Sec Form 4 Filing - Stapley Gregory K. @ CareTrust REIT, Inc. - 2026-01-02

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Stapley Gregory K. 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CareTrust REIT, Inc. [ CTRE] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X __ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 24901 DANA POINT HARBOR DR, SUITE A200 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 01/02/2026 (Street) DANA POINT, CA92629 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares LTIP Units ( 1 ) 01/02/2026 A 5,781 ( 2 ) ( 1 )( 2 ) ( 1 ) Common Stock 5,781 ( 1 ) 5,781 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Stapley Gregory K. 24901 DANA POINT HARBOR DR, SUITE A200 DANA POINT, CA92629 X Signatures /s/ Derek Bunker, attorney-in-fact 01/06/2026 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )LTIP Units are a class of units of partnership interests in CTR Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the "Operating Partnership"), the operating subsidiary of the Issuer, designated as LTIP Units ("LTIP Units") intended to qualify as profits interests for U.S. federal income tax purposes. LTIP Units do not have an expiration date. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Operating Partnership (as amended, the "Amended Operating Partnership Agreement"), vested LTIP Units that have achieved specified capital account thresholds may be converted into common unit partnership interests in the Operating Partnership, which may thereafter be redeemed for cash or, at the Issuer's election, shares of the Issuer's common stock pursuant to the existing redemption provisions of the Amended Operating Partnership Agreement. ( 2 )Consists of (i) 3,105 LTIP Units representing the annual equity grant to the Reporting Person under the Issuer's non-employee director compensation policy (the "Annual Equity Grant"), which the Reporting Person has elected to receive in LTIP Units, and (ii) 2,676 LTIP Units that the Reporting Person has elected to receive in lieu of the annual cash base retainer payable to the Reporting Person for 2026 in accordance with the Issuer's non-employee director compensation policy. The Annual Equity Grant has been pro-rated for 2026 to account for the equity award compensation received by the Reporting Person for 2025. The LTIP Units vest in full on January 2, 2027, subject to the Reporting Person's continued service through the vesting date.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

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