Fund Performance - Baron Health Care Fund rose 13.10% in Q4 2025, outperforming the Russell 3000 Health Care Index which gained 11.92% and the Russell 3000 Index which gained 2.40% [1] - For the full year, the Fund returned 10.28%, while the benchmarks returned 14.56% and 17.15% respectively [1] - Strong stock selection in biotechnology contributed to the Fund's relative gains in the quarter [1] Investment Strategy - The Fund seeks to invest in businesses with secular growth opportunities, a sustainable competitive edge, and strong management [1] - The healthcare sector is viewed as a strong area in the U.S. economy, offering attractive investment opportunities with positive momentum heading into 2026 [1] Welltower Inc. Overview - Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) is a healthcare REIT focusing on rental housing for aging seniors, with a market capitalization of $131.13 billion [2] - As of February 5, 2026, Welltower's stock closed at $191.06 per share, with a one-month return of 2.68% and a twelve-month increase of 33.99% [2] Welltower Inc. Investment Rationale - Welltower is positioned to benefit from favorable trends in the senior housing industry, particularly the supply/demand imbalance [3] - The over 80 population is expected to grow at a 4% to 5% CAGR over the next five years, contrasting with annual growth below 2% post-2008 financial crisis [3] - There is limited new supply of senior housing due to unattractive developer economics and lengthy project timelines [3] - Opportunities exist for improved operating margins and occupancy through enhanced asset management and data analytics [3] - Management has implemented an "all in" compensation program, reflecting confidence in shareholder value creation over the next decade [3]

Company Overview - Welltower Inc. is a real estate investment trust based in Toledo, Ohio, focusing on investments with senior housing operators, post-acute providers, and health systems, with a market cap of $127.3 billion [1] Stock Performance - WELL shares have outperformed the broader market over the past year, surging 34.4% in the last 52 weeks and growing 2.9% year-to-date, compared to the S&P 500 Index's 12.2% return and a marginal decline in 2026 [2] - WELL has also outperformed the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF, which saw a 1.8% decline over the past 52 weeks and a 2.2% increase this year [3] Earnings Report - On October 27, WELL stock increased by 2.6% following the release of better-than-expected Q3 2025 earnings, with total revenue rising 30.6% year-over-year to $2.7 billion, surpassing estimates [4] - The normalized FFO per share grew 20.7% from the previous year to $1.34, beating Wall Street's estimates by 3.1% [4] Future Projections - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, analysts anticipate a 22.2% year-over-year growth in adjusted EPS to $5.28, with a strong earnings surprise history as the company has exceeded bottom-line estimates in the past four quarters [5] - The consensus rating for WELL is "Strong Buy," with 14 "Strong Buys," two "Moderate Buys," and four "Holds" among 20 analysts [5] Analyst Ratings - UBS analyst Michael Goldsmith maintained a "Buy" rating for Welltower, lowering the price target from $232 to $228, while the mean price target of $214.63 indicates a 12.3% premium to current market prices [7] - The Street-high target of $260 suggests a potential upside of 36.1% from current levels [7]

Core Insights - Healthpeak Properties, Inc. reported fourth-quarter 2025 funds from operations (FFO) as adjusted per share of 47 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 45 cents and slightly up from 46 cents in the prior-year quarter [1][8] - The company generated revenues of $719.4 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $699.5 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3.1% [2] - Full-year FFO, as adjusted, was $1.84 per share, above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.83, and improved 1.7% year over year [2] Financial Performance - Healthpeak reported a 3.9% year-over-year growth in total merger-combined same-store cash (adjusted) net operating income (NOI) [4] - The outpatient medical and continuing care retirement community (CCRC) segments experienced year-over-year growth of 4.1% and 16.7%, respectively, while the lab segment saw a decline of 0.3% [4] - Interest expenses increased by 14.4% year over year to $80.6 million [5] Strategic Initiatives - The company announced the formation of Janus Living, Inc., a senior housing REIT, and plans for an initial public offering (IPO) [3] - Healthpeak is restructuring its portfolio by selling stabilized assets and reinvesting the proceeds into value-accretive investments [3] - The company is focusing on technology innovation initiatives to enhance automation, decision-making speed, and client service [3] Balance Sheet - Healthpeak ended the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $467.5 million, a significant increase from $91 million as of September 30, 2025 [6] - The net debt to adjusted EBITDAre ratio was 5.2X as of December 31, 2025 [6] 2026 Outlook - The company expects FFO as adjusted per share to be between $1.70 and $1.74, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is currently at $1.84 [7] - Total merger-combined same-store cash (adjusted) NOI growth is projected to range from negative 1% to 1% [7]

Core Insights - The US commercial real estate (CRE) market in 2025 showed a steady recovery, with deal volume increasing by 17% compared to 2024, although this growth was slower than the previous year's 24% and still 30% below pre-pandemic levels in 2019 [2][3] Deal Volume Trends - Total deal dollar volume in December 2025 dropped by 20% year over year, marking the second consecutive month of decline, but the full-year figures indicate potential momentum for the upcoming year [3] - The multifamily sector led the deal-making in 2025, with a 24% increase in deal volume from 2024, driven by higher mortgage rates in the single-family market [6] - The office sector also saw a significant recovery, with total deal volume up by 21% compared to the previous year, as return-to-office orders and AI employment growth countered earlier negative perceptions [5] Sector Performance - Retail experienced a healthy gain of 19%, with strong fundamentals in grocery-anchored and necessity-based centers, despite ongoing pressure from e-commerce [6][7] - Larger dollar CRE deals, specifically those over $100 million, increased by 23% compared to 2024, although this segment remains at only half of 2019 levels [8] - Smaller deals below $5 million have surpassed their 2019 pace by 4%, indicating increased activity from private capital and individual investors [9] Alternative Investments - There was a notable trend towards alternative sectors outside the core five, such as healthcare-related properties and data centers, with significant transactions like the largest-ever sale of a medical office portfolio [10] - Tech giants like Apple and Amazon were active in the market, with Apple investing over $1.1 billion in California, capitalizing on a 20-30% pricing reset in the Silicon Valley office market [12][13] Market Outlook - The commercial real estate sector is experiencing a portfolio rebalancing, with institutional investors returning while some public REITs divest large portfolios to private equity firms [14] - Market participants are optimistic about future growth, anticipating support from a more dovish Federal Reserve and potential fiscal lifts, although interest rates are expected to remain elevated [15]

Technology companies have been the early leaders in adopting AI. They are leveraging this powerful technology to increase efficiency, boost productivity, and enhance their growth. That has helped drive strong returns for tech stock investors. However, tech stocks aren't the only ones benefiting from AI-driven advances. The healthcare sector is starting to capitalize on this technology. That should benefit healthcare REIT Welltower (NYSE: WELL). Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just reveal ...

Core Viewpoint - Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (ARE) is expected to report a decline in revenues and funds from operations (FFO) per share for the fourth quarter of 2025, with results scheduled for release on January 26 [1][10]. Financial Performance - In the last reported quarter, ARE missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for adjusted FFO per share by 3.9%, attributed to lower occupancy and higher interest expenses, although leasing activity and rental rate growth provided some support [2]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Alexandria's quarterly revenues is $738.3 million, indicating a 6.4% decrease from the prior year's figure [4]. - For the fourth quarter of 2025, same-property revenues are projected to decline by 13.7%, with same-store net operating income expected to drop by 37.8% [5]. Market Position and Outlook - Alexandria has a strong portfolio of Class A/A+ properties in high-barrier-to-entry markets but faces risks related to slow re-leasing of expiring spaces and lease-up vacancies, which may pressure occupancy levels [3][10]. - The consensus estimate for adjusted FFO per share has decreased by 4 cents to $2.15 over the past month, reflecting a 10% decline compared to the same quarter last year [6]. Earnings Prediction - The current Earnings ESP for Alexandria is +0.25%, but it holds a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), indicating a lack of confidence in a positive surprise for FFO per share this quarter [7][8].

Core Insights - WELL Health Technologies Corp. is focused on leveraging technology to improve health outcomes for healthcare practitioners and patients globally [1] - The company has outlined its strategic priorities for 2026 in a letter to shareholders from its CEO Hamed Shahbazi [1] Company Overview - WELL Health Technologies aims to tech-enable healthcare providers by developing advanced technologies, services, and support [2] - The company operates a comprehensive healthcare and digital platform that includes front and back-office management software applications [2] - WELL supports over 43,000 healthcare providers across the US and Canada and operates the largest owned healthcare ecosystem in Canada with more than 240 clinics [2] - In the US, WELL's solutions target specialized markets such as gastrointestinal, women's health, primary care, and mental health [2]

REIT Performance Overview - REITs finished December 2025 with a total return of -1.48%, underperforming the broader market indices such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (+0.92%), S&P 500 (+0.06%), and NASDAQ (-0.09%) [1] - The Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) had a December return of -2.24%, but outperformed the average REIT over the full year with a return of +3.26% compared to -3.57% for the average REIT [1] - The spread between the 2026 FFO multiples of large cap REITs (15.9x) and small cap REITs (12.7x) narrowed, with large caps contracting by 0.3 turns and small caps by 0.1 turns [1] Monthly Performance by Market Capitalization - In December, only small cap REITs had a positive total return of +0.51%, while mid caps (-1.77%), large caps (-2.55%), and micro caps (-3.88%) all finished in the red [3] - For the full year 2025, small cap REITs outperformed large caps by 240 basis points [3] Monthly Performance by Property Type - Half of the REIT property types averaged positive returns in December, with a total return spread of 13.22% between the best (Malls +6.19%, Single Family Housing +5.20%) and worst performing property types (Infrastructure -7.02%, Office -6.79%) [5][6] - The average return for REITs in December was -1.48%, with 9 out of 18 property types showing positive returns [5][6] Year-to-Date Performance by Property Type - For the full year 2025, the worst performing property types included Office (-22.07%), Infrastructure (-20.08%), and Land (-15.77%), all averaging double-digit negative total returns [7] - The top performing property types for the year were Health Care (+25.74%), Advertising (+25.50%), and Malls (+15.56%) [7] FFO Multiples and Valuation Trends - The average P/FFO for the REIT sector decreased from 13.7x to 13.4x during December, with 22.2% of property types experiencing multiple expansion and 72.2% seeing contraction [8] - Data Centers (22x), Land (21x), Manufactured Housing (17.5x), and Shopping Centers (16.5x) had the highest average multiples among REIT property types, while Hotels (7.7x) and Office (8.1x) were the only types with single-digit FFO multiples [8][9] Notable Individual Securities - Paramount Group (PGRE) was acquired by Rithm Capital Corp. for $6.60/share on December 19, marking the end of its trading [10] - Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX) was the best performing REIT in December with a gain of +34.29%, driven by news of its acquisition by Blackstone Real Estate and others for $21.20/share [11] - Fermi (FRMI) experienced the steepest losses in December at -51.49% after a major tenant canceled a $150 million agreement [12] Overall Market Sentiment - 42.04% of REITs had a positive total return in December, while 38.36% were in the black for the full year [13] - The average total return for REITs in 2025 was -3.57%, significantly lower than the +3.70% return for the sector in 2024 [13]

Company Overview - Welltower Inc. is a real estate investment trust based in Toledo, Ohio, focusing on investments with senior housing operators, post-acute providers, and health systems. The company has a market capitalization of $127.7 billion and is expected to release its Q4 2025 earnings soon [1]. Earnings Expectations - Analysts anticipate Welltower to generate earnings of $1.41 per share for Q4 2025, representing a 24.8% increase from $1.13 per share reported in the same quarter last year. The company has consistently surpassed bottom-line estimates in the past four quarters [2]. - For fiscal 2025, analysts expect an EPS of $5.28, indicating a 22.2% increase from $4.32 reported in fiscal 2024. Additionally, EPS is projected to rise 14.2% year over year to $6.03 in fiscal 2026 [3]. Stock Performance - Welltower's shares have surged 49.6% over the past 52 weeks, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 19.7% rise and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF's 3.7% return during the same period [4]. - Following the release of better-than-expected Q3 2025 earnings on October 27, Welltower's stock grew 2.6%. The company's total revenue for the quarter increased 30.6% year over year to $2.7 billion, surpassing estimates. Normalized FFO per share grew 20.7% from the previous year to $1.34, also beating Wall Street's expectations [5]. Analyst Ratings - The consensus opinion among analysts is very optimistic, with a "Strong Buy" rating overall. Out of 19 analysts covering the stock, 14 recommend a "Strong Buy," two suggest a "Moderate Buy," and three recommend a "Hold." The average analyst price target for Welltower is $212.89, indicating a potential upside of 14% from current levels [6].

Cost & Size Comparison - Both Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate ETF (VNQI) and iShares Global REIT ETF (REET) are low-cost options, with VNQI having a slightly lower expense ratio of 0.12% compared to REET's 0.14% [3][4] - VNQI has a total assets under management (AUM) of $3.53 billion, while REET has $4.33 billion [3] Performance & Risk Analysis - Over the past year, VNQI has outperformed REET with a return of 19.58% compared to REET's 6.65% [3][9] - In terms of risk, VNQI has a maximum drawdown of -35.76% over five years, while REET's maximum drawdown is -32.09% [5] - The growth of $1,000 invested over five years shows VNQI decreasing to $857, while REET increased to $1,053 [5][11] Portfolio Composition - REET, established in 2014, is the largest global real estate ETF by total assets, holding 377 assets with major positions in Welltower, Prologis, and Equinix, which together account for nearly 20% of its total assets [6] - VNQI focuses exclusively on non-U.S. real estate, primarily in developed international markets, with top holdings including Goodman Group, Mitsui Fudosan, and Mitsubishi Estate [7] - VNQI has a total of 742 holdings, with no single asset exceeding 4% of its weight, indicating a more diversified portfolio compared to REET [7] Dividend Yield & Payout - VNQI offers a higher dividend yield of 4.58% compared to REET's 3.62%, appealing to income-focused investors [3][4] - VNQI pays dividends annually, while REET pays quarterly, with REET having a higher payout ratio of 96% compared to VNQI's lower ratio, indicating a stronger commitment to returning profits to investors [11]