Nisa Investment Advisors LLC Cuts Stock Holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI)

Nisa Investment Advisors LLC trimmed its stake in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:GLPI) by 14.2% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 118,284 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after selling 19,499 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Gaming and Leisure Properties were worth $5,837,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of GLPI. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in the 4th quarter worth $129,106,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 78.5% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 2,906,793 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $132,404,000 after buying an additional 1,278,566 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 13.6% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 10,515,906 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $493,511,000 after buying an additional 1,255,222 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 811.2% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,349,554 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $70,260,000 after buying an additional 1,201,444 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties by 3.6% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 34,218,955 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,605,894,000 after acquiring an additional 1,199,697 shares during the last quarter. 91.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Trading Down 5.9 %

NASDAQ:GLPI opened at $43.29 on Thursday. Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. has a one year low of $43.23 and a one year high of $52.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 7.41 and a current ratio of 7.41. The firm has a market cap of $11.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.63, a P/E/G ratio of 5.68 and a beta of 0.94. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $45.43 and a 200-day simple moving average of $46.10.

Gaming and Leisure Properties Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th were issued a $0.76 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.02%. This is a positive change from Gaming and Leisure Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. Gaming and Leisure Properties’s payout ratio is currently 109.75%.

Insider Activity

In other Gaming and Leisure Properties news, Director E Scott Urdang purchased 2,500 shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 1st. The stock was acquired at an average price of $45.00 per share, for a total transaction of $112,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 156,685 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,050,825. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 4.40% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

GLPI has been the subject of several analyst reports. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $55.00 to $53.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $48.00 target price for the company. in a report on Thursday, December 14th. JMP Securities restated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $53.00 target price on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties in a report on Monday, March 4th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $50.00 to $49.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, Mizuho decreased their price objective on shares of Gaming and Leisure Properties from $50.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Gaming and Leisure Properties presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $52.09.

Gaming and Leisure Properties 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.