Medical Properties Trust stock falls in premarket as it draws Raymond James downgrade to underperform from strong buy

Medical Properties Trust Inc.
MPW,
-4.35%
stock was down 4.4% in premarket trades Friday. Raymond James downgraded the real estate investment trust to underperform from strong buy. Analyst Jonathan Hughes said Medical Properties Trust has underperformed its healthcare REIT peers and the REIT average. “Improving operator fundamentals have been the lone positive in recent quarters, but have been more than overshadowed by growing questions surrounding management communication, credibility, disclosure transparency, operator health, corporate governance, leverage, and dividend sustainability,” Hughes said.