Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPW) Shares Gap Up After Dividend Announcement

Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPW)’s share price gapped up before the market opened on Monday following a dividend announcement from the company. The stock had previously closed at $3.99, but opened at $4.83. Medical Properties Trust shares last traded at $4.77, with a volume of 21,165,016 shares changing hands.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 22nd will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 19th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 12.99%. Medical Properties Trust’s dividend payout ratio is currently -63.83%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have weighed in on MPW. Colliers Securities downgraded shares of Medical Properties Trust from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $10.00 to $4.25 in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on Medical Properties Trust from $8.00 to $5.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. StockNews.com cut Medical Properties Trust from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, February 22nd. Mizuho cut their price objective on Medical Properties Trust from $9.00 to $7.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Medical Properties Trust from $4.00 to $4.50 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 8th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $5.48.

Medical Properties Trust Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 2.26, a quick ratio of 2.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $4.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $4.36.

Institutional Trading of Medical Properties Trust

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Advisors Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Medical Properties Trust during the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC bought a new stake in Medical Properties Trust during the 1st quarter worth about $38,000. Tucker Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 2,447.6% during the 3rd quarter. Tucker Asset Management LLC now owns 7,974 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 7,661 shares during the period. Cetera Trust Company N.A acquired a new position in shares of Medical Properties Trust during the 4th quarter worth about $43,000. Finally, Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its position in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 861.5% during the 4th quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 9,615 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $47,000 after buying an additional 8,615 shares during the period. 71.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Medical Properties Trust

Medical Properties Trust, Inc is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed in 2003 to acquire and develop net-leased hospital facilities. From its inception in Birmingham, Alabama, the Company has grown to become one of the world's largest owners of hospital real estate with 441 facilities and approximately 44,000 licensed beds as of September 30, 2023.