Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS) has earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seventeen ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have assigned a hold recommendation, nine have issued a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $69.1964.

ELS has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings cut Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Monday, June 8th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Equity Lifestyle Properties from $70.00 to $69.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Zacks Research upgraded Equity Lifestyle Properties from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Zelman & Associates initiated coverage on Equity Lifestyle Properties in a research note on Monday, March 16th. They set an “underperform” rating and a $59.25 target price for the company. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their target price on Equity Lifestyle Properties from $73.00 to $74.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Stock Up 0.1%

NYSE ELS opened at $62.28 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $12.08 billion, a PE ratio of 31.14, a P/E/G ratio of 3.78 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 0.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $63.14 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $63.64. Equity Lifestyle Properties has a fifty-two week low of $58.15 and a fifty-two week high of $69.00.

Equity Lifestyle Properties (NYSE:ELS) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The real estate investment trust reported $0.56 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.84 by ($0.28). The business had revenue of $397.62 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $395.71 million. Equity Lifestyle Properties had a net margin of 24.99% and a return on equity of 21.22%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.57 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Equity Lifestyle Properties will post 3.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Equity Lifestyle Properties Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 10th. Investors of record on Friday, June 26th will be given a dividend of $0.5425 per share. This represents a $2.17 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 26th. Equity Lifestyle Properties’s dividend payout ratio is currently 108.50%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Equity Lifestyle Properties

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. GoalVest Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Equity Lifestyle Properties in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Wiser Advisor Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 943.8% during the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 501 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 453 shares during the period. Clearstead Trust LLC increased its holdings in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties by 74.8% during the fourth quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 540 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 231 shares during the period. Finally, Fulcrum Asset Management LLP acquired a new position in shares of Equity Lifestyle Properties during the third quarter valued at $34,000. 97.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Equity Lifestyle Properties

Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc (NYSE: ELS) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in the acquisition, development, ownership and operation of manufactured home communities and recreational vehicle resorts. The company’s portfolio includes more than 450 properties across the United States and Canada, serving over 200,000 residents and visitors. ELS organizes its operations into two primary segments: manufactured housing communities, which provide long-term housing solutions, and upscale RV and seasonal resorts designed for leisure travelers and seasonal patrons.

In its manufactured home division, ELS offers home-site leases combined with community amenities such as landscaped common areas, clubhouses, swimming pools and organized resident events.