The growth of retail REITs : an exploration of current practices and implications

Abstract

This study is an exploration of the current growth activity of retail real estate investment trusts (REITs). The specific questions to be explored are: How are retail REITs currently growing, how is this growth being financed and what are the implications of these choices on the retail sector and individual REITs? This paper begins with a general overview of REIT specific characteristics and the retail sector that serves as background information to the data analysis found in the second part of this work. The author hopes that this thesis is of interest to REIT investors, managers, analysts and anyone else who might be curious about the current state of the retail REIT industry.