Compass Point analyst Merrill Ross initiated coverage of Investors Real Estate (IRET) with a Buy rating and $67.50 price target. As previously reported, Ross also started coverage of UMH Properties (UMH) with a Buy rating and $19.50 price target. The firm also transferred coverage of five additional REITs - Bluerock Residential Growth (BRG), BRT Apartments (BRT), Independence Realty Trust (IRT), NexPoint Residential (NXRT) and Preferred Apartments Communities (APTS) - to Ross.

Same-store portfolio net operating income growth of 2.4% for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2023. "For the first quarter of 2024, we delivered a 3.4% increase in same-store revenue, supported by our focus on driving occupancy. Our same-store average occupancy improved 120 basis points in the quarter on a year-over-year basis to 94.4%, and we continued to see positive momentum in April, with average occupancy rising to 95.0%," said Scott Schaeffer, Chairman and CEO of IRT. "We also continued to successfully execute our business plan, including the advancement of our Portfolio Optimization and Deleveraging Strategy. As of March 31, 2024, we had sold nine of the ten non-core assets and exited four single-asset markets while further strengthening our balance sheet, which helped us achieve an investment grade rating from Fitch Ratings, as announced last month. We look forward to building on our first quarter successes during the remainder of the year."