Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Aug 2, 2023

ICYMI: Let’s Play Devil’s Advocate: What’s the Bear Case for Realty Income?
Image Source: Realty Income. It’s helpful to challenge one’s thesis on a favorite idea every now and then, and we’ve done just that with Realty Income in this article. We see three areas of weakness at Realty Income that could challenge our bullish take on the name: 1) its retail exposure, 2) its financial leverage and arguably unwarranted investment-grade credit rating, and 3) the current rising interest rate environment. Perhaps the most compelling component of the bear case on Realty Income is its massive net debt position and present value of future dividend liabilities that dwarf its annual operating cash flow. The REIT business model isn’t as attractive as many make it out to be.

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.

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

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.

Apr 27, 2022

Public Storage Getting Ready To Report First Quarter 2022 Earnings
Image Shown: Public Storage, a longtime idea in our High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio, has seen its share price skyrocket over the past year with room for additional upside, in our view. After the market close on May 3, the self-storage real estate investment trust (‘REIT’) Public Storage intends to report its first-quarter earnings for 2022, which will be followed up by an earnings conference call a day later. Shares of PSA have been a long-time idea in the High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio, and we continue to be enormous fans of the name. The top end of our fair value estimate range sits at $445 per share of Public Storage, indicating that shares of PSA have room to keep running higher. As of this writing, shares of PSA yield ~1.9%.

Mar 24, 2022

Public Storage Is a High-Quality Income Generation Idea
Image Shown: Public Storage, a self-storage REIT that is included as an idea in our High Yield Dividend Newsletter portfolio, is a stellar cash flow generator with a bright growth outlook. We are huge fans of the self-storage REIT industry, particularly in the US, due to the ability of companies operating in this space to fully cover their total dividend obligations with their free cash flows. Image Source: Public Storage – March 2022 IR Presentation. The self-storage industry is an attractive space for investors seeking income generating opportunities, particularly real estate investment trusts (‘REITs’) with a sizable presence in the U.S. market. The self-storage REIT owns economic interests in 2,800+ self-storage properties across the U.S. Public Storage is a cash flow generating powerhouse that historically has fully covered its total dividend obligations with its free cash flows. Its promising growth outlook and strong financial position underpins the REIT’s dividend strength. Shares of PSA yield ~2.2% as of this writing.

Jan 4, 2022

ICYMI: Dividend Growth Idea Realty Income Completes Transformation, Further Expands Overseas
Image Shown: An overview of dividend growth idea Realty Income Corporation’s tenant base, though this appears to be before taking into account its recent merger with VEREIT and spinoff of its corporate office properties portfolio. Image Source: Realty Income Corporation – November 2021 IR Presentation. On November 1, Realty Income Corp completed its stock-for-stock merger with VEREIT, a deal that according to an April 2021 press release had an enterprise value of ~$50 billion. When the merger closed, shareholders of Realty Income owned ~70% of the new entity and shareholders of VEREIT owned the remainder. Realty Income is a real estate investment trust (‘REIT’) with a vast commercial property portfolio that pays out monthly dividends. We are big fans of the REIT and include Realty Income as an idea in the Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio. Shares of O yield ~4.0% as of this writing.