Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) Given Average Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the six analysts that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have given a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $12.8125.

Several research firms have recently issued reports on SVC. Weiss Ratings raised Service Properties Trust from a “sell (e+)” rating to a “sell (d-)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. B. Riley Financial increased their target price on shares of Service Properties Trust from $10.00 to $12.50 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. Zacks Research raised shares of Service Properties Trust from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, LADENBURG THALM/SH SH initiated coverage on Service Properties Trust in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. They set a “buy” rating and a $11.25 target price for the company.

Service Properties Trust Stock Down 3.7%

Shares of NASDAQ SVC opened at $7.11 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $920.82 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.92 and a beta of 1.66. Service Properties Trust has a 12-month low of $5.65 and a 12-month high of $15.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 0.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $8.19 and its 200-day moving average price is $8.46.

Service Properties Trust Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 20th were given a $0.05 dividend. This is a boost from Service Properties Trust’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.05. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 20th. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. Service Properties Trust’s dividend payout ratio is currently -2.60%.

Institutional Trading of Service Properties Trust

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. UBS Group AG grew its holdings in shares of Service Properties Trust by 266.8% in the fourth quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 1,308,186 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $2,407,000 after purchasing an additional 951,523 shares during the last quarter. Yorkville Advisors Global LP bought a new position in Service Properties Trust in the 1st quarter worth about $28,333,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in shares of Service Properties Trust during the second quarter worth approximately $3,691,000. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Service Properties Trust during the second quarter valued at approximately $543,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership bought a new stake in shares of Service Properties Trust during the first quarter valued at approximately $95,000. 77.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.