Realty Income

Realty Income is a large retail-focused real estate investment trust that owns thousands of freestanding properties leased to tenants such as convenience stores, pharmacies and discount retailers under long-term net leases. It markets itself as "The Monthly Dividend Company," reflecting a business model built around predictable, contractually rising rental income. Realty Income is unusual for paying monthly and has increased its dividend many times over three decades, giving it a strong reputation among income investors. Despite that history, its score sits in the middle: higher interest rates weigh on property valuations and growth, and a large, debt-funded asset base means the reliable, steadily rising payout comes with real sensitivity to rates.