Service Properties Trust Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NASDAQ:SVC)

Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) saw some unusual options trading on Friday. Traders acquired 2,400 put options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 547% compared to the typical volume of 371 put options.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Service Properties Trust in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Service Properties Trust from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Service Properties Trust to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Finally, B. Riley reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $3.00 target price (up from $2.00) on shares of Service Properties Trust in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $2.75.

Service Properties Trust Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:SVC traded up $0.03 during trading on Friday, hitting $1.76. 243,944 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,604,426. The company has a market cap of $295.00 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.05 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.68, a current ratio of 0.17 and a quick ratio of 0.17. Service Properties Trust has a 52-week low of $1.55 and a 52-week high of $3.08. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $1.91 and its 200 day simple moving average is $2.38.

Service Properties Trust Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 13th. Investors of record on Monday, October 27th were given a $0.01 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, October 27th. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. Service Properties Trust’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -2.40%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Service Properties Trust

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of SVC. Capital Management Corp VA lifted its position in Service Properties Trust by 27.5% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Management Corp VA now owns 7,225,765 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $17,270,000 after acquiring an additional 1,559,600 shares during the period. Susquehanna Advisors Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Service Properties Trust by 9.0% in the third quarter. Susquehanna Advisors Group Inc. now owns 5,121,419 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $13,879,000 after purchasing an additional 420,946 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Service Properties Trust by 114.8% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 4,118,530 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $10,749,000 after purchasing an additional 2,200,754 shares during the period. Allianz Asset Management GmbH boosted its position in Service Properties Trust by 16.5% in the third quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 2,965,472 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $8,036,000 after buying an additional 420,785 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lonestar Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Service Properties Trust in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $7,412,000. Institutional investors own 77.62% of the company’s stock.

About Service Properties Trust

Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ: SVC) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the acquisition, ownership and leasing of service-oriented properties, with a primary focus on the lodging sector. The company structures long-term, triple-net leases with established hotel operators under franchise agreements with leading global brands. By partnering with recognized hotel companies, Service Properties Trust seeks to generate a stable income stream through rent payments, while offering operators the capital and balance-sheet flexibility to grow their portfolios.

Since its formation in 2010, Service Properties Trust has grown its portfolio through strategic sale-leaseback transactions, targeted property acquisitions and selective dispositions.