Baron Funds, an investment management company, released its “Baron Real Estate Fund” fourth quarter 2022 investor letter. A copy of the same can be downloaded here. In the fourth quarter, the fund rose 6.17% (Institutional Shares) compared to a 4.90% return for the MSCI US REIT Index (the “REIT Index”) and an 8.71% return for the […]
As real estate investment trusts (REITs) were underperforming in 2022, analysts in the major brokerages and banks were busy slashing target prices and downgrading many of the REITs, citing threats from inflation, higher interest rates, increasing risk of defaults, increasing occupancy and higher costs. But 2023 seems to be ushering in a new, more friendly stance by analysts, and there have been many more upgrades in ratings and price targets since the beginning of the month. Analysts are startin
Real estate was the second-worst-performing sector after technology in 2022, primarily because of multiple rate hikes. The Federal Reserve raised the benchmark federal funds rate seven times last year to the highest level in 15 years to mitigate inflationary pressures. The S&P United States REIT index plunged 27% in 2022. The benchmark S&P 500 index, in comparison, is down 19.4% over the past year. The recessionary concerns have also battered real estate investment trusts (REITs), as demand for