opened at $67.16 on Tuesday. Equity Lifestyle Properties has a one year low of $58.15 and a one year high of $70.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.05 and a current ratio of 0.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.41, a PEG ratio of 3.72 and a beta of 0.76. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $63.01 and a 200 day moving average price of $61.88.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Investors of record on Friday, March 27th will be issued a $0.5425 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 27th. This represents a $2.17 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.2%. This is an increase from Equity Lifestyle Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. Equity Lifestyle Properties’s payout ratio is currently 102.49%.

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.