Medical Properties Trust, a real estate investment trust, reported a record $4.5 billion in acquisitions for 2019.
The company's record annual results were supported by $861 million in hospital acquisitions in the fourth quarter of 2019. One of the notable transactions was with Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Health. In December, MPT completed the acquisition of 10 hospitals operated by LifePoint for $700 million.
"2019 was a year of incomparable growth and achievement for MPT," MPT Chairman, President and CEO Edward K. Aldag Jr. said in a news release. "We delivered a market leading 39% return to our shareholders and have now doubled our market capitalization to $11.8 billion to become one of the 30 largest REITs in the market."
MPT ended the fourth quarter of 2019 with net income of $130 million, up from $78 million in the same period a year earlier. Looking at full-year results, net income totaled $375 million, down from $1 billion in the year prior.