iREIT MarketVector Quality REIT Index ETF

IRET

Market cap $3.26M

Three years of persistent rate-driven pressure on the residential and commercial real estate market appears to finally be abating - and not a moment too soon. REITs were hit by a "triple whammy" of rate-related headwinds: higher borrowing costs directly squeezed profitability, eroded the relative appeal of REIT dividends, and made it near-impossible to grow accretively. Since the Fed's initial rate hike in March 2022, REITs have lagged the S&P 500 by a whopping 55 percentage points, nearly 3x the magnitude of underperformance seen in the GFC.

U.S. equity markets notched another series of record highs this week, surging into the weekend after surprisingly dovish commentary from Federal Reserve Chair Powell, who hinted at imminent rate cuts. Powell used his final Jackson Hole speech as Fed Chair to deliver a clear policy pivot, an unexpected reversal after months of insistence that tariff-related inflation warranted a hawkish framework. Markets were equally relieved by the policy-focused nature of Powell's speech amid speculation that the address may be used instead as a potential defiant sermon on central bank independence.

U.S. equity markets fell sharply this week, while benchmark interest rates retreated to three-month lows, after revised employment data showed that job growth was far weaker than initially reported. The BLS payrolls report showed softer-than-expected hiring in July and the steepest two-month downward revisions to jobs growth since 2020, raising concern that the Fed may be "behind the curve." The downward revisions came days after Fed Chair Powell used it as the primary evidence for "solid" labor markets, which justified the FOMC's decision to keep rates in "restrictive" territory.

REITs offer diversified, inflation-hedged income and capital appreciation, making them a compelling addition to any long-term investment portfolio. Current REIT valuations are attractive, with strong growth projected in sectors like data centers, industrial, net lease, and residential properties. I recommend focusing on quality REITs trading below historical multiples, emphasizing margin of safety and reliable dividend growth.

IRET is a U.S. REIT index ETF. It invests in 40 U.S. REITs based on quality, value, and projected growth, with industry caps for diversification. Given its higher expenses and marginally weaker performance relative to its benchmark, I see no reason to invest in the fund.

For income-focused investors willing to venture outside the United States, Canadian REITs offer appealing qualities as a potential portfolio diversifier alongside their larger and more established U.S. peers. Canadian REITs, on average, offer higher monthly dividend yields and trade at lower P/FFO multiples compared to their U.S. counterparts, but typically have weaker balance sheets with higher debt ratios. In this report, we take a quick look at 30 Canadian REITs and break down the industry on a sector-by-sector level. We also take a deep dive into H&R REIT.

Blackstone's NAV REIT, BREIT, raised $66 billion from 2017 to 2022, surpassing all publicly-listed REITs in equity raised in 2022 alone. BREIT's ability to redeem shares at reported NAV distinguishes it from other non-traded REITs. Despite its strong performance, BREIT faces challenges such as high front-end loads, front-end dividends, and high management fees.

On Wednesday, Tidal Investments launched the iREIT – MarketVector Quality REIT Index ETF (NYSE Arca: IRET). IRET is an REIT-focused fund; Wide Moat Research CEO Brad Thomas spearheads its creation.

FRANKFURT, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MarketVector IndexesTM (“MarketVector”) announces the licensing of the iREIT®-MarketVectorTM Quality REIT Index (ticker: IRET) to Tidal Investments, LLC (“Tidal”), highlighting MarketVector's ability to provide customizable indexes in varying sectors for clients across the globe. In partnership with Tidal, leading real estate analyst Brad Thomas, CEO of Wide Moat Research, launched the IRET ETF (ticker: IRET) built on an index Brad designed with MarketVector.