Russell Investments Group Ltd. Lowers Stock Holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. $EPRT

Russell Investments Group Ltd. cut its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EPRT) by 31.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,277,896 shares of the company’s stock after selling 591,836 shares during the quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd.’s holdings in Essential Properties Realty Trust were worth $38,030,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Essential Properties Realty Trust during the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new position in Essential Properties Realty Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at about $46,000. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its position in Essential Properties Realty Trust by 54.2% in the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,867 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 656 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd purchased a new stake in Essential Properties Realty Trust during the third quarter worth about $61,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust by 24.8% during the third quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 2,861 shares of the company’s stock worth $85,000 after purchasing an additional 569 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.98% of the company’s stock.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Stock Down 2.0%

Shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust stock opened at $33.02 on Thursday. Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. has a 52-week low of $27.44 and a 52-week high of $34.73. The company has a 50 day moving average of $31.61 and a 200 day moving average of $30.85. The company has a quick ratio of 6.37, a current ratio of 6.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The company has a market capitalization of $6.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.80, a P/E/G ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.95.

Essential Properties Realty Trust Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 14th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.31 per share. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 31st. Essential Properties Realty Trust’s payout ratio is 96.88%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently commented on EPRT. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a report on Friday, February 13th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust from $38.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Essential Properties Realty Trust in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $36.56.

About Essential Properties Realty Trust

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: EPRT) is a self-administered real estate investment trust that acquires, owns and manages single-tenant commercial properties subject to long-term, triple-net leases. The company’s portfolio primarily consists of small-box retail and industrial assets, including convenience stores, automotive service centers, quick-service restaurants, fitness centers and other necessity-based businesses. Under a triple-net lease structure, tenants assume responsibility for property taxes, insurance and most maintenance expenses, providing Essential Properties with predictable, stable cash flows.

Since its founding in April 2016 and its initial public offering later that year, Essential Properties has pursued a growth strategy focused on partnering with creditworthy tenants operating in densely populated trade areas.