Core Viewpoint - Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are attractive dividend stocks due to their stable rental income, which supports dividend payments and portfolio expansion [1] Group 1: Company Comparison - Simon Property Group (SPG) and Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) are two major retail-focused REITs that offer attractive and growing dividends [2] - Investors may prefer to hold only one retail REIT, prompting a comparison of which is the better dividend stock [2] Group 2: Property Portfolios - The quality and location of a REIT's property portfolio are crucial for sustainable and growing dividends [4] - Simon Property Group primarily invests in malls, owning 232 properties, including high-quality shopping and entertainment destinations [6] - Federal Realty focuses on high-quality open-air shopping centers and mixed-use properties in affluent suburban areas, attracting high-quality retailers [7] - Both REITs own high-quality properties that benefit from durable and growing demand [8] Group 3: Financial Profiles - Federal Realty has a slightly lower dividend payout ratio, while Simon Property has a higher bond rating, indicating strong financial profiles for both [10] Group 4: Dividend Histories - Federal Realty boasts an impressive 57 years of dividend increases, placing it among the elite Dividend Kings [11] - Simon Property has a less consistent dividend history, having cut its payout during the pandemic but has since returned to pre-pandemic levels [13] Group 5: Growth Profiles - Federal Realty anticipates 5% to 6.8% growth in funds from operations (FFO) per share this year, driven by rental increases and acquisitions [14] - Simon Property expects a lower FFO growth of 1.3% to 3.3%, benefiting from rent growth and new acquisitions [15] - Federal Realty's higher growth rate may lead to greater dividend growth and total returns [15] Group 6: Investment Recommendation - Both Federal Realty and Simon Property are solid dividend stocks due to their high-quality portfolios and financial profiles [16] - Federal Realty is highlighted as the superior choice, with a stronger dividend growth track record and expected faster earnings growth [16]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Real estate FFO was $2.95 per share in Q1 2025, compared to $2.91 in the prior year, indicating a slight increase [7] - Domestic and international operations contributed $0.14 of growth, driven by a 5% increase in lease income [8] - First quarter funds from operation were $1,000,000,000 or $2.67 per share compared to $1,330,000,000 or $3.56 per share last year, reflecting a decrease [9][10] - The company announced a dividend of $2.1 per share for Q2, a year-over-year increase of $0.10 or 5% [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The occupancy rate for malls and premium outlets was 95.9%, an increase of 40 basis points year-over-year, while mills occupancy was 98.4%, an increase of 70 basis points [8] - Average base minimum rents for malls and outlets increased by 2.4% year-over-year, and mills increased by 3.9% [9] - Domestic NOI increased by 3.4% year-over-year, while portfolio NOI, including international properties at constant currency, grew by 3.6% [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Retailer sales per square foot for the quarter was $7.33 [9] - Traffic through the quarter was slightly down, but year-to-date through April, it was up, indicating a mixed performance across different periods [33] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company completed the acquisition of luxury outlet malls in Florence and San Remo, Italy, and opened its first outlet in Jakarta, Indonesia, as part of its strategy to enhance its retail real estate platform [5] - The company is maintaining a cautious approach to capital allocation and development, expecting construction costs to increase and being selective about new projects [77][78] - The development pipeline is expected to include approximately $500,000,000 in new starts, with a focus on mixed-use projects [11][83] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the current operating environment, noting strong demand for leasing despite some uncertainties related to tariffs and inventory levels [22][56] - The company is reaffirming its full-year 2025 real estate FFO guidance range of $12.4 to $12.65 per share, reflecting a cautious outlook due to macroeconomic uncertainties [13] - Management indicated that while sales are currently flat, they expect to see improvements as inventory levels stabilize and consumer sentiment remains positive [55][60] Other Important Information - The company has a strong balance sheet with over $10 billion in liquidity and a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 5.2 times [6][12] - The company is actively refinancing $2.8 billion of debt, with lenders remaining comfortable with the asset class [129][130] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of tariffs on leasing - Management noted that only one European retailer was affected by tariffs, and overall demand for leasing remains strong [17][22] Question: Retailers' inventory levels and sales trends - Management indicated that retailers have about a month to decide on inventory from China, and while some are reducing exposure, demand remains stable [35][36] Question: Changes in approach to tenant negotiations - Management stated that it is business as usual, with strong demand and constrained supply, although they are attentive to specific tenant issues [41][42] Question: Performance of Forever 21 spaces - Over half of the Forever 21 spaces have been leased, with expectations to double the rent over the next two years [48][50] Question: Consumer sentiment and sales outlook - Management believes consumer sentiment is currently stable, but there is caution regarding tourism and its impact on sales [57][58] Question: OPI performance and tariff impacts - OPI showed improvement, with expectations for positive EBITDA despite uncertainties related to tariffs [66][70] Question: Macroeconomic uncertainty and capital plans - Management is taking a more cautious approach to capital plans but remains open to opportunities as they arise [77][80] Question: Trends in luxury tenant sales - Luxury tenants are performing well overall, with some brands updating their offerings, but sales growth has been relatively flat [120] Question: Potential for pull forward demand in Q3 - Management acknowledged the possibility of pull forward demand for the holiday season, which could impact margins positively [124]