Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Jan 20, 2023

Why Are the Dividends of REITs So Risky?
REITs, as measured by the Vanguard ETF (VNQ), have generated a total return of 39.5% since the beginning of 2015 through the end of 2022, an eight-year period that has translated into a measly compound annual return of just 4.25%. This compares to a total return of the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) of 116.3%, which translates into a compound annual return of 10.1% over the same time period. Not only have REITs underperformed terribly during the past 8 years, but there have been more than 100 dividend cuts by REITs over this time period, too. REITs just aren’t what some make them out to be. Be careful.

Dec 12, 2022

CubeSmart Raises Dividend 14% But We’re Monitoring High Net Debt Load and Deteriorating Occupancy Rates
Image Source: CubeSmart. CubeSmart announced a 14% increase in its dividend payout December 7. The REIT upped its guidance for earnings per share and adjusted FFO when it reported its third-quarter results last October but deteriorating occupancy rates and the impact of rising interest rates on the firm’s massive net debt position have us on alert. We continue to monitor these dynamics closely in light of the REIT’s weak share-price performance during 2022.

Dec 7, 2022

REITs May Continue to Face Pressure
Image: The Dividend Cushion ratio is one of the most powerful financial tools an income or dividend growth investor can use in conjunction with qualitative dividend analysis. The ratio is one-of-a-kind in that it is both free-cash-flow based and forward looking. Since its creation in 2012, the Dividend Cushion ratio has forewarned readers of approximately 50 dividend cuts. We estimate its efficacy at ~90%. Equity and mortgage REITs have been under considerable pressure during 2022. Institutional investors seem to be fleeing the sector, but retail investor interest still seems unusually high. We think this might be a tell-tale sign that retail investors could end up getting burned, if they haven’t been already by the terrible performance across the sector so far in 2022. Withdrawals on non-publicly traded REITs are soaring, and SL Green’s dividend cut may be the first of many in the sector to come. We only include a select few REITs across our simulated newsletter portfolios.

Nov 4, 2022

Life Storage Operates Within An Attractive Slice of the REIT Sector
Image Source: Life Storage. Life Storage operates in one of the most attractive areas of the REIT sector, the self-storage arena. The company has raised its dividend considerably during the past five years, and its 35-year history in the self-storage business coupled with its investment-grade credit ratings speak to sustainability. We like its diversified, coast-to-coast presence in the U.S. with roughly 60% of its owned stores positioned in the fast-growing Sun Belt states. Since 2010, Life Storage has raised its dividend at a 10.4% compound annual growth rate, and we expect further hikes to come. Shares yield ~4.2% at this time.

Sep 15, 2022

High-Yielding Digital Realty Is Committed to Rewarding Income Seeking Investors
Image Shown: Digital Realty Trust Inc continues to secure new leases which supports its growth outlook. Image Source: Digital Realty Trust Inc – Second Quarter of 2022 Earnings Press Release. Data center real estate investment trusts (‘REITs’) are a great source of income with ample growth opportunities given the secular tailwinds underpinning data demand growth. The proliferation of cloud computing, the Internet of Things (‘IoT’) trend, the rise of autonomous automobiles, households that previously did not have access to the Internet gaining access (particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian), the rollout of 5G wireless services, and other factors are all driving up data demand around the world. In turn, that makes it easier for data center REITs to renew existing leases, sign new leases, and expand their asset bases. Digital Realty Trust is one of our favorite data center REITs given its global footprint, scale, and commitment to income seeking investors as it has pushed through 15+ years on consecutive annual dividend increases. Shares of DLR yield ~4.1% as of this writing.

Aug 30, 2022

CubeSmart Is a Tremendous High Yielding Idea
Image Shown: CubeSmart is one of our favorite high yielding ideas. Image Source: CubeSmart – June 2022 IR Presentation. There is a lot to like about CubeSmart as the self-storage REIT has been doing great of late. CubeSmart possesses ample pricing power, its occupancy rates have been trending in the right direction of late, and the REIT is a stellar free cash flow generator. In our view, CubeSmart should be able to tap capital markets at attractive rates to meet its funding needs going forward. We appreciate CubeSmart’s latest guidance boost and continue to like shares of CUBE as an idea in the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio. We are huge fans of self-storage REITs due to their ability to generate not just significant free cash flows, but significant excess free cash flows after covering their total payout obligations.

Aug 19, 2022

Nelson: The 16 Most Important Steps To Understand The Stock Market
Image Source: Tim Green. We outline the '16 Most Important Steps to Understand the Stock Market.' We think it's important to take a read of these key stock market tenets when things are going great -- and perhaps even more important when things aren't going your way. This continues to be a working document.

Aug 19, 2022

Public Storage Is One of Our Income Generation Favorite Ideas
Image Shown: Shares of Public Storage, one of our favorite income generation ideas, have boomed higher over the past five years with room for additional upside. Public Storage reported second quarter 2022 earnings that missed consensus top-line estimates but beat consensus bottom-line estimates as the self-storge industry in the US continues to benefit from robust demand. Surging home prices have made many households turn to self-storage options as an economical way to maximize their living space. During its second quarter earnings update, Public Storage also moderately raised its full-year guidance for 2022 which we appreciate. We are huge fans of Public Storage as the real estate investment trust (‘REIT’) is able to generate sizable “excess” free cash flows after fully covering its total payout obligations, something most REITs outside of the self-storage industry are unable to do given their hefty capital expenditure obligations. Public Storage is included as an idea in the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio.

Jul 25, 2022

High-Yielding Life Storage Is One of Our Favorite Self-Storage REITs
Image Source: Life Storage Inc – First Quarter of 2022 Earnings Press Release. We are big fans of the self-storage industry as real estate investment trusts (‘REITs’) operating in this space have historically generated “excess” free cash flows after covering their total dividend obligations. Life Storage Inc, a self-storage REIT, is one of our favorite income generation ideas. As of this writing, shares of LSI yield ~3.9% after Life Storage pushed through a nice 8% sequential increase in its dividend in July 2022, bringing its quarterly payout up to $1.08 per share ($4.32 on an annualized basis).

Jun 28, 2022

High-Yielding CubeSmart Is A Compelling Income Generation Idea
Image Source: CubeSmart – June 2022 IR Presentation. The self-storage industry is home to several of our favorite income generation ideas due to the ability for companies operating in this space to generate substantial free cash flows after covering their total dividend obligations. Due to the favorable tax regime, most of these firms tend to be structured as real estate investment trusts (‘REITs’). CubeSmart is a self-storage REIT that is entirely focused on the U.S. market, and we include shares of CUBE as an idea in the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio. As of this writing, shares of CUBE yield ~4.0%, and our fair value estimate for the firm stands at $56 per share, well above where shares of CUBE are trading at as of this writing.