This Asset Class Has Lagged the Market for Years But Was the Best Performer in June. Time to Invest?
Real estate investment trusts are staging a rebound after several low-performing years.
Overview
The market was down about 1% in June, as measured by the S&P 500 index. In fact, most asset classes were down for the month, including international stocks, commodities, gold, and Bitcoin, among others.
The best-performing asset class in June might be a surprise to most investors, as it's one that's struggled for years. I'm talking about real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs are companies that finance or own, and often manage, income-producing real estate. The properties they own can vary widely, from office and retail properties and residential real estate to healthcare and data center assets, among many other categories.
Details
Many investors love REITs because they have certain tax advantages and, as a result, are required by law to distribute 90% of their taxable income to shareholders. That makes them great income stocks. For example, Realty Income (NYSE: O) is a retail REIT that distributes its profits monthly via dividends and has increased that monthly dividend 135 times since it went public in 1994.
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.