1 Dividend King to Hold Till You're Blue in the Face
Federal Realty Investment Trust owns and rents out real estate, and as a REIT, it's required to distribute at least 90% of its taxable income annually to shareholders as dividends. The REIT business structure allows investors to reap the benefits of owning properties without doing all the work that landlords must.
Getting paid is the first rule of the REIT club: The goal of these businesses is to generate rental income that's not only profitable but reliable. In pursuit of that aim, REITs often specialize in real estate niches, and for Federal Realty, the focus is retail properties. More specifically, it concentrates on large, mixed-used, and open-air shopping centers in what it calls "the first ring" -- suburbs just outside major U.S. cities where incomes and foot traffic are high.
Federal Realty's portfolio includes 104 properties near nine major metro areas. Collectively, these properties support 3,100 commercial tenants and 3,400 residential units.
Source Fool.com