If you are investor holding on to a Singapore-listed REIT since the start of 2013, you will be sitting on average gains of about 12.9 percent so far this year. This is according to latest update by Singapore Exchange which shows that all 23 REITs listed on the Singapore bourse making gains for 2013 to date (With year-to-date taken as 17 May 2013).

REITs with the biggest gain in prices for 2013 so far are Hong Kong-focused Fortune REIT (34.81 percent) and healthcare landlords First REIT (34.43 percent) and Parkway Life REIT (25.58 percent). Also making respectable gains are Cambridge Industrial Trust (25.19 percent) and Keppel REIT (23.55 percent).

Industrial REITs such as Sabana REIT, Mapletree Industrial Trust and Cambridge Industrial Trust performed best in terms of historical dividend yield.

REITs with the weakest price gains this year to date are CapitaCommercial Trust (1.19 percent) CapitaRetail China Trust (4.86 percent) and Saizen REIT (4.97 percent). Performance for the rest of the Singapore-listed REITs are ranked below according to percentage change in price.

RANK REIT % CHANGE % DIV
1 FORTUNE REIT 34.81 3.87
2 FIRST REIT 34.43 3.12
3 PARKWAYLIFE REIT 25.58 3.85
4 CAMBRIDGE INDUSTRIAL TRUST 25.19 5.74
5 AIMS AMP CAPITAL INDUSTRIAL TRUST 24.08 4.89
6 KEPPEL REIT 23.55 3.69
7 MAPLETREE GREATER CHINA 21.51 NA
8 MAPLETREE COMMERCIAL TRUST 20.58 3.38
9 STARHILL GLOBAL REIT 19.75 4.99
10 FRASERS COMMERCIAL TRUST 19.70 4.52
11 SABANA REIT 18.86 6.96
12 MAPLETREE LOGISTICS TRUST 17.03 5.12
13 CACHE LOGISTICS TRUST 15.73 4.55
14 LIPPO MALLS INDONESIA RETAIL TRUST 15.31 5.58
15 ASCENDAS REIT 15.19 3.74
16 MAPLETREE INDUSTRIAL TRUST 14.34 5.94
17 SUNTEC REIT 12.84 4.90
18 FRASERS CENTREPOINT TRUST 12.50 4.63
19 CAPITAMALL TRUST 7.51 3.16
20 ASCOTT RESIDENCE TRUST 7.35 3.33
21 SAIZEN REIT 4.97 6.79
22 CAPITARETAIL CHINA TRUST 4.86 2.74
23 CAPITACOMMERCIAL TRUST 1.19 4.72

When ranked according to 12-month historical dividend distribution yields the REITs that came out on top are Sabana REIT (6.96 percent), Saizen REIT (6.79 percent) and Mapletree Industrial Trust (5.94 percent). Rank for Mapletree Greater China Commercial Trust is not available due to a lack of historical performance.

RANK REIT % CHANGE % DIV
1 SABANA REIT 18.86 6.96
2 SAIZEN REIT 4.97 6.79
3 MAPLETREE INDUSTRIAL TRUST 14.34 5.94
4 CAMBRIDGE INDUSTRIAL TRUST 25.19 5.74
5 LIPPO MALLS INDONESIA RETAIL TRUST 15.31 5.58
6 MAPLETREE LOGISTICS TRUST 17.03 5.12
7 STARHILL GLOBAL REIT 19.75 4.99
8 SUNTEC REIT 12.84 4.90
9 AIMS AMP CAPITAL INDUSTRIAL TRUST 24.08 4.89
10 CAPITACOMMERCIAL TRUST 1.19 4.72
11 FRASERS CENTREPOINT TRUST 12.50 4.63
12 CACHE LOGISTICS TRUST 15.73 4.55
13 FRASERS COMMERCIAL TRUST 19.70 4.52
14 FORTUNE REIT 34.81 3.87
15 PARKWAYLIFE REIT 25.58 3.85
16 ASCENDAS REIT 15.19 3.74
17 KEPPEL REIT 23.55 3.69
18 MAPLETREE COMMERCIAL TRUST 20.58 3.38
19 ASCOTT RESIDENCE TRUST 7.35 3.33
20 CAPITAMALL TRUST 7.51 3.16
21 FIRST REIT 34.43 3.12
22 CAPITARETAIL CHINA TRUST 4.86 2.74

Including dividends, S-REIT unit holders would have made an average gain of about 15.84 percent this year to date. All data have been compiled by Singapore Exchange from Bloomberg and ranked by REITSWEEK.

By Ridzwan Rahmat

Ridzwan has been analysing REITs and business trusts since 2008, and personally manages a portfolio comprising mainly of SGX-listed REITs. He founded REITsWeek in 2013.