By Ciara Linnane | MarketWatch
Talk of the demise of the shopping mall may be overdone, according to Fitch Ratings, which on Monday took a neutral stance on retail REITS, or real estate investment trusts, the entities that own and manage malls and rent space to tenants.
Mall REITs are popular with investors for their attractive dividend yields. But the sector has come under pressure this year amid a wave of closure announcements from department store chains, sporting retailers and teen clothing retailers, among others. The retail sector is going through a period of severe retrenchment as it responds to the challenge from Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, +0.09% as well as changing consumer behavior and spending habits.
