Here's Why Realty Income's Focus on Essential Retail Keeps It Steady

Realty Income O has carved a unique niche in the retail real estate world by investing in properties that house essential, everyday businesses. Rather than chasing trendy or high-end retailers, the company concentrates on tenants that sell necessities, like groceries, medications and affordable goods. These include well-known chains such as Dollar General, CVS and 7-Eleven, which together form the backbone of its massive 15,600-property portfolio.

As of the second quarter of 2025, about 73% of Realty Income’s rent comes from tenants offering essential products and services, businesses that tend to thrive in both good and bad times. When consumers tighten their budgets, they still visit discount stores, supermarkets and pharmacies, helping Realty Income maintain stable cash flow even during economic slowdowns.

That steady demand shows up in the company’s strong operating metrics. Occupancy stands at an impressive 98.6%, and the weighted average remaining lease term is nine years. Even when leases roll over, demand remains robust, with the company recapturing 103.4% of prior rents, including a remarkable 139% on re-leases to new tenants, indicating that its locations are highly sought after.

The REIT’s structure also helps cushion it from cost volatility. Under its triple-net lease model, tenants cover property taxes, insurance and maintenance, leaving Realty Income with minimal overhead and EBITDA margins near 95%. 

While potential tariff pressures could weigh on some retailers, Realty Income’s emphasis on affordable, service-based tenants continues to provide one of the most reliable income streams in the REIT landscape.

Where Are Other Retail REITs Focusing?

Kimco Realty Corporation KIM and Regency Centers Corporation REG are also doubling down on non-discretionary retail. Kimco recently met its goal of 86% of annual base rent from grocery-anchored assets, up from 78% in 2020, reflecting strong demand for everyday retail. In the second quarter of 2025 alone, Kimco signed 506 leases covering 2.7 million square feet.

Regency’s portfolio is similarly positioned. REG has a high-quality open-air shopping center portfolio, with more than 85% grocery-anchored neighborhood and community centers. These grocery-based locations continue to draw steady foot traffic, offering dependable cash flows even in uncertain markets. The grocery component has benefited retail REITs during such times, and Regency has numerous industry-leading grocers as tenants.

O’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

Shares of Realty Income have risen 11% year to date against the industry’s decline of 4.5%.

From a valuation standpoint, O trades at a forward 12-month price-to-FFO of 13.55, below the industry but ahead of its one-year median. It carries a Value Score of D.

While the Zacks Consensus Estimate for O’s 2025 FFO per share has been revised northward, the same for 2026 has been tweaked southward over the past 30 days.

At present, Realty Income carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO) — a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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