Welltower (NYSE:WELL) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $1.03 EPS

Welltower (NYSE:WELL) released its earnings results on Monday. The real estate investment trust reported $1.67 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $1.03, Zacks reports. Welltower had a net margin of 12.15% and a return on equity of 3.56%.

Welltower Stock Performance

Welltower stock traded up $2.79 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $240.11. 2,280,197 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,090,940. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 3.16 and a quick ratio of 3.16. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $233.88 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $225.54. Welltower has a fifty-two week low of $174.91 and a fifty-two week high of $255.20. The stock has a market cap of $173.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 110.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.75.

Insider Activity at Welltower

In related news, Director Andrew Gundlach acquired 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $242.06 per share, for a total transaction of $1,210,300.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 30,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,261,800. This trade represents a 20.00% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Purchased indirectly through two trusts. The transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $241.59 to $242.59. The reported $242.06 price is the weighted-average purchase price. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WELL has been the topic of several analyst reports. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Welltower from $255.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $256.00 price objective (down from $260.00) on shares of Welltower in a research report on Monday, September 21st. Scotiabank boosted their price objective on shares of Welltower from $244.00 to $251.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 2nd. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Welltower from $245.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane upped their target price on shares of Welltower from $238.00 to $272.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $255.86.

About Welltower

Welltower Inc (NYSE: WELL) is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns, develops, and manages properties used to provide healthcare and related services. Its portfolio is centered on senior housing communities, outpatient medical facilities, and post-acute care properties, including assets operated by healthcare providers and senior living companies.

The company’s senior housing investments support independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. Its outpatient medical properties accommodate physicians, clinics, and other healthcare providers, while its broader healthcare real estate portfolio is designed to serve demand for care delivered outside traditional hospitals.