Traders Buy Large Volume of Call Options on Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPT)

Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPT) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Stock traders purchased 81,111 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 206% compared to the typical volume of 26,471 call options.

Medical Properties Trust Stock Performance

Shares of Medical Properties Trust stock traded up $0.80 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $6.17. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 14,070,646 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,413,187. Medical Properties Trust has a one year low of $3.95 and a one year high of $6.47. The company has a quick ratio of 2.68, a current ratio of 2.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06. The company has a market cap of $3.71 billion, a PE ratio of -5.23 and a beta of 1.43.

Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPT) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported $0.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.15 by $0.03. Medical Properties Trust had a negative return on equity of 14.82% and a negative net margin of 75.76%.The firm had revenue of $270.34 million for the quarter. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.18 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 16.6% on a year-over-year basis.

Medical Properties Trust Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 9th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 12th will be given a dividend of $0.09 per share. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 12th. Medical Properties Trust’s payout ratio is -30.51%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MPT shares. Weiss Ratings initiated coverage on Medical Properties Trust in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. They issued a “sell (d-)” rating for the company. Maxim Group began coverage on shares of Medical Properties Trust in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $8.00 target price on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $8.00.

Medical Properties Trust Company Profile

Medical Properties Trust, Inc (NYSE: MPT) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, owns and finances hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Founded in 2003 by Edward K. Aldag Jr., the company’s business model centers on providing real estate capital to healthcare operators through long-term leases, sale-leaseback transactions, build-to-suit developments and mortgage financing. By specializing in healthcare real estate, MPT aims to deliver steady rental income and asset-based returns while enabling operators to access capital for clinical operations and growth.

The company’s portfolio primarily comprises acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care facilities, behavioral health centers and other specialty hospitals.