iShares US Real Estate ETF

IYR

Market cap $4.73B

Healthcare REITs like Medical Properties Trust and Chiron Real Estate are trading well below historical P/FFO multiples, presenting a compelling entry point. Demographic tailwinds and rising patient demand are set to drive long-term growth for the healthcare real estate sector, despite near-term reimbursement and cost headwinds. XRN is prioritizing long-term value through dividend cuts and high-return acquisitions, while MPT is recovering with ramping cash rent and portfolio diversification.

The average short interest in US equity real estate investment trusts grew in May compared with the prior month. US equity REITs' average short interest rose 5 basis points from April to about 5.0% of shares outstanding in May, according to an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis. Farmland REITs posted the largest month-over-month increase in average short interest in May, rising 89 basis points to 5.6% of shares outstanding.

REITs have refused to break in 2026 despite oil-driven inflation pressure, rising Treasury yields, and a Fed narrative that flipped from multiple rate cuts to potential hikes. The “Rates Up, REITs Down” regime has weakened, with REIT-rate correlations falling sharply as fundamentals, strategy, capital allocation, and valuation catalysts increasingly drive performance. M&A has helped break the rate-driven narrative, validating public-market discounts to NAV and proving that REITs can unlock value through consolidation, privatizations, and strategic alternatives.

Hoya Capital's David Auerbach talks solid REIT fundamentals despite elevated interest rates and macro volatility. Dividends rising and M&A activity intensifying, especially among small and mid-cap names.

US equity real estate investment trusts, excluding hotel-focused REITs, posted median year-over-year same-store net operating income growth of 2.6% in the first quarter. Same-store occupancy fell to a median of 93.9%, compared with 94.2% in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 94.1% in the first quarter of 2025. Data center REITs outpaced all other subsectors tracked in Market Intelligence's analysis, achieving the highest year-over-year same-store NOI growth in the first quarter at a median of 9.5%.

Apartment REITs benefit from rising mortgage rates and affordability constraints, as more households are forced to rent rather than buy. Supply pressures in multifamily are easing, with construction starts slowing and absorption now exceeding new deliveries, setting up for improved fundamentals. The AVB/EQR merger creates a $50B market cap leader, aiming for scale, cost synergies, and enhanced capital access in a challenging rate environment.

The REIT sector roared back into positive territory after a very brutal March. REITs averaged a remarkable 8.9% April gain and now have a +6.31% year-to-date total return. Small-cap REITs (+11.35%) soared in April as large caps (+9.05%) and mid caps (+8.13%) also saw strong gains. Micro caps (+4.49%) were also in the black but badly lagged. 91.33% of REIT securities had a positive total return in April.

Surging oil prices and hotter inflation reports reignited rate-hike concerns, sending Treasury yields to one-year highs as the Iran conflict remained stalemated despite the highly anticipated Trump-Xi summit.

REITs are finally shaking off their bear thesis. Oversupply is turning into a future tailwind. AI may push more capital toward real assets.

U.S. equity markets advanced for a fifth straight week - their longest winning streak since 2024 - as strong earnings, resilient data, and hopes for lasting Iran peace fueled optimism. Investors looked through another oil-price surge and inflationary pressure, focusing instead on corporate resilience and economic strength despite a complex macro backdrop shaped by geopolitical and policy uncertainty. The Fed held rates steady in an unusually fractured 8-4 vote, while Powell's plan to remain on the Board broke precedent and raised politically charged succession questions.