Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund Buys 161,000 Shares of Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR)

Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund raised its stake in shares of Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) by 77.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 368,000 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after buying an additional 161,000 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund owned 0.10% of Equity Residential worth $27,401,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Equity Residential during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Assetmark Inc. grew its position in shares of Equity Residential by 2,529.4% in the third quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 447 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 430 shares during the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new stake in shares of Equity Residential in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its position in shares of Equity Residential by 69.6% in the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 475 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 195 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV grew its position in shares of Equity Residential by 41.9% in the second quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 525 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 155 shares during the last quarter. 92.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Equity Residential Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSE EQR opened at $77.47 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 0.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $74.09 and its two-hundred day moving average is $71.28. The company has a market capitalization of $29.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.75, a PEG ratio of 6.20 and a beta of 0.90. Equity Residential has a 1-year low of $56.05 and a 1-year high of $78.83.

Equity Residential Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 24th were paid a $0.675 dividend. This represents a $2.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.49%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 24th. Equity Residential’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 110.66%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on EQR shares. Scotiabank lowered their price target on Equity Residential from $81.00 to $78.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded Equity Residential from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their price target for the company from $69.00 to $77.00 in a research report on Monday, August 26th. Evercore ISI raised their price target on Equity Residential from $75.00 to $76.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research report on Monday, September 16th. Bank of America downgraded Equity Residential from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their price target for the company from $78.00 to $82.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 24th. Finally, BNP Paribas initiated coverage on Equity Residential in a research report on Wednesday, September 11th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $83.00 target price on the stock. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $77.25.

About Equity Residential

Equity Residential is committed to creating communities where people thrive. The Company, a member of the S&P 500, is focused on the acquisition, development and management of residential properties located in and around dynamic cities that attract affluent long-term renters. Equity Residential owns or has investments in 305 properties consisting of 80,683 apartment units, with an established presence in Boston, New York, Washington, DC, Seattle, San Francisco and Southern California, and an expanding presence in Denver, Atlanta, Dallas/Ft.