Core Viewpoint - Digital Realty Trust is poised for a significant comeback, driven by booming demand in the data center industry, with potential for stock price doubling within five years [2][15]. Company Overview - Digital Realty Trust specializes in data centers, owning over 300 facilities across more than 25 countries, distinguishing itself from traditional real estate investment trusts (REITs) [1][4]. - The company has been operational since 2004 and was the first data center REIT, attracting both growth-focused tech investors and those seeking income through dividends [4]. Industry Growth - The data center industry is expected to grow at an 11% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), indicating strong demand driven by advancements in technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing [5][6]. - Digital Realty's strategic acquisitions of land in key markets, particularly in the U.S., position it well for future expansion [7]. Financial Performance - In the first nine months of 2025, Digital Realty reported nearly $4.5 billion in revenue, reflecting a 9% year-over-year growth, while operating income surged by 66% [10]. - Funds from operations (FFO) income reached over $1.9 billion, marking a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2024, indicating strong cash flow [11]. Dividend and Valuation - Digital Realty offers a dividend yield of approximately 3.3%, significantly higher than the S&P 500 average of about 1.2%, despite not increasing its dividend since 2022 [8][13]. - The stock is currently trading at about 22 times its trailing FFO income, suggesting potential for multiple expansion as income and growth prospects improve [14]. Future Outlook - The combination of rising demand for data centers and lower interest rates could enhance Digital Realty's financial performance, supporting stock price growth [12][16]. - If the company can maintain double-digit growth in FFO income, it is well-positioned for stock price appreciation in the coming years [16].

Market Analysis by covering: Prologis Inc, Digital Realty Trust Inc, Realty Income Corp. Read 's Market Analysis on Investing.com ...

we discuss ideas like this as they happen in more detail. All active investors are welcome to join on a free trial and ask any question in our chat room full of sophisticated traders and investors.Digital Realty Trust, Inc. ( DLR ) is one of the leading global data center operators and continues to show a strong financial position. Today, we will go deeper and analyze the key economic characteristics and ratios, itsArbitrage Trader, aka Denislav Iliev has been day trading for 15+ years and leads a team of 4 ...

we discuss ideas like this as they happen in more detail. All active investors are welcome to join on a free trial and ask any question in our chat room full of sophisticated traders and investors.Digital Realty Trust, Inc. ( DLR ) is one of the leading global data center operators and continues to show a strong financial position. Today, we will go deeper and analyze the key economic characteristics and ratios, itsArbitrage Trader, aka Denislav Iliev has been day trading for 15+ years and leads a team of 4 ...

These investments combine high yields and low volatility.Volatile market swings can rattle investors who focus on growth stocks, but there's a type of stock whose prices don't tend to swing as widely as shares do in the broader market: real estate investment trusts (REITs).REITs give investors exposure to various types of real estate holdings. Some exclusively invest in data centers, while others focus on multifamily housing or triple-net retail properties. And most offer relatively high yields.Not all REIT ...

J P M O R G A N North America Equity Research 12 December 2025 Communications Infrastructure 2026 Outlook: Crucial Year for Hyperscale AI Capacity Delivery as AI Infrastructure Needs Evolve; Towers Poised for Growth, but EchoStar Uncertainty Remains The data center industry went into overdrive in 2025, with incremental capacity builds doubling from last year, and we look for even more supply to be brought online in 2026. This year, AI-focused companies have announced a wave of deals totaling tens of billion ...

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions, today announced the appointment of Stephen Bolze—an accomplished global executive with more than three decades of leadership across the energy and infrastructure sectors—as an independent director to its Board, effective January 1, 2026. "We are delighted to welcome Steve to our Board of Directors," said Mary Hogan Preuss ...

Core Viewpoint - Equinix (EQIX) is positioned as a superior investment compared to Digital Realty (DLR) due to its better track record, operations, and valuation [5]. Company Comparison - EQIX and DLR are both large-cap companies with market capitalizations of $71 billion and $55 billion, respectively, and operate globally with similar property maps [2]. - EQIX has demonstrated significantly higher growth in AFFO/share, tripling since Q1 2013, while DLR has only seen a 191% increase [6][7]. Operational Strategy - EQIX focuses on building ecosystems within its data centers, enhancing value through direct connections between tenants, which creates a network effect [11][13]. - DLR has primarily built commodity data centers, which, while profitable, do not offer the same competitive advantages as EQIX's ecosystem approach [12][10]. Financial Performance - EQIX's AFFO/share growth has consistently outpaced DLR, with EQIX achieving a 335% increase compared to DLR's 191% since Q1 2013 [6][7]. - During the period from 2018 to 2022, EQIX maintained positive same-store NOI growth, while DLR experienced negative growth [15][17]. Valuation Insights - EQIX's stock price has decreased by approximately 25%, leading to a drop in its AFFO multiple from the 30s to 18.42X, making it an attractive investment opportunity [21][25]. - In contrast, DLR's valuation has not decreased as significantly, trading at 22X forward AFFO [27]. Future Outlook - EQIX's recent earnings report indicated strong growth, with AFFO of $965 million, an 11% increase year-over-year, and a positive outlook for future growth driven by record bookings and a large development pipeline [33][35]. - The company has a robust pipeline with $1.5 billion in preconstruction and $2.9 billion in construction, indicating a strong growth trajectory [38][40]. Conclusion - Both EQIX and DLR are well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for data centers, particularly in the context of AI development, but EQIX is expected to outperform due to its superior operational strategy and more attractive valuation [45].

Core Insights - Investors face a clear divide between traditional real estate REITs like Realty Income and digital infrastructure REITs like Digital Realty, with the former focusing on stable income and the latter on growth tied to digital transformation [1][3] Realty Income Overview - Realty Income is recognized for its stability and reliability, with a portfolio of over 15,500 properties across 92 industries, leading to high occupancy rates of 98-99% [4][5] - The company has shown healthy revenue growth in Q3 2025, expanding its European presence and maintaining a disciplined investment approach [6] - Realty Income's monthly dividend has been increased 133 times since its listing, highlighting its commitment to income generation [6] - However, the company faces challenges such as competition from private capital, cautious credit monitoring in certain retail sectors, and vulnerability to tenant bankruptcies [7][8] Digital Realty Overview - Digital Realty is positioned at the forefront of AI and cloud expansion, with over 300 data centers supporting significant demand from hyperscalers and enterprises [9] - The company reported 10% revenue growth and 13% growth in funds from operations (FFO) per share in Q3 2025, with a backlog exceeding $850 million [10][11] - Digital Realty's development pipeline of 5 gigawatts positions it well to meet rising demands for AI and cloud services, providing strong revenue visibility [11] - Partnerships with renewable energy providers enhance its appeal to clients focused on sustainable computing [12] Comparative Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Realty Income indicates year-over-year growth of 8.26% in sales and 1.67% in FFO per share for 2025, with some revisions trending downward [13] - In contrast, Digital Realty's estimates show 8.98% growth in sales and 9.54% growth in FFO per share for 2025, with upward revisions over the past 60 days [14] Price Performance and Valuation - Year-to-date, Realty Income shares have increased by 6.1%, while Digital Realty shares have decreased by 10%, both underperforming the S&P 500's rise of 18.6% [16] - Realty Income trades at a forward price-to-FFO of 12.84X, below its three-year median, while Digital Realty trades at 20.26X, also below its median [17] Conclusion - While Realty Income excels in consistency and income reliability, Digital Realty is better positioned for growth due to its alignment with the expanding AI and cloud markets [19][20] - For investors seeking long-term growth potential, Digital Realty is currently the more compelling option, supported by positive estimate revisions [20]

Core Insights - The REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry is experiencing strong demand across specialized property types, driven by e-commerce, cloud adoption, artificial intelligence, and connectivity, which supports high occupancy and pricing [1][4] - Anticipated rate cuts are improving financing conditions, attracting income-focused investors, and enhancing cash flow flexibility for REITs [5] - The industry faces challenges from older, less flexible properties that are at risk of obsolescence, while modern, tech-ready assets are favored [2][6] Industry Overview - The Zacks REIT and Equity Trust - Other sector includes a variety of REIT stocks across asset categories such as industrial, office, healthcare, and data centers, with economic growth being a key driver for real estate demand [3] - The performance of Equity REITs is influenced by the dynamics of their underlying assets and geographic locations, necessitating thorough analysis before investment decisions [3] Future Trends - Strong demand for specialized property types is shaping the industry's growth trajectory, with industrial real estate benefiting from e-commerce expansion and data centers seeing durable tailwinds from cloud computing and AI [4] - Office properties are stabilizing as workplace attendance improves, while healthcare assets are supported by aging demographics [4] Financing Conditions - Expectations for lower interest rates are enhancing sentiment towards capital-intensive real estate trusts, improving cash flow flexibility and refinancing capacity [5] - The income-producing nature of REITs is attracting investors, especially in volatile environments where stable yields are valued [5] Tenant Preferences - Evolving tenant preferences are creating pressure on older properties, which struggle to compete with modern, flexible buildings equipped with technology and amenities [6] - Industrial users are raising standards, favoring facilities that accommodate automation, while data center operators face constraints like power availability [6] Industry Performance - The REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry has underperformed the S&P 500 and the broader Finance sector over the past year, declining by 0.4% compared to the S&P 500's 16.4% increase [11] - The industry's current valuation, based on the forward 12-month price-to-FFO ratio, is 15.65, lower than the S&P 500's P/E of 23.59 and the Finance sector's P/E of 17.26 [13] Stock Recommendations - Welltower Inc. (WELL) focuses on senior housing and healthcare properties, showing strong momentum with over 20% normalized FFO growth year over year and a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [17][18][19] - Prologis, Inc. (PLD) specializes in logistics and warehouse facilities, achieving 62 million square feet of lease signings and maintaining a healthy occupancy rate near 95%, also holding a Zacks Rank 2 [22][23][24] - Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR) focuses on data center properties, reporting improved earnings and steady revenue growth, with a Zacks Rank 2 as well [25][28][29]