The crash in Medical Properties Trust's (NYSE: MPW) stock price continued in January. Shares of the hospital-focused real estate investment trust (REIT) cratered another 36.9% last month, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. That was a continuation of its 55% plunge from 2023.

Like last year, the main factor weighing on the healthcare REIT's stock price was issues with a financially challenged tenant.

Medical Properties Trust started 2024 off on a sour note by providing investors with an update on leading tenant Steward Health Care in early January. The REIT revealed that Steward hasn't been able to make its full monthly rental payments since September. The company had previously disclosed that Steward only made partial rental payments in September and October. However, despite selling its non-core lab business and obtaining additional working capital financing (which Medical Properties Trust helped provide), the hospital operator still wasn't able to make its full monthly rental payments.

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Source Fool.com