For months, we’ve been telling StreetAuthority readers to expect the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates this year.
The market currently pegs the likelihood of a December rate hike at somewhere between 60% and 70%.
But we’ve also maintained that much of the furor in the media surrounding the possibility of a rate hike is nonsense.
[ad#Google Adsense 336×280-IA]The name of the game will probably be “low and slow” after that first rate hike. And considering how long this has already been dragged out, companies and individual investors have had ample time to prepare.
In short, keep your focus on buying fantastic companies at reasonable prices and the rest should take care of itself.
My colleague Andy Obermueller has mentioned a favorite asset class that is directly affected by interest rates: real estate investment trusts, or REITs for short.
But rather than shy away from this asset class, Andy has been telling his readers to prepare for a tremendous buying opportunity.
REITs work like this. As a public company, REITs pool cash from investors to buy income-producing real estate. They receive special tax consideration, since they distribute at least 90% of taxable income to shareholders — making them an attractive investment for those looking for a steady stream of dividends.
To grow, many REITs use leverage. Borrowing money allows them to buy more properties, which in turn increases rental income. Then, they can pass these additional earnings on to shareholders. As management identifies more opportunities, the company borrows funds or sells more shares, and the cycle continues.
As Andy recently pointed out to his Game-Changing Stocks readers, this is not merely a good deal. It is a GREAT deal.
A few REITs have been disproportionally affected by the market “pricing in” a rate hike. One of those is one of Andy’s favorites, Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW).
This REIT owns 187 medical buildings and rents them to about 30 hospitals and other health-care providers. In fact, it is the only REIT that focuses solely on this niche.
Andy’s case for MPW essentially boils down to this:
- Interest rates are going to rise eventually. This will hurt REITs like MPW, yes, but management should be prepared. And as I’ve pointed out before, rates will likely remain low for a long time after the first hike anyway.
- Andy rightly points out that hospitals aren’t going anywhere. So while interest rates might affect retail or residential real estate-focused REITs, healthcare is one of the most stable sectors in the market.
- Wall Street is off-base on its valuation of MPW. REITs are often judged by a metric called “funds from operations (FFO).” MPW’s is at about nine. Its historical average is 12 — meaning you can now buy shares at a 30% discount. Andy thinks MPW is worth $15-$17 a share on the strength of its properties (shares currently change hands for $11.31).
- While shares have as much as 50% upside, you’ll get paid to wait while locking in a fantastic 7.5% dividend yield.
A “boring” REIT isn’t the type of stock that Andy usually recommends to Game-Changing Stocks readers. But our goal is to help you build wealth. MPW offers a chance to take advantage of market mispricing while collecting a solid income stream that’s more than triple the average S&P 500 stock.
Good investing,
Brad Briggs
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Now, not every pick will be a home run, but based on Andy’s stellar track record, I wouldn’t want to bet against him.
Most of the companies in his report aren’t well-known to the average investor at this point. But by this time next year, more than a few of them could be household names. To get your hands on this “shocking” financial briefing, simply go here.
Source: Street Authority