The retail REIT industry faces headwinds from elevated borrowing costs, inflation, and consumer caution, but benefits from limited new supply and resilient necessity-based tenants. Zacks highlights Simon Property Group, Realty Income, and Tanger as solid stocks to consider, citing strong occupancy rates, healthy leasing activity, and solid liquidity despite the industry ranking in the bottom 27% of Zacks industries.

The Zacks REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry faces pressure from elevated borrowing costs, inflation, and rising bond yields, which limit acquisitions and development. Consumer caution may weaken discretionary retail demand, while older properties face challenges from selective tenant preferences. However, limited new supply and resilient necessity-based tenants provide some support. The industry ranks #181 out of 247 Zacks industries with dim near-term prospects, though three stocks are highlighted as solid considerations.

Kevin M. Kelly, Assistant General Counsel of Simon Property Group (SPG), sold 1,434 shares worth approximately $307,679 on August 31, 2026, to cover tax withholding obligations from vesting restricted stock. Kelly retains 21,402 shares valued at $4.54 million. While SPG has outperformed the S&P 500 since 2021 with strong revenue and net income growth, the stock's P/E ratio of 39x is elevated compared to its five-year average of 23x, and operating margins have declined from 52% to 47%.

Nike has been removed from the S&P 100 effective September 21 as part of quarterly rebalancing, marking a significant decline for the company. With stock prices at 12-year lows, declining revenue and earnings, and operating margins plummeting, Nike is now the lowest-ranked component in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, putting its membership in jeopardy. The article suggests investors should wait for concrete signs of a sustained turnaround before buying the stock.

Simon Property Group reported strong Q2 2026 earnings with FFO of $3.29 per share beating estimates by 3.46% and raising full-year guidance. Despite solid operational metrics including 96% occupancy and 13.9% growth in retailer sales per square foot, the stock has declined 3.5% since the earnings report and underperformed the S&P 500. The company maintains a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) rating with poor growth and momentum scores.

Simon Property Group (SPG) launched Simon Media Network, a commerce media platform leveraging its 200+ shopping and entertainment destinations to help brands reach consumers. The platform combines first-party consumer data, digital displays, and loyalty programs with closed-loop attribution capabilities. This creates a new, higher-margin revenue stream beyond traditional rent-based income, positioning SPG competitively in the growing retail media market.

The article compares two real estate ETFs: RWR, which offers broader diversification across 97 REIT holdings with a 0.25% expense ratio, and XLRE, which focuses on 31 S&P 500 real estate companies with a lower 0.08% expense ratio. RWR has outperformed XLRE significantly over the past year (25.08% vs 10.60% return), benefiting from exposure to smaller and mid-cap REITs outside the S&P 500. The choice depends on investor preference: XLRE suits those wanting lower costs and blue-chip concentration, while RWR appeals to those seeking broader real estate exposure despite higher fees.

The Schwab U.S. REIT ETF (SCHH) provides a low-cost domestic REIT option with a 0.07% expense ratio, while the iShares Global REIT ETF (REET) offers broader diversification across developed and emerging markets at 0.14% expense ratio. REET offers higher dividend yield (3.36%) but comes with additional currency and regional risks, making the choice dependent on whether investors want simple U.S. exposure or global diversification.

The Schwab U.S. REIT ETF (SCHH) offers a significantly lower expense ratio of 0.07% and broader diversification with 121 holdings, making it ideal for cost-conscious investors. The State Street SPDR Dow Jones REIT ETF (RWR) has delivered superior recent performance with a 22.20% one-year return and higher 3.20% dividend yield, appealing to income-focused investors. Both funds provide 100% exposure to U.S. REITs with similar top holdings.

RWR and GQRE are two REIT ETFs with different strengths: RWR offers lower fees (0.25% vs 0.45%) and better one-year returns (21.45% vs 12.97%), while GQRE provides higher dividend yield (4.29% vs 3.35%) and broader global diversification with 205 holdings versus RWR's 98. The choice depends on investor priorities regarding cost, income, and geographic exposure.

7th Avenue, a Los Angeles-based modular furniture brand, opened its first Long Island showroom at Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, New York on July 11, 2026. The 1,206-square-foot experiential showroom marks the brand's second location within Simon Property Group's portfolio and represents continued national expansion with over 20 showrooms across the United States.

The article compares two State Street REIT ETFs: RWR (domestic U.S. focus) and RWO (global exposure). RWR offers lower costs (0.25% vs 0.50% expense ratio), stronger 1-year returns (22.80% vs 17.50%), and better 5-year growth, while RWO provides broader international diversification across 224 holdings. For most investors, RWR's cost efficiency and superior performance make it the more attractive option despite RWO's global exposure.