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

Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) has received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fourteen analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and eight have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $52.18.

GLPI has been the topic of several research reports. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and issued a $52.00 price objective (up previously from $51.00) on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. StockNews.com raised Gaming and Leisure Properties from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, JMP Securities upped their price target on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $53.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, August 12th.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Stock Performance

GLPI stock opened at $50.92 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 5.91, a current ratio of 5.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49. The firm has a market cap of $13.82 billion, a PE ratio of 18.79, a P/E/G ratio of 5.34 and a beta of 0.99. The business has a 50 day moving average of $51.05 and a 200-day moving average of $47.40. Gaming and Leisure Properties has a 12-month low of $41.80 and a 12-month high of $52.60.

Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.92 by ($0.15). The business had revenue of $380.60 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $377.95 million. Gaming and Leisure Properties had a net margin of 52.79% and a return on equity of 17.60%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.92 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Gaming and Leisure Properties will post 3.67 earnings per share for the current year.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th were given a $0.76 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, September 13th. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.97%. Gaming and Leisure Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 112.18%.

Insider Activity at Gaming and Leisure Properties

In other Gaming and Leisure Properties news, CFO Desiree A. Burke sold 12,973 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $52.02, for a total value of $674,855.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 108,073 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,621,957.46. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Gaming and Leisure Properties news, CFO Desiree A. Burke sold 12,973 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.02, for a total value of $674,855.46. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 108,073 shares in the company, valued at $5,621,957.46. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director E Scott Urdang sold 5,605 shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.89, for a total value of $274,028.45. Following the sale, the director now owns 156,685 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,660,329.65. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 49,478 shares of company stock valued at $2,495,429. Corporate insiders own 4.40% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Gaming and Leisure Properties

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 31.6% in the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 11,807 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $599,000 after acquiring an additional 2,838 shares during the last quarter. Outlook Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 5.4% during the 3rd quarter. Outlook Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 7,643 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $393,000 after purchasing an additional 394 shares during the last quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties during the 3rd quarter valued at about $462,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 5,015.8% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 53,511 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $2,753,000 after buying an additional 52,465 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lecap Asset Management Ltd. bought a new stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,017,000. Institutional investors own 91.14% of the company’s stock.

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.