Home Archives for February 2015
Tom Klaritch, executive vice president of medical office properties at HCP, Inc. (NYSE: HCP), joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2015 Leader in the Light Working Forum in Reston, Va.
HCP is a fully integrated REIT serving the health care industry. It was the first health care REIT selected to the S&P 500 Index. Klaritch outlined a number of sustainability initiatives now underway at HCP.
Health care REITs will continue to actively pursue senior housing assets in 2015, spurred on by low interest rates, attractive financing, solid returns and robust demand, according to market observers.
Chris Brown, sustainability manager at Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT), joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2015 Leader in the Light Working Forum in Reston, Va.
Federal Realty owns, operates and redevelops retail real estate around the country. Brown discussed some of the particular challenges faced by a shopping center REIT in the area of sustainability.
Jill Ziegler, director of sustainability and corporate responsibility with Forest City Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: FCE.A), joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2015 Leader in the Light Working Forum in Reston, Va.
Ziegler said Forest City learned “a lot” in putting out its first sustainability report to the public a year ago.
Bennett Thomas, vice president of finance and sustainability at Hersha Hospitality Trust (NYSE: HT), joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2015 Leader in the Light Working Forum in Reston, Va.
Hersha is a lodging REIT that owns and operates upscale hotels in urban gateway markets.
In the latest edition of Fundamentally Speaking, Calvin Schnure, NAREIT’s senior vice president for research and industry information, said economic developments haven’t hampered the strength of the multifamily real estate market.
Concerns about new multifamily supply and a possible shift to home buying have not materialized, Schnure noted.
In the latest edition of Quick Study, Brad Case, NAREIT’s senior vice president for research and industry information, highlighted a “very strong month for REIT investors” to start 2015.
The FTSE NAREIT All REITs Index climbed 5.6 percent in the first month of the year, while the S&P 500 fell 3 percent during the same period. Case noted those returns were in line with longer-term trends.
Shawn Cepeda, managing director of debt capital markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2015 Leader in the Light Working Forum in Reston, Va.
According to Cepeda, sustainability for most companies is comprised of environmental responsibility, social responsibility and corporate governance. When Bank of America Merrill Lynch makes a decision about financing sustainability, “we’re really focused on the environmental element of the sustainability umbrella,” according to Cepeda.
REITs started 2015 on solid ground, as continued low interest rates and promising fundamentals helped the sector outperform the broader market in January.
The FTSE NAREIT All REITs Index had a total return of 5.6 percent last month, while the return on the S&P 500 Index fell 3.0 percent.
Anthony Paolone, senior analyst at JP Morgan, noted that the broader market was impacted by jitters concerning oil prices, the dollar and Europe’s economy. Meanwhile, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell 0.5 percent in January.
Cliff Majersik, executive director with the Institute for Market Transformation, joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2015 Leader in the Light Working Forum in Reston, Va.
The Institute for Market Transformation is a non-profit organization that aims to encourage energy efficiency and green building. Majersik said the firm believes REITs can be market leaders in promoting sustainable real estate.
