CareTrust REIT, Inc.

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant ☒ Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

CARETRUST REIT, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

24901 DANA POINT HARBOR DR, SUITE A200, DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA 92629

Notice of Annual Meeting

of Stockholders

The annual meeting of the stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of CareTrust REIT, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) willbe held at the Company’s offices located at 24901 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Suite A200, Dana Point, California 92629, at 8:30 a.m. PDT, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, for the following purposes:

The accompanying Proxy Statement more fully describes these matters and we urge you to read the information contained in the Proxy Statement carefully. The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election to the Board of Directors of each of the Board of Director’s six director nominees, FOR the compensation of our named executive officers, and FOR the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2026.

We are requesting that you register in advance if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person so we may ensure we have adequate space for all attendees. Please email us at ir@caretrustreit.com with the number of planned in-person attendees no later than 5:00 p.m. PDT on April 24, 2026 if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person.

CareTrust REIT, Inc.

By order of the Board Of Directors,

James B. Callister

Secretary

Dated: March 13, 2026

Dana Point, California

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANTWhether or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting, please submit your proxy as soon as possible.IMPORTANT NOTICEOnly stockholders of record of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock as of the close of business on MARCH 5, 2026, the record date, will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Table of Contents

24901 DANA POINT HARBOR DR, SUITE A200, DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA 92629

Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be

held on April 29, 2026

This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) of CareTrust REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation, for use at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held at the Company’s offices located at 24901 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Suite A200, Dana Point, California 92629, at 8:30 a.m. PDT, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (the “Annual Meeting”). On or about March 13, 2026, proxy materials for the Annual Meeting, including this Proxy Statement and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 (“Annual Report”), will be made available to stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

When used in this Proxy Statement, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “CareTrust REIT,” or the “Company” refer to CareTrust REIT, Inc. and its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise.