Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) Upgraded to Strong-Buy at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note released on Thursday morning,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on SVC. B. Riley reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $3.00 target price (up from $2.00) on shares of Service Properties Trust in a report on Thursday, September 25th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Service Properties Trust to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, October 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Service Properties Trust in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $2.75.

Service Properties Trust Trading Up 3.3%

NASDAQ SVC opened at $1.90 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.68, a quick ratio of 0.17 and a current ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market cap of $319.37 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.14 and a beta of 1.47. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $1.85 and a 200-day simple moving average of $2.35. Service Properties Trust has a one year low of $1.55 and a one year high of $3.08.

Service Properties Trust Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, October 27th were given a dividend of $0.01 per share. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, October 27th. Service Properties Trust’s dividend payout ratio is currently -2.40%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Service Properties Trust

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Capital Management Corp VA increased its stake in Service Properties Trust by 27.5% in the second quarter. Capital Management Corp VA now owns 7,225,765 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $17,270,000 after purchasing an additional 1,559,600 shares during the last quarter. Susquehanna Advisors Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Service Properties Trust by 9.0% in the 3rd quarter. Susquehanna Advisors Group Inc. now owns 5,121,419 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $13,879,000 after buying an additional 420,946 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Service Properties Trust by 114.8% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 4,118,530 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $10,749,000 after buying an additional 2,200,754 shares in the last quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH grew its position in shares of Service Properties Trust by 16.5% in the 3rd 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 purchased a new position in shares of Service Properties Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at $7,412,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.62% of the company’s stock.

Service Properties Trust Company Profile

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.