REITs, as measured by the Vanguard ETF (VNQ), have generated a total return of 39.5% since the beginning of 2015 through the end of 2022, an eight-year period that has translated into a measly compound annual return of just 4.25%. This compares to a total return of the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) of 116.3%, which translates into a compound annual return of 10.1% over the same time period. Not only have REITs underperformed terribly during the past 8 years, but there have been more than 100 dividend cuts by REITs over this time period, too. REITs just aren’t what some make them out to be. Be careful.
This page is available to subscribers only. To gain access to members only content (including this research piece), click here to subscribe. With a subscription, you'll have access to all of our premium commentary, equity reports, dividend reports and Best Ideas Newsletter and Dividend Growth Newsletter, as well as receive discounts on all of our modeling tools and products. Financial advisers and institutional investors have even more to choose from!