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3 REITs to Watch for Potential Upside This Earnings Season
ZACKSยท 2025-08-06 14:51
Core Insights - The second-quarter earnings season is underway, and focusing on companies expected to outperform may yield better investment opportunities than those that have already reported strong earnings [1] - The resilience of REITs in both physical and digital economic activities is highlighted, suggesting potential for stable returns and long-term growth despite market uncertainties [3] Industry Fundamentals - The U.S. industrial real estate sector showed resilience with net absorption of 29.6 million square feet in Q2 2025, consistent with the previous quarter but below historical averages [4] - Vacancy rates increased by 20 basis points to 7.1%, marking the first rise above 7% since Q2 2014, yet still only slightly above the 15-year pre-pandemic average [5] - Industrial asking rent growth slowed to 2.6%, the weakest since early 2020, due to softening demand and rising vacancies, although leasing activity remained strong at nearly 309 million square feet in H1 2025 [5] - Retail real estate faced challenges with the overall retail availability rate rising to 4.9% due to bankruptcies and downsizing, while net absorption was negative for the second consecutive quarter, totaling 5 million square feet [6] - Construction completions fell to 4.1 million square feet in Q2, below the 10-year quarterly average of 11.9 million square feet, as developers became more cautious [7] - The average asking rent for retail properties rose slightly to $24.79 per square foot, reflecting landlords' adjustments to subdued demand [8] Company-Specific Insights - Realty Income Corporation (O) has a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +0.30%, with expectations of steady results supported by a 98.5% occupancy rate and a focus on non-discretionary tenants [11][12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Realty Income's Q2 revenues is $1.40 billion, indicating a 4.21% increase year-over-year, while the AFFO per share estimate remains unchanged at $1.06 [13] - Americold Realty Trust (COLD) holds a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +0.74%, expected to benefit from rising demand for temperature-controlled warehouses amid e-commerce growth [14][15] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Americold's Q2 revenues is $647.54 million, with an FFO per share estimate of 34 cents [16] - Plymouth Industrial REIT (PLYM) has a Zacks Rank of 2 and an Earnings ESP of +2.33%, with expectations of strong leasing activity and effective capital redeployment strategies [17][18] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Plymouth's Q2 total revenues is $46.71 million, with an FFO per share estimate of 43 cents [19]