Applied Fundamental Research LLC Grows Holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI)

Applied Fundamental Research LLC increased its stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 328,710 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,123 shares during the period. Gaming and Leisure Properties makes up approximately 11.2% of Applied Fundamental Research LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th biggest position. Applied Fundamental Research LLC owned approximately 0.12% of Gaming and Leisure Properties worth $16,912,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in GLPI. Ignite Planners LLC raised its position in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 1.8% in the second quarter. Ignite Planners LLC now owns 12,181 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $543,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares in the last quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 33,990 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,537,000 after purchasing an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Ieq Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 90,749 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $4,103,000 after purchasing an additional 257 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its holdings in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 7,948 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $409,000 after purchasing an additional 278 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 1.4% during the third quarter. Marshall Financial Group LLC now owns 20,917 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $1,076,000 after purchasing an additional 289 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.14% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have issued reports on GLPI shares. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $52.00 to $51.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. JMP Securities restated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $55.00 target price on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in a report on Tuesday, October 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Gaming and Leisure Properties from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the company from $49.00 to $54.00 in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $52.00 price target (up previously from $51.00) on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Gaming and Leisure Properties from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Gaming and Leisure Properties has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $53.32.

Insider Activity at Gaming and Leisure Properties

In related news, Director E Scott Urdang sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.39, for a total value of $151,170.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 146,800 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,397,252. This represents a 2.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO Desiree A. Burke sold 12,973 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.02, for a total transaction 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. The trade was a 10.72 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 22,858 shares of company stock valued at $1,171,377. 4.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Trading Up 0.7 %

Gaming and Leisure Properties stock opened at $51.28 on Tuesday. Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. has a 12 month low of $41.80 and a 12 month high of $52.60. The company has a quick ratio of 11.35, a current ratio of 11.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The stock has a market cap of $14.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.93, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.99. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $50.56 and its 200-day simple moving average is $48.51.

Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.92 by ($0.25). Gaming and Leisure Properties had a net margin of 51.93% and a return on equity of 17.31%. The firm had revenue of $385.34 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $385.09 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.92 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. will post 3.67 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th were issued a $0.76 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 13th. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.93%. Gaming and Leisure Properties’s dividend payout ratio is currently 106.29%.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Profile

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.