Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Industry Profile

The US REIT industry includes about 1,000 companies, about 150 of which are publicly traded, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT). Industry size is measured by market capitalization and can vary significantly from year to year; in third quarter 2011, publicly traded US REITs had a market capitalization of about $400 billion. Major companies include Simon Property Group, Vornado Realty Trust, ProLogis, and Equity Residential.

Most REITS, known as equity REITS, own and manage income-producing real estate and constitute a subset of the real estate leasing industry. Equity REITS are distinguished from other real estate leasing companies by their IRS-sanctioned organizational structure, which offers tax advantages designed to attract investors. The REIT industry also includes mortgage REITs, which generate income for shareholders through mortgages on real estate rather than the real estate itself, and hybrid REITS, which own both real estate and mortgages.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The health of the economy drives demand for REITs as investment vehicles. Profitability depends on the value of the properties in the portfolio, which in turn highly depends on real estate vacancy rates. Large companies have advantages in deal-making, and economies of scale in marketing, computer and infrastructure investment, and operations. Smaller companies can compete by specializing not only in real estate type, but by geography, though geographic focus can increase risks.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

REITs are corporations that derive most of their revenue from owning ...