Prologis Stock Rises 10.3% in Three Months: Will the Trend Last?

Prologis Inc. PLD shares have gained 10.3% in the past three months, outperforming the industry's growth of 6.3%.This industrial real estate investment trust (REIT) is well-poised to benefit from its portfolio of strategically located industrial real estate in some of the world’s busiest distribution markets.Strategic buyouts and development activities appear promising. Its scale drives efficiency, and balance sheet strength aids its growth endeavors. Moreover, the company is also converting some of its warehouses into data centers to capitalize on the growing opportunity in this asset category.Analysts seem optimistic about this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2025 FFO per share has moved marginally northward over the past month to $5.70.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchFactors Behind PLD Stock Price Rise: Will This Trend Continue?Prologis provides industrial distribution warehouse space in some of the busiest distribution markets across the globe. The properties of the company are typically located in large, supply-constrained infill markets in close proximity to airports, seaports and ground transportation facilities, which facilitates rapid distribution of customers’ products. The solid demand for Prologis’ strategically located facilities is driving healthy operating performance over the past several quarters.Prologis continues to bolster its presence in high-barrier, high-growth markets through strategic acquisitions and development activities. In the first quarter of 2025, the company’s share of acquisitions amounted to $811 million. Prologis has a high number of build-to-suit development projects. In the first quarter of 2025, development stabilization aggregated $925 million, with 64.5% being built to suit, while development starts totaled $646 million, with 78.0% being built to suit. The sites are positioned near large population centers, suited for serving as the last-mile warehouse before goods are delivered to consumers.Moreover, the data center industry is currently experiencing significant growth, driven by the demands of the evolving needs of today’s digital economy, cloud and AI applications. To capitalize on this growing opportunity, Prologis is focusing on both warehouse conversions and ground-up developments.Prologis maintains a healthy balance sheet position with ample flexibility, which poises it well to capitalize on long-term growth opportunities. As of March 31, 2025, this industrial REIT had a total available liquidity of $6.52 billion. As of the same date, the company's weighted average interest rate on its share of the total debt was 3.2%, with a weighted average term of 8.7 years. Its credit ratings as of March 31, 2025 were A2 (Outlook Positive) from Moody’s and A (Outlook Stable) from Standard & Poor’s, enabling the company to borrow at an advantageous rate.Solid dividend payouts are arguably the biggest enticements for REIT shareholders, and Prologis remains committed to that. In the last five years, Prologis has increased its dividend five times, and its five-year annualized dividend growth rate is 13.71%. Given the company’s solid operating platform, opportunities for growth and decent financial position compared with the industry, this dividend rate is expected to be sustainable in the near term.Key Risks for PrologisThe choppiness in the industrial real estate market, with subdued demand, remains a concern for Prologis. Moreover, high borrowing expenses amid still elevated interest rates add to the company’s woes.Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the broader REIT sector are VICI Properties VICI and W.P. Carey WPC, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VICI Properties’ 2025 FFO per share is pegged at $2.35, up 4% year over year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for W.P. Carey’s 2025 FFO per share stands at $4.88, up 3.8% year over year.Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents FFO, a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the coming year. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +112%, +171%, +209% and +232%.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Prologis, Inc. (PLD): Free Stock Analysis Report W.P. Carey Inc. (WPC): Free Stock Analysis Report VICI Properties Inc. (VICI): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks