Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Industry Profile

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 American Tower Corporation, Equity Residential, Host Hotels & Resorts, Simon Property Group, and Vornado Realty Trust; major international companies include H&R REIT (Canada), Icade (France), Landsec (UK), Link REIT (Hong Kong), and Stockland (Australia).

Outside the US, over 40 countries have established real estate investment trusts (REITs), and other countries are considering adopting REIT-like structures. There are about 870 listed REITs worldwide with a combined equity market capitalization of about $2.5 trillion as of December 2021, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT).

The US REIT industry includes more than 1,000 companies, with over 225 REITs in the US registered with the SEC, according to Business News Daily. Industry size is measured by market capitalization and can vary significantly from year to year. These REITs have a combined equity market capitalization of more than $1 trillion, according to Business News Daily.

Most REITs, known as equity REITs, own and manage income-producing real estate and constitute a subset of the real estate leasing industry. Equity REITs are distinguished from other real estate leasing companies by their IRS-sanctioned organizational structure, which offers tax advantages designed to attract investors. The REIT industry also includes mortgage REITs, which generate income for shareholders through mortgages on real estate rather than the real estate itself, and hybrid REITs, ...