Realty Income Corporation (O): A Reliable Player in REIT Dividend Stocks

Core Insights - Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:O) is recognized as one of the best REIT dividend stocks due to its reliable monthly distributions to investors [1] - The company has significantly expanded its real estate holdings, doubling in size over the past four years through mergers [2] - Realty Income's portfolio is strategically focused on retailers that perform well during economic downturns, maintaining a high occupancy rate [3][4] Company Overview - Realty Income Corporation has approximately 15,600 commercial properties and over 1,600 clients across 91 industries, including markets in the UK and seven other European countries [2] - The company's largest tenants include Walgreens, 7-Eleven, Dollar General, and Dollar Tree, with none contributing more than 3.5% of total annual rent [3] Financial Performance - The occupancy rate has consistently remained above 96% since the company's IPO in 1994, with a slight increase from 98.6% in 2023 to 98.7% in 2024 [4] - Realty Income increased its monthly dividend by 0.2% to $0.2695 per share, marking the 132nd increase since going public, resulting in a dividend yield of 5.35% as of October 1 [5]