Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd Has $3.29 Million Stock Holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI)

Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) by 9.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 66,605 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after buying an additional 5,989 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd’s holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties were worth $3,287,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in GLPI. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 78.5% in the third quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 2,906,793 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $132,404,000 after acquiring an additional 1,278,566 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 15.7% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 8,771,108 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $399,523,000 after acquiring an additional 1,188,397 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 54.6% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,301,293 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $150,374,000 after acquiring an additional 1,165,459 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp boosted its holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 30.2% in the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 2,397,529 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $109,207,000 after acquiring an additional 555,474 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties by 1.5% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 37,572,599 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,711,432,000 after buying an additional 555,332 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.14% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on GLPI shares. Mizuho reduced their target price on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $50.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $55.00 to $53.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 21st. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on Gaming and Leisure Properties from $50.00 to $49.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 29th. StockNews.com upgraded Gaming and Leisure Properties from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, JMP Securities restated a “market outperform” rating and set a $53.00 target price on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in a report on Monday, March 4th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Gaming and Leisure Properties presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $52.09.

Insider Activity at Gaming and Leisure Properties

In other news, Director E Scott Urdang bought 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 1st. The shares were acquired at an average price of $45.00 per share, with a total value of $112,500.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 156,685 shares in the company, valued at $7,050,825. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 4.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Stock Up 1.3 %

Shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties stock opened at $43.54 on Wednesday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $44.95 and its 200 day simple moving average is $45.94. Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. has a 52-week low of $41.80 and a 52-week high of $52.31. The firm has a market cap of $11.82 billion, a PE ratio of 15.72, a P/E/G ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 7.41 and a current ratio of 7.41.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th were given a $0.76 dividend. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.98%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 14th. This is a positive change from Gaming and Leisure Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. Gaming and Leisure Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 109.75%.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Company 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.