Is Realty Income Stock Underperforming the S&P 500?

Realty Income Corp_ logo on phone with keyboard-by rafapress via Shutterstock

Realty Income Corporation (O), with a market cap of $52.1 billion, is a real estate partner to the world's leading companies. Established in 1969, the company is engaged in the acquisition and management of freestanding commercial properties that reap rental revenue under long-term net lease agreements.

Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally classified as “large-cap stocks,” and O fits this criterion perfectly, exceeding the mark. As a leading real estate investment trust, O invests in diversified commercial real estate and has a portfolio of 15,450 properties in all 50 U.S. states, the U.K., and six other countries in Europe.

However, the REIT giant has fallen 12.6% from its 52-week high of $64.88, recorded on Oct. 21. Over the past three months, Realty Income shares have surged 2.5%, compared to the S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which declined 8.4% during the same period.

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O shares have declined 9.4% over the past six months and surged 6.8% over the past 52 weeks. By contrast, SPX has surged marginally over the past six months and 8.9% over the past 52 weeks.

O has been trading above its 50-day moving average since mid-February but below its 200-day moving average since the last trading session.

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Realty Income stock surged marginally following its Q4 earnings release on Feb. 24. The company reported an impressive 24.5% increase in its total revenue, which amounted to $1.3 billion. Moreover, its funds from operations and EPS came in at $921.9 million and $1.05, respectively.

Urban Edge Properties (UE), a key competitor, has outpaced O, declining 8.8%over the past six months and gaining 11.4% over the past year.

Wall Street analysts are moderately hopeful for O, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from 23 analysts. Its mean price target of $60.89 implies a potential upside of 7.4% from the current market prices.


On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.