Health Care REIT: 'Great income vehicle'

by Ian Wyatt, editor $100K Portfolio

For investors who want to earn income from real estate without having to become a landlord, the REIT is the perfect vehicle.

In the health care industry, there is no better "landlord" than Health Care REIT (HCN), which was founded in 1970 and now owns $14.3 billion in real estate investments consisting of 937 properties.

In April, the company made a $2.4 billion acquisition of Genesis HealthCare. It wasn't HCN's first acquisition. In 2011, management completed $5.6 billion in purchases, centered largely on senior living and skilled nursing complexes.

Year to date, management has already plunked $3 billion in acquisitions and shows no signs of slowing down.

Despite the constant growth in size, the real estate portfolio is balanced. HCN holdings span 46 states and its segments are divided among various health care facilities. Its portfolio includes 42% senior living, 32% skilled nursing, 9% office buildings, and 4% hospitals.

HCN will benefit from an aging American population, as baby boomers move into retirement and begin requiring additional health care services.

Specifically, HCN's assisted senior living centers are a combination of housing and personalized support services designed for those who need help with the activities of daily living.

And the skilled nursing complexes provide inpatient skilled nursing and care services as well as rehabilitative and transitional medical services. Both types of facilities are likely to be in high demand in the coming decades.

HCN does not provide medical services directly to patients, nor does it operate these facilities. Instead, the company simply provides the facilities to the medical providers, signing long-term leases for the buildings.  

For this reason the company is a bit more insulated from any future cuts to medical reimbursements by insurance companies or Medicare/Medicaid.

Since 2008, the company's sales have nearly tripled. And in the last year alone, revenues more than doubled to $1.4 billion. While much of that growth was courtesy of the company's many acquisitions, it appears that HCN purchased these properties under good terms. These deals should benefit shareholders for years to come.

Overall, the business has grown at a healthy clip over the past several years and long-term lease contracts should continue to produce consistent financial results.

HCN shrewdly invests in facilities managed by experienced operators. Management carefully structured a large number of their leased properties under master lease terms.

By using a master lease, HCN can cover several properties under the same contract with a term of between 12 and 15 years. Many of these contracts have a 15-year renewal option.

Though lengthy lease agreements can lead to consistent financial results, they also helps management build accurate long-term forecasts. Such clarity is important when making acquisition plans or dividend decisions.

In addition to investing cash flow in new properties, HCN has been very shareholder friendly. Management has provided shareholders with a generous cash dividend. And with the exception of a momentary blip five years ago, the dividend has been climbing steadily since 1997.

Looking forward, I expect management will continue to be generous with its dividend program. HCN is currently paying a dividend of $2.96 per share, providing investors with a 5% yield.

The combination of its REIT structure, exposure to a positive long-term industry trend and a consistent dividend makes HCN a great income investment to hold for the long-term.

Learn more about this financial newsletter at Ian Wyatt's $100K Portfolio.

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