Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the eleven analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and six have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $51.91.

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Mizuho dropped their price target on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $50.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $55.00 to $53.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 21st. JMP Securities reissued a “market outperform” rating and issued a $53.00 target price on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in a research note on Monday, March 4th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $49.00 to $47.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Finally, StockNews.com cut Gaming and Leisure Properties from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday.

Insider Transactions at Gaming and Leisure Properties

In related news, Director E Scott Urdang purchased 2,500 shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 1st. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $45.00 per share, for a total transaction of $112,500.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 156,685 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,050,825. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 4.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Gaming and Leisure Properties during the fourth quarter worth about $2,501,000. GraniteShares Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,473,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 107.4% in the fourth quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 45,803 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $2,260,000 after purchasing an additional 23,722 shares during the last quarter. Signature Wealth Management Group acquired a new position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $3,944,000. Finally, Louisiana State Employees Retirement System acquired a new position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $3,701,000. 91.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Stock Performance

NASDAQ GLPI opened at $43.13 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $11.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.92, a PEG ratio of 5.40 and a beta of 0.94. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $44.73 and its 200 day simple moving average is $45.82. Gaming and Leisure Properties has a twelve month low of $41.80 and a twelve month high of $51.91. The company has a quick ratio of 6.47, a current ratio of 6.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49.

Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 26th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.90 by ($0.26). Gaming and Leisure Properties had a return on equity of 16.79% and a net margin of 50.05%. The firm had revenue of $376.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $368.44 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.92 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Gaming and Leisure Properties will post 3.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th were given a $0.76 dividend. This is a positive change from Gaming and Leisure Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.05%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 14th. Gaming and Leisure Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 112.18%.

About Gaming and Leisure Properties

GLPI is engaged in the business of acquiring, financing, and owning real estate property to be leased to gaming operators in triple-net lease arrangements, pursuant to which the tenant is responsible for all facility maintenance, insurance required in connection with the leased properties and the business conducted on the leased properties, taxes levied on or with respect to the leased properties and all utilities and other services necessary or appropriate for the leased properties and the business conducted on the leased properties.