Welltower Stock Rises 20.4% Year to Date: Will it Continue to Rise?

Core Viewpoint - Welltower (WELL) has outperformed the healthcare REIT industry, with a year-to-date stock price increase of 20.4% compared to the industry's 5.4% growth [1]. Company Overview - Welltower owns a diversified portfolio of healthcare real estate assets across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The aging population and increasing healthcare expenditure among senior citizens position the company's senior housing operating (SHO) segment for growth [2]. - The outpatient medical (OM) portfolio is expected to benefit from favorable trends in outpatient visits [2]. Financial Performance - Analysts have a positive outlook on Welltower, currently holding a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2025 funds from operations (FFO) per share has been revised upward by nearly 1% to $4.99 [3]. Growth Drivers - The senior citizens' population is projected to rise, leading to increased healthcare expenditures. The muted new supply in the industry is also a favorable factor. Welltower anticipates a 16.5-21.5% growth in same-store SHO net operating income by 2025 [5]. - The company is optimizing its OM portfolio and strengthening relationships with health system partners, which is expected to enhance long-term growth [6]. Strategic Acquisitions - Welltower is pursuing growth through acquisitions, including a contract to acquire the Amica Senior Lifestyles portfolio for C$4.6 billion, expected to close in late 2025 or early 2026. The company has also disposed of assets, completing property dispositions of $381 million and loan repayments of $123 million in Q1 2025 [7]. Financial Health - As of March 31, 2025, Welltower has $8.6 billion in available liquidity, including $3.6 billion in cash and a fully utilized $5 billion line of credit. The net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio improved to 3.33X from 4.03X year-over-year, with a well-laddered debt maturity profile averaging 5.8 years [8]. Market Outlook - Given the positive factors outlined, the upward trend in Welltower's stock price is expected to continue in the near term [10].