Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS)

Overview

Companies in this industry primarily own and manage income-producing real estate such as retail, office, industrial, and multifamily residential buildings. Major US companies include Equity Residential, Host Hotels, Prologis, and Simon Property Group; major international companies include Icade (France), H&R REIT (Canada), Land Securities Group (UK), Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Hong Kong), and Stockland Corporation (Australia).

Outside of the US, about 25 countries have established real estate investment trusts (REITs), and other countries are considering adopting REIT-like structures. There are more than 400 stock-exchange listed real estate companies around the world, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT). Listed and non-listed REITs own about $850 billion in commercial real estate assets around the world, according to REITWatch.