EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR) Reaches New 52-Week High Following Better-Than-Expected Earnings

EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR)’s share price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The company traded as high as $61.94 and last traded at $61.4050, with a volume of 194622 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $58.35.

The real estate investment trust reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.29 by $0.01. EPR Properties had a net margin of 38.27% and a return on equity of 11.82%. The firm had revenue of $182.95 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $181.76 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.22 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. EPR Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.280-5.480 EPS.

EPR Properties Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be given a dividend of $0.31 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 31st. This is a positive change from EPR Properties’s previous monthly dividend of $0.30. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.3%. EPR Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 108.26%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

EPR has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of EPR Properties in a research report on Monday, December 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of EPR Properties from $65.00 to $58.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of EPR Properties from $56.00 to $54.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of EPR Properties from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, November 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and issued a $58.00 price target on shares of EPR Properties in a research note on Friday, January 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $58.36.

Insider Transactions at EPR Properties

In other EPR Properties news, EVP Gregory E. Zimmerman sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.89, for a total value of $404,175.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 66,294 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,572,583.66. The trade was a 10.16% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 2.31% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of EPR Properties

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of EPR Properties by 1.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 4,009,669 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $234,760,000 after acquiring an additional 66,562 shares in the last quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. raised its holdings in EPR Properties by 42.0% in the 2nd quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 1,870,499 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $108,975,000 after purchasing an additional 553,209 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of EPR Properties in the 4th quarter worth about $82,823,000. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of EPR Properties by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,584,394 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $79,077,000 after purchasing an additional 26,590 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its stake in shares of EPR Properties by 84.8% during the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 1,564,309 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $90,746,000 after purchasing an additional 717,734 shares in the last quarter. 74.66% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

EPR Properties Price Performance

The company has a market cap of $4.53 billion, a PE ratio of 18.18, a PEG ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 0.99. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $54.44 and its 200-day moving average is $53.75. The company has a quick ratio of 7.21, a current ratio of 7.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19.

About EPR Properties

EPR Properties is a real estate investment trust that specializes in experiential properties across the United States, Canada and select international markets. Established in 1997 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, the company targets properties in the entertainment, recreation and education sectors. Its portfolio includes movie theaters, ski resorts, family entertainment centers, charter schools and other venues that benefit from consumer-driven experiences.

The trust employs long-term, triple-net lease agreements, where tenants are responsible for real estate taxes, insurance and maintenance.