Podcast: Top Sustainable REITS, EV Companies, and More
Top Sustainable REITS, EV Companies, and More. Also, here see Newsweek’s ‘America’s Most Responsible Companies’. Next podcast January 10, 2025.
Transcript & Links, Episode 144, December 13, 2024
Hello, Ron Robins here. Before I begin, I want to mention that my next podcast after this one will be on January 10th and I want to sincerely wish everyone who has holidays in this period a most joyous and healthy time.
Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to this podcast episode 144 published December 13, 2024, titled “Top Sustainable REITS, EV Companies, and More.” It’s presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources.
Remember that you can find a full transcript and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode’s podcast page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.
Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, and I don’t receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal any investments I have in the investments mentioned herein.
Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief. Please go to this podcast’s webpage for links to the articles and more company and stock information.
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Top Sustainable REITS, EV Companies, and More (1)
I’m beginning this podcast with an article on an investment class I’ve rarely covered: real estate investment trusts, or REITS. The article is titled 7 Green REITs for Sustainable Investing. It’s by Glenn Fydenkevez, edited by Jordan Schultz, and found on money.usnews.com.
Here are some quotes from Mr. Schultz on each of his picks.
“If you’re a REIT investor who is concerned about the environmental impact of the stocks you own, here’s a list of seven real estate companies that have demonstrated real leadership in adopting sustainable business practices that align with ESG goals:
1. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (ARE)
is a REIT with a market cap of about $18 billion. The company specializes in life science properties…
This environmentally responsible REIT is constantly striving to lower its carbon footprint. [The company] is known for using renewable energy sources such as solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling systems in all of the properties it develops. It also created a unique wastewater heat recovery process. Forward dividend yield: 4.9%
2. BXP Inc. (BXP)
In 2021, BXP demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by developing one of Massachusetts’ first net-zero, carbon-neutral building repositioning projects…
BXP – formally known as Boston Properties – has a market-cap of about $14 billion. It is the largest publicly traded office REIT in the U.S. The firm focuses its investment activities on large cities on the east and west coasts, mostly in Boston, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Forward dividend yield: 4.9%
3. Digital Realty Trust Inc. (DLR)
is a $64 billion REIT in the fast-growing digital infrastructure industry. The company owns and operates more than 300 data centers around the world, and its portfolio of properties is growing…
Apollo AI makes running a data center as efficient as possible. That’s what makes Digital Realty Trust a leader in sustainability. Forward dividend yield: 2.5%
4. HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital Inc. (HASI)
is a $3.7 billion REIT that invests only in securities related to renewable energy, sustainability infrastructure and energy efficiency…
This Annapolis, Maryland-based company focuses on solar projects, wind farms, clean-burning natural gas facilities, fuel cell development, smart grid technology and other green real estate initiatives. Forward dividend yield: 5.3%
5. Prologis Inc. (PLD)
has a massive presence in the transportation and logistics real estate industry. The company boasts a market cap of about $103 billion…
This company’s warehouses and transportation terminals are modern, high-tech facilities. It uses high-speed computers, digital communications, AI and cloud computing technology to help its customers efficiently fulfill orders and deliver products across the U.S. and in Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Germany, Japan and China. Forward dividend yield: 3.3%
6. Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (HST)
has committed to implementing sustainable practices in every one of its 77 hospitality properties in the U.S., Canada and Brazil. The company controls about 42,000 hotel rooms…
With a market capitalization of over $13 billion, [it] is the largest lodging REIT in the U.S…
Wells Fargo Securities has an ‘overweight’ rating on the stock. Stifel gives the company a ‘buy’ rating. Forward dividend yield: 4.2%
7. JBG Smith Properties (JBGS)
This $1.4 billion REIT controls over 14 million rentable square feet of mixed-use space in the expensive and highly competitive capital district around Washington, D.C…
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) expects that its new campus in Northern Virginia will add 25,000 workers by 2038…
Host Hotels & Resorts plans to benefit… and appeal to Amazon’s environmentally conscious employees by promoting sustainability and green development practices in every building it buys or builds. Forward dividend yield: 4.3%”
End quotes.
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America’s Most Responsible Companies
This next article refers to one of America’s foremost corporate sustainability rankings, America’s Most Responsible Companies. The editorial is by Nancy Cooper, and the full company rankings can be seen at newsweek.com. Here are a few quotes from Ms. Cooper’s introduction to the rankings.
“Selected from the 2,000 largest publicly traded companies headquartered in the U.S., each winner received scores based on the three pillars of ESG… The analysis is based on data from 30 key performance indicators, such as energy usage and charitable donations, as well as a reputation survey of more than 26,000 U.S. consumers.
For the second year in a row, the top spot was awarded to Merck (MRK) with an impressive overall score of 97.83, up from 91.98 last year. Other notable names on this year’s list include Adobe (ADBE), PayPal (PYPL) and HP (HPE) .”
End quotes.
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Why Sunrun (RUN) Is Among the Best Wind Power and Solar Stocks to Invest in Now
Now since this article was featured on Yahoo! Finance, I thought to include it. It’s titled Why Sunrun (RUN) Is Among the Best Wind Power and Solar Stocks to Invest in Now. The article is by Mashaid Ahmed. Here are some quotes from it.
“While the outcome of the US election and the anticipated policies of the new administration pose short-term challenges to renewable energy, the long-term outlook remains cautiously optimistic.
Sunrun Inc. (NASDAQ:RUN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 43
Sunrun is a leading provider of residential solar energy solutions, offering solar installations, battery storage, and energy services. The company specializes in customized solar systems for homeowners and has over 1 million customers. Sunrun also offers products on leasing and financing options…
The company has signed a multi-year exclusive agreement with Toll Brothers in California and expects its new home business to grow at least 50% over the next year…
The company has 16 grid service programs active across the country, with over 20,000 storage systems participating, and is working with utilities and other partners to develop new programs and services…
Overall, Sunrun ranks 5th on our list of best wind power and stocks to invest in now.”
End quotes.
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Top Sustainable REITS, EV Companies, and More (2)
And now to this article titled 7 Best EV Stocks to Buy for 2025. It’s by Jeff Reeves, reviewed by John Divine, and found at money.usnews.com. Now some quotes from the article.
“An analysis by Gartner estimates that the number of EV Companies in use will grow 33% in 2025 to bring the total number of electric cars and trucks to 85 million in total. That figure will be primarily thanks to brisk adoption rates in China (58% growth) and Europe (24% growth), which together are projected to represent 82% of the total EV market next year, according to Gartner.
For investors who want to cash in on EV stocks and the rise of electric vehicles, it’s critical to look beyond the usual suspects in the U.S. and take a truly global approach to the industry. With that in mind, some of the hottest EV stocks to buy for 2025 include:
1. Tesla Inc. (TSLA)
Market value: $1.2 trillion
Tesla has a huge chunk of the marketplace, with predictions of nearly 1.8 million vehicle deliveries across all of 2024. What’s more, strong momentum after Election Day, thanks to Musk’s close associations with President-elect Donald Trump, has pushed Tesla stock up about 50% on the year even as other electric vehicle stocks have struggled… Tesla remains the go-to EV stock for many investors as we enter 2025.
2. BYD Co. Ltd. (BYDDY)
Market value: $106 billion
Chinese firm BYD is… the top electric vehicle manufacturer in the world… currently selling more than 500,000 ‘new energy vehicles’ per month – a potential pace of 6 million annually going forward… the local appeal of this Chinese company amid the uncertainty around tariffs and trade policies all but ensures this home-grown EV stock will thrive in China across 2025 as regional demand remains strong.
3. Volkswagen AG (VWAGY)
Market value: $43 billion
Volkswagen remains the largest vehicle manufacturer on the planet and has the same local appeal in Europe that BYD might have in China amid the current talk of trade wars. EV Companies are a modest share of total output… In October, the firm reported battery electric vehicles (not hybrids) topped 500,000 units across the first three quarters of 2024. That puts it on pace for nearly 700,000 vehicles on the full year – and with goals of fully electrifying its fleet by 2030, Volkswagen is definitely an EV stock to watch.
4. Li Auto Inc. (LI)
Market value: $24 billion
Much smaller than these other firms and currently bleeding cash as it invests aggressively in growth, Li Auto is nevertheless a top EV stock to watch because of its tremendous growth path.
It delivered 48,740 vehicles in November 2024, up 18.8% year over year, and is currently on pace to top 500,000 units on the year… A big reason for that is because of its premium appeal, with its Li AD Max accounting for more than 80% of orders for models in China priced above roughly $55,000. Admittedly, shares of LI stock have struggled in 2024 but these sales figures are incredibly encouraging for investors who aren’t afraid of taking on a bit more risk to invest in an upstart EV stock versus an established leader.
5. Nio Inc. (NIO)
Market value: $10 billion
Another junior EV stock operating deep in the red, Nio is putting up impressive growth metrics even if its share performance hasn’t been grand in 2024… Nio delivered a record 61,855 units in the third quarter and estimates it will have as many as 75,000 EV deliveries in the fourth quarter. That pace of 300,000 units annually doesn’t seem like much compared with other firms, but considering the firm delivered about half that total in 2023 there is a lot to like about where the firm is headed. What’s more, like BYD and Li, this is a Chinese firm with local appeal in the fastest-growing market for EV Companies on the planet. That gives it an added tailwind that some Western EV stocks may lack in 2025.
6. Albemarle Corp. (ALB)
Market value: $12 billion
The company is one of the leading lithium miners globally, with production capacity of 225,000 metric tons and plans to roughly triple capacity by 2030. Supply chain challenges for lithium are tricky, and trade policies could make the situation even more complex in 2025. But as a commodity stock that profits in part based on broader market-wide pricing trends, any shortages or supply bottlenecks will naturally boost lithium prices if things don’t go well – and that will naturally benefit Albemarle’s bottom line as a result.
7. ChargePoint Holdings Inc. (CHPT)
Market value: $600 million
ChargePoint is the largest electric vehicle charging company in the United States, with more charging ports and locations than any other network. Specifically, ChargePoint boasts 70,000 plugs at nearly 39,000 stations. In fact, more than 4 in 10 charging ports nationwide are operated by ChargePoint. The company is small and currently unprofitable, so it definitely carries a level of risk, but investors who aren’t keen on putting money behind firms headquartered in Beijing or Shanghai may find this closer-to-home play a bit more palatable.”
End quotes.
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Additional Article of Interest
1. Title: Bristol Myers A Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock With 4% Yield on forbes.com. By the Dividend Channel.
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Ending Comment
These are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips for this podcast “Top Sustainable REITS, EV Companies, and More”.
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Thank you for listening.
Now, again, a reminder my next podcast will be January 10th. I’m taking a break so there will be no podcast on December 27th.
I’ll talk to you then!
Bye for now.
© 2024 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul
