David Sedgwick, CEO of CareTrust REIT, Inc. (NYSE: CTRE), participated in a video interview in conjunction with Nareit’s REITweek: 2022 Investor Conference in New York on June 7-9.
Sedgwick said CareTrust REIT is positioned to recover from the impact of the pandemic, but that the tight labor market is delaying its occupancy recovery.
“Our balance sheet is incredibly strong [though]. Our leverage is very low, and that really helps us be prepared for big growth opportunities as they cross our desk,” he added.
He also said that the “silver tsunami” of baby boomers who will be turning 75-80 in the next few years will create a “tremendous amount of demand for our facilities, starting in a couple years, but to last for a couple decades.”
Turning to how CareTrust REIT helps its operators achieve growth potential, Sedgwick said the company sources most of its own deals, which enables it to choose the right operators to grow with.
“Our mission is to match great operators with great opportunities,” Sedgwick said.
Sedgwick added that CareTrust REIT is unique because its leadership team is made up of former health care operators rather than financial professionals.