Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) have earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the thirteen analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and nine have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $51.46.

Several research firms have weighed in on VTR. Scotiabank increased their price target on shares of Ventas from $47.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 16th. StockNews.com upgraded Ventas from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Evercore ISI raised Ventas from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $50.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 18th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Ventas from $46.00 to $49.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th.

Ventas Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:VTR opened at $52.65 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.31 billion, a PE ratio of -277.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.33. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $49.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $46.68. Ventas has a twelve month low of $39.33 and a twelve month high of $53.16.

Ventas Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.42%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 1st. Ventas’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -947.32%.

Insider Transactions at Ventas

In related news, CFO Robert F. Probst sold 18,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.11, for a total transaction of $871,535.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 176,403 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,310,345.33. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Ventas news, CFO Robert F. Probst sold 18,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.11, for a total transaction of $871,535.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 176,403 shares in the company, valued at $8,310,345.33. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CAO Gregory R. Liebbe sold 14,625 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.70, for a total transaction of $697,612.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 12,524 shares in the company, valued at $597,394.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 35,270 shares of company stock valued at $1,672,966. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ventas

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of VTR. Manchester Capital Management LLC increased its position in Ventas by 77.9% during the fourth quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 514 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 225 shares during the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its holdings in Ventas by 4.6% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 5,292 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $230,000 after purchasing an additional 234 shares during the last quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC raised its position in Ventas by 6.6% in the 4th quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 3,881 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $193,000 after purchasing an additional 239 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its stake in Ventas by 14.6% in the fourth quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,954 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $96,000 after purchasing an additional 249 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. boosted its position in shares of Ventas by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 9,493 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $473,000 after buying an additional 250 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 94.18% of the company’s stock.

About Ventas

Ventas Inc (NYSE: VTR) is a leading S&P 500 real estate investment trust focused on delivering strong, sustainable shareholder returns by enabling exceptional environments that benefit a large and growing aging population. The Company's growth is fueled by its senior housing communities, which provide valuable services to residents and enable them to thrive in supported environments.