Community Healthcare Trust Incorporated (NYSE:CHCT) Short Interest Up 47.2% in September

Community Healthcare Trust Incorporated (NYSE:CHCT) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,080,000 shares, an increase of 47.2% from the August 31st total of 733,900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 436,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.5 days.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on CHCT. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on Community Healthcare Trust from $29.00 to $25.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. StockNews.com lowered Community Healthcare Trust from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Community Healthcare Trust from $30.00 to $22.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 30th. Evercore ISI raised shares of Community Healthcare Trust from an “underperform” rating to an “inline” rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $21.00 to $18.00 in a research note on Monday, September 16th. Finally, Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of Community Healthcare Trust from $21.00 to $18.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Community Healthcare Trust has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $20.75.

Insider Buying and Selling at Community Healthcare Trust

In other Community Healthcare Trust news, Director Robert Z. Hensley purchased 6,500 shares of Community Healthcare Trust stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $19.50 per share, with a total value of $126,750.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 70,670 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,378,065. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO David H. Dupuy purchased 10,000 shares of Community Healthcare Trust stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $19.48 per share, for a total transaction of $194,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 363,565 shares in the company, valued at $7,082,246.20. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Robert Z. Hensley purchased 6,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $19.50 per share, with a total value of $126,750.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 70,670 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,378,065. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Company insiders own 4.00% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Community Healthcare Trust

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Community Healthcare Trust in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $34,000. SG Americas Securities LLC increased its holdings in Community Healthcare Trust by 65.7% in the second quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 9,152 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $214,000 after buying an additional 3,630 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its stake in Community Healthcare Trust by 67.9% in the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,062 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $215,000 after buying an additional 3,260 shares in the last quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp purchased a new stake in Community Healthcare Trust during the 1st quarter worth about $217,000. Finally, B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Community Healthcare Trust during the 2nd quarter worth about $243,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.84% of the company’s stock.

Community Healthcare Trust Trading Up 2.1 %

Community Healthcare Trust stock traded up $0.36 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $17.84. 454,532 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 274,122. The firm has a market cap of $494.19 million, a PE ratio of 27.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $19.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $22.73. Community Healthcare Trust has a 12-month low of $15.06 and a 12-month high of $29.86.

Community Healthcare Trust Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th were paid a $0.4625 dividend. This is a boost from Community Healthcare Trust’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 10.37%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 9th. Community Healthcare Trust’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 289.06%.

About Community Healthcare Trust

Community Healthcare Trust Incorporated is a real estate investment trust that focuses on owning income-producing real estate properties associated primarily with the delivery of outpatient healthcare services in our target sub-markets throughout the United States. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had investments of approximately $1.1 billion in 193 real estate properties (including a portion of one property accounted for as a sales-type lease and two properties classified as held for sale).