iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF

REM

Market cap $557M

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.

The iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:REM) gives income investors exposure to roughly two dozen mortgage REITs in a single ticker, smoothing out the cuts and surprises that routinely hit individual mREITs.

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.

The iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:REM) draws income investors with a yield that towers over Treasuries and conventional dividend stocks.

iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:REM) pays a yield that stops most income investors in their tracks.

iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:REM) carries a 9.22% dividend yield and $545 million in net assets, making it one of the more accessible ways to own a basket of mortgage REITs.

The iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:REM) offers investors a 9.55% dividend yield through a portfolio that is 100% concentrated in mortgage REITs.

iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (REM) receives a Sell rating due to high leverage, rate sensitivity, and declining dividend growth among top holdings. REM's top three holdings—NLY, AGNC, and STWD—comprise over 45% of the fund and face significant risks from interest rate volatility and liquidity constraints. Despite an 8.99% yield, REM's 10-year annualized return is just 3.90%, with negative dividend growth and higher volatility than diversified REIT ETFs like VNQ.

Our first ETF under the microscope is the iShares Residential and Multisector Real Estate ETF (NYSEMKT:REZ).

Most dividend investors focus on the wrong metric, and it quietly destroys retirement plans. A simple rule separates sustainable dividend income from ticking time bombs. I discuss three income machines that clearly demonstrate the power of following this rule.