Hospitality Properties Trust Renovation Program Benefitting Portfolio, CEO Says

John Murray, president and COO of Hospitality Properties Trust (NYSE: HPT), joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWorld 2014: NAREIT’s Annual Convention for All Things REIT at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Founded in 1995, Hospitality Properties Trust owns hotels and highway travel centers located throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Turning first to fundamentals for the hotel side of the company, Murray noted that the lodging sector has been in a recovery phase for the past five or six years.

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Neuberger Berman Fund Manager Says Higher Interest Rates Should be Good Sign for REITs

Steve Shigekawa, managing director at Neuberger Berman, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWorld 2014: NAREIT’s Annual Convention for All Things REIT at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Shigekawa noted that the biggest surprise for the REIT industry during 2014 has been the decline in interest rates.

“At the beginning of the year, the 10-year Treasury note was 3 percent. At the time, the consensus view was that interest rates would go higher, which would be a headwind for the REIT market. What we’ve actually seen is the opposite,” he observed.

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Fitch Analyst Says Stock Buybacks at Low Level Among REITs

Steven Marks, managing director with Fitch Ratings, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWorld 2014: NAREIT’s Annual Convention for All Things REIT at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Marks has been monitoring REITs’ stock buybacks in the second half of the year, and he noted that activity has been limited. He attributed the lack of buybacks to the performance of REIT stocks in 2014, as most are trading at prices about their net asset values (NAV).

“Thus, [the stocks] are less economic from a buyback standpoint; they’re not as accretive,” Marks said.

Steven Marks

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REIT Trader Says 2015 Could Bring IPO Wave

David Auerbach, institutional trader with Esposito Securities, looked back at the REIT market in 2014 and ahead to 2015 on the latest edition of the NAREIT Podcast.

With the year coming to a close, Auerbach discussed some of the biggest developments in the REIT market in 2014. He described it as an “exciting year for REIT investors.” He said the moves made by The Blackstone Group, including taking multiple real estate portfolios public, took center stage throughout the year.

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BMO Analyst Says Diminishing Interest Rate Concerns Boosted REITs in 2014

Paul Adornato, managing director with BMO Capital Markets, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWorld 2014: NAREIT’s Annual Convention for All Things REIT at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

According to Adornato, the big story for REITs during 2014 was their “tremendous performance” compared with the overall market. Although concerns about interest rate increases did impact REITs earlier in the year, REITs “sailed away” once investors determined that those increases were not imminent, he said.

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Morgan Stanley Banker Says Property Values “Healthy”

Seth Weintrob, managing director at Morgan Stanley, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWorld 2014: NAREIT’s Annual Convention for All Things REIT at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Weintrob commented on the current level of property valuations and the implications for deal-making.

“Property values are definitely healthy. The values of all assets these days are healthy, and in some sense, when you look at U.S. real estate, there’s a little bit of a Goldilocks environment from an investor standpoint,” Weintrob said.

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Chilton Capital Fund Manager Says REITs Should be Trading at Higher Premiums to NAV

Matt Werner, portfolio manager and analyst at Chilton Capital Management, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWorld 2014: NAREIT’s Annual Convention for All Things REIT at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Given the outperformance of the REIT market compared with broader market indices in 2014, Werner commented on REIT valuation levels.

“Any time the market goes up by almost 30 percent, you’re going to have questions about valuation,” Werner said.

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Green Street Consultant Says New REITs Unlocking Value of Real Estate Assets

Matt Wokasch, vice president for advisory and consulting with Green Street Advisors, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWorld 2014: NAREIT’s Annual Convention for All Things REIT at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Wokasch offered his opinion on the most influential trends affecting the REIT market in 2014. He noted that management teams of C corporations have been trying to monetize the value of their real estate holdings.

Matt Wokasch

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Moody’s Analyst Says REITs Using Unsecured Debt to Refinance Portfolios

Merrie Frankel, vice president and senior credit officer at Moody’s Investors Service, joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWorld 2014: NAREIT’s Annual Convention for All Things REIT at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Frankel offered insights into the increasing number of REITs that are obtaining investment-grade credit ratings. She emphasized that liquidity in the market is an important factor.

“It’s access to the public debt market. It’s the ability to finance your assets, your growth, your company with the best instrument at the best spreads,” she said.

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