Welltower (NYSE:WELL) Reaches New 1-Year High on Earnings Beat

Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The company traded as high as $211.23 and last traded at $206.9290, with a volume of 1078730 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $200.84.

The real estate investment trust reported $1.45 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.44 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $3.18 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.93 billion. Welltower had a net margin of 8.64% and a return on equity of 2.46%. The firm’s revenue was up 41.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.13 EPS. Welltower has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.090-6.25 EPS.

Welltower Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 25th will be issued a dividend of $0.74 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 25th. This represents a $2.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. Welltower’s payout ratio is currently 211.43%.

Welltower News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Welltower this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Raised 2026 guidance and FFO momentum — Company raised FY‑2026 FFO guidance (FFO per share $6.09–$6.25) and highlighted accelerating FFO growth, the primary catalyst cited for the share move. Why Welltower (WELL) Is Up 12.1% After Raising 2026 Guidance And Highlighting FFO Momentum
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat and same‑store NOI improvement — Q4 revenue and FFO beat estimates and same‑store NOI rose, supporting the bullish guidance outlook and underpinning near‑term cash flow expectations. Welltower’s Q4 FFO & Revenues Beat Estimates, Same Store NOI Rises
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price target — Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target to $230 and set an overweight rating, adding upward analyst momentum that can attract flows. WELL price target raised by Cantor Fitzgerald
• Positive Sentiment: Additional buy ratings and bullish coverage — Scotiabank and other outlets highlight conviction in healthcare REITs including WELL, reinforcing positive analyst sentiment. Welltower Receives a Buy from Scotiabank
• Positive Sentiment: $5.7B in new deals and sharpened senior‑living focus — Management disclosed material acquisitions and a strategic shift toward SHOP/senior living, supporting growth and redeployment of capital. Welltower starts 2026 with $5.7B in deals, sharpened focus on senior living
• Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly dividend declared (Q: $0.74, ~1.4% yield) — Dividend supports income investors but the yield is modest relative to some REIT peers.
• Neutral Sentiment: Increased SHOP exposure — Management is expanding SHOP exposure (growth opportunity) but execution will be important; risks and timeline remain mixed. Welltower Increases Exposure to SHOP, CEO Warns It’s Harder Than It Looks
• Neutral Sentiment: Asset sales / portfolio pruning — Announced divestitures of certain nursing‑home assets (roughly $1.3B related to Integra; prior ProMedica holdings being shed) to refocus the portfolio; this improves balance‑sheet/portfolio mix but reduces exposure to lower‑margin SNF cash flow. Welltower to Divest $1.3B of Integra‑Related Nursing Home Assets
• Negative Sentiment: Execution risk flagged by management — CEO cautioned that SHOP expansion “is harder than it looks,” signaling potential execution challenges that could temper enthusiasm if growth stalls or costs rise. Welltower Increases Exposure to SHOP, CEO Warns It’s Harder Than It Looks

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on WELL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $205.00 price target on shares of Welltower in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their target price on shares of Welltower from $204.00 to $230.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Scotiabank increased their price target on shares of Welltower from $182.00 to $214.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Welltower in a report on Wednesday. Finally, National Bank Financial set a $246.00 price objective on Welltower in a research note on Friday, October 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $207.33.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Welltower

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in WELL. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC boosted its position in Welltower by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC now owns 1,582 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $282,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Frank Rimerman Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Welltower by 0.6% in the third quarter. Frank Rimerman Advisors LLC now owns 9,774 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $1,741,000 after buying an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Welltower by 3.8% during the third quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,515 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $270,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares during the period. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Welltower by 4.2% during the fourth quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,385 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $257,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital grew its position in shares of Welltower by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 9,279 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,723,000 after acquiring an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. 94.80% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Welltower Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $142.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 148.73, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.85. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $189.37 and its two-hundred day moving average is $181.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 5.47 and a current ratio of 3.46.

About Welltower

Welltower Inc (NYSE: WELL) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires and manages real estate serving the health care industry. The company specializes in healthcare infrastructure, owning and operating a diversified portfolio of senior housing, post-acute and long-term care communities, and outpatient medical properties. Welltower’s assets are designed to support the delivery of health care services through a combination of leased properties, joint ventures, and other capital arrangements with health care operators and providers.

The company’s property types include assisted living, memory care, independent living and skilled nursing facilities, as well as medical office buildings and other outpatient-care real estate such as ambulatory surgery centers and specialty clinics.