Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) is included among the 14 Best Real Estate Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Morgan Stanley Raises Ventas (VTR) Price Target on Improving Occupancy Outlook Photo by Vitaly Taranov on Unsplash On February 14, Morgan Stanley raised its price recommendation on Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) to $90 from $80. It maintained an Equal Weight rating on the stock. The firm said the increase followed a strong quarterly performance and reflected expectations for further upside in 2026, driven ...

Company Overview - Ventas, Inc. (NYSE: VTR) is an S&P 500 company focused on creating exceptional environments for a growing aging population [4] - The company operates approximately 1,400 properties in North America and the United Kingdom, playing a vital role in the longevity economy [4] - Ventas's portfolio includes over 850 senior housing communities, outpatient medical buildings, research centers, and healthcare facilities [4] Growth Strategy - The company's growth is driven by its senior housing communities, which provide essential services to residents [4] - Ventas aims to achieve superior performance by leveraging operational expertise, data-driven insights from its Ventas OI™ platform, and strong financial relationships [4] - The commitment of Ventas's seasoned team is to help people live longer, healthier, and happier lives [4] Upcoming Earnings Release - Ventas will release its fourth quarter 2025 earnings after the close of trading on February 5, 2026 [1] - A conference call to discuss the earnings will take place on February 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time [1]

Core Viewpoint - Ventas, Inc. is recognized as a strong dividend stock in the real estate sector, with a recent Buy rating from Wells Fargo and a price target set at $88 for the stock [1]. Financial Performance - For Q3 2025, Ventas reported completing purchase transactions related to senior housing facilities worth $2.2 billion in promising markets, which is expected to enhance growth and financial returns [2]. - The investment volume forecast for senior housing in 2025 has been increased from $2 billion to $2.5 billion, supported by a solid liquidity position of $4.1 billion as of Q3 2025 [2]. Corporate Updates - Peter J. Bulgarelli, the Executive Vice President and CEO of Lillibridge Healthcare Services, announced plans to retire on May 1, 2026, after a significant tenure at Ventas and a prior 28-year career at Jones Lang LaSalle [3]. Company Overview - Ventas, Inc. is a real estate investment trust specializing in senior housing communities, outpatient medical buildings, research centers, and healthcare facilities [4].

Core Insights - Ventas reported strong financial performance in Q3 2025, driven by its senior housing operating portfolio (SHOP), which saw double-digit organic growth year-over-year [2][3] - The company completed $2.2 billion in senior housing acquisitions in attractive markets, enhancing earnings and future growth [3][11] - Ventas is increasing its full-year guidance due to strong SHOP performance and closed investments, with SHOP now representing about half of its business [3][14] Financial Performance - For Q3 2025, net income attributable to common stockholders was $0.14 per share, a 180% increase from $0.05 in Q3 2024 [8][31] - Normalized Funds From Operations (FFO) per share increased by 10% to $0.88 compared to the prior year [7][32] - Total Company Net Operating Income (NOI) grew by 20% year-over-year, with Same-Store Cash NOI growth of 8% [7][9] SHOP Performance - SHOP Same-Store Cash NOI increased by 16% year-over-year, with U.S. growth leading at 19% [9] - Same-Store average occupancy grew by 160 basis points sequentially and 270 basis points year-over-year [10] - The SHOP portfolio's cash operating revenue grew by 8%, with a Same-Store Cash NOI margin expansion of 200 basis points [9][10] Investment Activity - Ventas closed $1.1 billion in senior housing investments during Q3 2025, totaling $2.2 billion year-to-date [11] - The company is raising its senior housing investment volume expectations for 2025 to $2.5 billion, up from $2.0 billion [11] Financial Strength - As of Q3 2025, Ventas had a Net Debt-to-Further Adjusted EBITDA ratio of 5.3x, improving by 1.0x compared to Q3 2024 [12] - The company reported $4.1 billion in liquidity, supporting growth and financial flexibility [13] Full Year Guidance - Ventas increased its full-year 2025 guidance for Attributable Net Income and FFO per share, reflecting strong SHOP performance and investment activity [14][38] - The updated guidance includes a range for Attributable Net Income per share of $0.49 - $0.52 and for Normalized FFO per share of $3.45 - $3.48 [14][38]

Group 1: Zacks Premium and Style Scores Overview - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates on Zacks Rank and Industry Rank, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens [1] - The Zacks Style Scores rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, serving as complementary indicators to the Zacks Rank [2][3] Group 2: Style Scores Categories - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using ratios like P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales to highlight attractive investment opportunities [3] - The Growth Score emphasizes a company's financial strength and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow for sustainable growth [4] - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends by assessing one-week price changes and monthly earnings estimate changes [5] - The VGM Score combines all three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive indicator for evaluating stocks based on value, growth, and momentum [6] Group 3: Zacks Rank and Performance - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to assist investors in building successful portfolios [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have achieved an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B to maximize returns [9] Group 4: Stock Highlight - Ventas, Inc. - Ventas, Inc. is a healthcare REIT with investments in 1,406 properties across North America and the U.K. as of March 31, 2025 [11] - Currently rated 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of B, Ventas has a Momentum Style Score of A, and its shares have increased by 0.6% over the past four weeks [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ventas' earnings has risen by $0.02 to $3.45 per share, with an average earnings surprise of 1.2% [12]