12 Best Mid-Cap Dividend Aristocrats to Invest in Now

8. NNN REIT, Inc. (NYSE:NNN)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24

NNN REIT, Inc. (NYSE:NNN) is an American real estate investment trust company focused mainly on restaurant properties, typically secured through long-term triple net leases, often arranged as leaseback agreements. As of March 31, 2025, the company’s portfolio included 3,641 properties spread across all 50 states, encompassing a total gross leasable area of roughly 37.3 million square feet, with an average remaining lease term of 10 years. The stock has surged by over 5% since the start of 2025.

NNN REIT, Inc. (NYSE:NNN) reported strong earnings in the first quarter of 2025, with its revenue coming in at $230.8 million, up by over 7% from the same period last year. The company’s revenue and EPS of $0.51 beat analysts’ estimates by $11.01 million and $0.03, respectively. It continued to demonstrate strong balance sheet flexibility, supported by a sector-leading weighted average debt maturity of 11.6 years, a fully unencumbered asset base, and minimal exposure to floating rate debt at just 2.5%. In addition, the company maintained robust liquidity, with $1.1 billion in total available resources. Occupancy levels remained high at 97.7%, closely aligned with NNN’s 20-year average of 98.2%, reflecting consistent portfolio stability.

In addition to its solid earnings this quarter, NNN REIT, Inc. (NYSE:NNN) is also a strong dividend payer. It is among just three publicly traded real estate investment trusts that have raised their annual dividend for at least 35 consecutive years. The company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.58 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.49%, as of May 5.