Phil Hawkins, president and CEO of DCT Industrial Trust (NYSE: DCT), joined REIT.com for a video interview at REITWeek 2016: NAREIT’s Investor Forum at the Waldorf Astoria New York.
DCT acquires, develops, leases and manages bulk distribution and light industrial properties located in high-volume markets in the United States.
While e-commerce is a major driver of the company’s fundamentals, Hawkins said demand “across all industry verticals is good…frankly, it’s never been better in my career.”
At the same time, supply continues to show “great discipline,” according to Hawkins.
Supply and demand fundamentals have resulted in rental rate growth in the mid-single digit range and above, in certain markets, Hawkins said.
“It’s still an environment where you can create a significant amount of value, and that’s our focus,” Hawkins observed.
Looking across the DCT portfolio, Hawkins described all markets as “healthy.”
“The demand equation is going to remain healthy until or unless something that is more macro impacts that: a shock to the system that we won’t see coming, which is why we need to remain disciplined,” he said.