• Earlier this year, we published a report titled "Cheap REITs Stay Cheap" that analyzed the "factors" that exhibited persistent outperformance in the REIT sector over the past several decades.
• Key takeaways from this report included the observation that higher-yielding, higher-leveraged, and "inexpensive" REITs tended to produce inferior total returns over most measurement periods.
• These "factors" were on full display at extreme levels in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. We revisit and analyze the performance trends within the REIT sector.
• REITs in the highest quadrant of dividend yields entering 2020 plunged more than 30% and saw the vast majority of dividend cuts. REITs in the lowest dividend yield quadrant produced positive total returns.
• Despite the pullback in 2020, REITs have been one of the best-performing asset classes since the start of 2010. Investors willing to "pay up" for quality REITs should continue to be rewarded while "yield chasers" will likely be punished.

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Disclosure: A complete list of holdings and Real Estate and Housing Index definitions and holdings are available at HoyaCapital.com. Hoya Capital Real Estate advises an Exchange Traded Fund listed on the NYSE. Hoya Capital is long all components in the Hoya Capital Housing 100 Index.

Additional Disclosure: It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Index performance cited in this commentary does not reflect the performance of any fund or other account managed or serviced by Hoya Capital Real Estate. Data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy.