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The emergence and performance of German REITs

Author

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  • Graeme Newell
  • Muhammad Jufri Marzuki

Abstract

Purpose - German real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a small but important property investment vehicle in the European REIT landscape, offering German commercial property investment exposure in a liquid format, compared to the more property development-focused German listed property companies and the popular German open-ended property funds. The purpose of this paper is to assess the emergence of the German REIT market and the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of German REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio over 2007-2015. The post-global financial crisis (GFC) recovery of German REITs is highlighted. Enabling strategies for the ongoing development of the German REIT market are also identified. Design/methodology/approach - Using monthly total returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of German REITs over 2007-2015 are assessed. Efficient frontier and asset allocation diagrams are used to assess the role of German REITs (and German property companies) in a mixed-asset portfolio. Sub-period analysis is used to assess the post-GFC recovery of German REITs. Findings - German REITs delivered lesser risk-adjusted returns compared to German stocks over 2007-2015, with limited portfolio diversification benefits. However, since the GFC, German REITs have delivered strong risk-adjusted returns, but with continued limited portfolio diversification benefits with German stocks. German REITs also out-performed German property companies. Importantly, this sees German REITs as strongly contributing to the German mixed-asset portfolio across the portfolio risk spectrum in the post-GFC environment. Practical implications - German REITs are a small but important market at a local, European and global REIT level. The results highlight the major role of German REITs in a German mixed-asset portfolio in the post-GFC context. The strong risk-adjusted performance of German REITs compared to German stocks sees German REITs contributing to the mixed-asset portfolio across the portfolio risk spectrum. This is particularly important, as many investors (e.g. small pension funds) use German REITs (and German listed property companies) to obtain their German property exposure in a liquid format, as well as the increased importance of blended property portfolios of listed property and direct property. Originality/value - This paper is the first published empirical research analysis of the risk-adjusted performance of German REITs, and the role of German REITs as a listed property vehicle in a mixed-asset portfolio. This research enables empirically validated, more informed and practical property investment decision making regarding the strategic role of German REITs in a portfolio.

Suggested Citation

  • Graeme Newell & Muhammad Jufri Marzuki, 2018. "The emergence and performance of German REITs," Journal of Property Investment & Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(1), pages 91-103, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:jpifpp:jpif-01-2017-0001
    DOI: 10.1108/JPIF-01-2017-0001
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Mustafa Kemal Yilmaz & Ali Osman Kusakci & Ekrem Tatoglu & Orkun Icten & Feyzullah Yetgin, 2019. "Performance Evaluation of Real Estate Investment Trusts using a Hybridized Interval Type-2 Fuzzy AHP-DEA Approach: The Case of Borsa Istanbul," International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making (IJITDM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(06), pages 1785-1820, November.
    2. Cherif Famara Badji & Cristiane Benetti & Renato Guimaraes, 2021. "Diversification Benefits of European REIT, Equities and Bonds," Post-Print hal-03592183, HAL.
    3. Thomas Richter, 2022. "Trading Activity in Public Real Estate Markets," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Keagile Lesame & Elie Bouri & David Gabauer & Rangan Gupta, 2021. "On the Dynamics of International Real Estate Investment Trust Propagation Mechanisms: Evidence from Time-Varying Return and Volatility Connectedness Measures," Working Papers 202152, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.

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