John Barwick

REITs posted positive returns to begin 2025 as the FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index rose 1.0% in January.

U.S. REITs raised $12.5 billion from secondary debt and equity offerings in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Specialty, data centers, health care REITs led returns in 2024.

In November, the FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index gained back most of the ground lost in the previous month, posting a total return of 3.5%.

The FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index fell 3.6% in October, underperforming the broader stock market as the Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market and Russell 1000 declined 0.7%.

U.S. REITs raised $23.3 billion from secondary debt and equity offerings in the third quarter of 2024; $15.4 billion came from debt, $5.1 billion was raised in one IPO, and $2.8 billion came from secondary common and preferred equity offerings.

The FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index rose 3.2% in September, continuing to outperform the broader stock market as the Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market and Russell 1000 each rose 2.1%.

Dividend distributions are a vital part of the REIT total return proposition. Since 1995, Nareit has worked with representatives of the Investment Company Institute (ICI) and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) to develop procedures for corporate members that are designed to facilitate the timely reporting of the required dividend distribution information while minimizing reporting discrepancies.

The FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index continued to outperform broader markets in August, posting a total return of 5.4% as the Russell 1000 and Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market rose 2.4% and 2.1%, respectively.