Essential Properties Realty Trust

EPRT

Market cap $6.89B

VICI Properties and Essential Properties Realty Trust offer attractive yields and are positioned for reliable income and potential double-digit total returns. VICI trades at a 6.40% forward yield, maintains a solid balance sheet, and is diversifying beyond Las Vegas, despite tenant concentration risks with Caesars Entertainment. EPRT, with a 3.81% forward yield and 8.6% AFFO growth, boasts strong occupancy, long lease terms, and low leverage, though its focus on non-rated tenants poses recession risk.

I achieved a record $912.86 in monthly dividends and added $308.68 in forward income, reaching $6,883.46 in annual projected dividends. New capital contributions and purchases, particularly in SPYI and ADC, drove forward income growth this month. My portfolio yield on cost stands at 4.83% versus a current yield of 3.77%, reflecting disciplined accumulation and reinvestment.

Essential Properties Realty Trust offers a compelling entry point after a recent price dip, trading at a forward P/FFO of 14.2 and yielding 4%. EPRT's relationship-driven acquisition model and focus on middle-market, service-oriented properties have delivered outsized total returns and robust AFFO growth. Strong balance sheet with BBB-/BBB ratings and a conservative 59% payout ratio support continued dividend growth and reinvestment.

REITs deserve a larger allocation today, driven by attractive valuations, structural demand, and reliable income across diverse sectors. Data center REITs like Equinix, Digital Realty, and Iron Mountain benefit from AI and cloud-driven demand, with strong growth and supply scarcity. Industrial REITs such as Prologis, EastGroup, and STAG Industrial offer structural growth, with EastGroup favored for its Sunbelt focus and robust internal growth.

PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: EPRT; “Essential Properties” or the “Company”) announced today that the Company will release its operating results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 after the market close on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The Company will host its quarterly earnings conference call and audio webcast on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations.

Top REIT investors are quietly repositioning their portfolios, revealing where the “smart money” sees opportunity. Several clear sector themes are emerging from recent 13F filings. But the biggest surprise may be how much top managers disagree on certain REITs.

U.S. equities slid to four-month lows as the escalating Iran war rattled markets, sending oil to three-year highs and interest rates higher amid tanker attacks, shipping disruptions, and intensifying strikes. Brent Crude jumped above $100 as attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and tanker explosions threatened global oil flows, fueling inflation fears and keeping investors on edge. The White House deployed emergency supply measures—including Russian crude purchases and potential strategic reserve releases—but markets remain skeptical they can offset disruptions to global energy flows.

PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: EPRT; the “Company”) announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.31 per share of common stock for the first quarter of 2026. On an annualized basis, the first quarter 2026 dividend of $0.31 equals $1.24 per share of common stock. The dividend is payable on April 14, 2026, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 31, 2026. About Essential Properties Real.

REITs have struggled recently, but long term, they have outperformed. Returns are driven by cash flow and growth, as seen with Essential Properties Realty Trust. Today's low valuations may be the real opportunity.

Net lease REITs like Realty Income, NNN, Agree Realty, and W. P. Carey are rebounding as falling treasury yields drive capital back to stable, long-duration assets. The sector's rally is fueled by a flight to safety amid turmoil in private credit and software, with REITs outperforming equity indices year-to-date. With weighted average lease terms of 10+ years, net lease REITs act as long-duration credit portfolios, highly sensitive to treasury yield movements.