Is Federal Realty Investment Trust a Buy?

Real estate investment trust (REIT) Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT) has been muddling through the economic shutdowns used to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. It's been tough at times, but long-term investors might want to take a closer look today. That's true even though the REIT thinks things are likely to get worse before they start getting better.

For several years the retail sector has been working through what's been called the "retail apocalypse." Looking back, that term seems more and more like hyperbole, given that it was basically meant to describe the slow-moving decline of retailers that weren't keeping up with shifts in consumer tastes. That includes the increasing demand for online shopping options, but it isn't limited to that factor. Complicating things was the excessive debt taken on by some retailers, which became increasingly hard to maintain as business declined. Real estate investment trusts like Federal Realty that specialize in retail assets were forced to fill the empty storefronts left behind as retailers closed stores and went out of business.

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Source Fool.com