Is Ventas (VTR) The Best REIT Dividend Stock to Buy for Non-AI Trade?

We recently published Top 10 Trending Stocks Everyone’s Watching in Q4. Ventas Inc (NYSE:VTR) is one of the trending stocks everyone’s watching.

Morningstar’s Dave Sekera said in a recent program on Schwab Network that investors are not paying attention to non-AI stocks as their focus remains on growth. The analyst warned that incessant focus on AI and growth could come at a cost

“I’m really thinking that as a long-term investor trying to switch gears, look for those other areas of the marketplace that have been left behind, other areas that do have some good themes behind them like the real estate market, but yet really just no one in the market is paying attention to any of these value names. Everyone’s still all about growth, which I think will probably be to their detriment over time.”

Sekera said he likes healthcare REIT Ventas Inc (NYSE:VTR).

“If you look at like some of the healthcare REITs, so Ventas Inc (NYSE:VTR) is one that we’ve been highlighting recently. You know, four-star rated stock, 12% discount, trading with a very nice, you know, dividend yield.”

Diamond Hill Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) in its Q1 2025 investor letter:

“As volatility picked up sharply in the quarter, we were active in the portfolio — and we anticipate that as volatility continues into Q2, we will likewise attempt to capitalize on compelling opportunities to reposition the portfolio for the period ahead. We initiated four new positions in Q1: Martin Marietta Materials, Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR), Illumina and TransUnion.

Ventas is a diversified health care real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on private-pay senior housing — primarily independent and assisted living — as well as outpatient medical offices and research/life sciences. The demographics around senior housing are compelling over the medium term: The 80+ age cohort in the US is rapidly growing, while senior housing is limited, which should drive years of strong growth as the industry recovers from oversupply and post-COVID weakness. We anticipate occupancy should improve meaningfully, while pricing is likely to remain solid as senior care is a needs-based business. At approximately 85% occupancy, a facility generally requires full staffing, making additional tenants beyond that occupancy level significantly higher margin. We also don’t anticipate significant new facility development — and even when it starts, it could take some time before annual new construction catches up with demand. Further, recently weaker fundamentals among competitors could create attractive acquisition opportunities for Ventas. Finally, the company’s operating platform and pricing software should bring institutional sophistication to a business that has long been tech-averse, giving it a significant and growing competitive advantage. Given we don’t believe the valuation adequately reflects these advantages, we initiated a position in Q1.”

READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.