Healthcare Sector Struggles, Yet These Yields Reaching 7% Might Still Be Viable
Healthcare Stocks Overview
- Market Performance: Healthcare stocks have remained stagnant since April, contrasting sharply with the S&P 500, which has surged by 27%. This stagnation has drawn the attention of contrarian investors looking for potential bargains or yield traps in the sector.
Key Healthcare Stocks
Omega Healthcare Investors (OHI): Offers a 6.4% yield and operates skilled nursing and assisted living facilities with a portfolio of 93,961 beds across over 1,000 properties. The company has shown recovery post-COVID, beating estimates for adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) and raising its full-year guidance. However, shares are trading at over 13 times next year's AFFO estimates, indicating a moderate valuation.
LTC Properties (LTC): With a 6.3% yield, LTC is transitioning some contracts to RIDEA-structured agreements, which could enhance growth potential. Currently, 7% of its enterprise value comes from this segment, with plans to double it by year-end.
Healthpeak Properties (DOC): This REIT has a 7.0% yield and a diverse portfolio including outpatient medical facilities and laboratories. The dividend was recently raised and converted to a monthly payout, but growth may be limited due to challenges in its life sciences segment.
Sila Realty Trust (SILA): A newer entrant with a 6.4% yield, SILA has delivered nearly 20% total returns since its IPO in June 2024. It has a solid financial position with long lease terms and a well-covered payout, although it reverted from a monthly to a quarterly dividend.
Pharmaceutical Sector Insights
Siga Technologies (SIGA): Offers a high yield of 7.1%, but is considered too concentrated as a single-drug company. Its future growth depends on diversification.
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY): A blue-chip pharmaceutical company with a market cap of nearly $100 billion and a 5.3% yield. Despite its diversified product line, BMY has underperformed, with a 25% decline in share price over five years. However, it recently beat earnings estimates and is forming strategic partnerships.
Pfizer (PFE): Currently yielding 6.9%, Pfizer has faced challenges, including the cancellation of a weight-loss drug trial and declining COVID-related sales. The company is targeting $7 billion in cost savings by 2027, but its dividend remains secure for now with a 55% payout ratio.
Investment Strategy
- Retirement Income Strategy: The article emphasizes the importance of generating income through dividends to avoid depleting capital in retirement. A proposed "No Withdrawal" portfolio could yield $40,000 annually from a $500,000 investment, highlighting the potential for high-yield investments to support retirement without touching the principal.
This analysis suggests that while healthcare stocks have been overlooked, there are opportunities for income-focused investors, particularly in REITs and select pharmaceutical companies.
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- Complete Liquidation: On February 17, 2026, Conversant Capital disclosed in an SEC filing that it fully liquidated its position in Sila Realty Trust, selling 592,211 shares for a total of $14.86 million, marking a complete exit from its investment in the company.
- AUM Exposure Reduction: This liquidation reduced Conversant Capital's asset management exposure to Sila Realty Trust from 2.5% in the previous quarter to zero, indicating a diminished confidence in the company's future prospects.
- Declining Company Performance: Although Sila Realty Trust continues to provide an annual dividend of $1.60, its net income for 2025 was $33.1 million, down significantly from $42.7 million the previous year, reflecting a weakening in profitability.
- Diversified Portfolio: Sila Realty Trust owns 140 healthcare properties totaling approximately 5.3 million rentable square feet with an average remaining lease term of about 10 years, and while its portfolio is sizable and diversified, its market performance has not outpaced the broader market.
- Growth Strategy Execution: Sila Realty Trust acquired six healthcare facilities in 2025 for approximately $150 million, adding 241,000 rentable square feet that align with the company's modern construction standards, thereby enhancing its competitive position in the healthcare real estate market.
- Strong Financial Performance: Cash NOI for 2025 reached $169.9 million, reflecting a 0.8% year-over-year increase, while FFO per share rose to $2.16, a 3.6% improvement from the previous year, indicating sustained revenue and profitability growth.
- Successful Lease Renewals: The lease renewal rate remained at 90% in 2025, with the weighted average remaining lease term increasing to 10 years, and tenant credit quality improved to 40.6%, providing a solid foundation for future stable income.
- Flexible Capital Allocation: Management anticipates investing between $225 million and $375 million in 2026, emphasizing the importance of maintaining liquidity while continuing to optimize the asset portfolio to capitalize on market changes and opportunities arising from an aging population.
- Earnings Beat: Sila Realty Trust reported a Q4 FFO of $0.55, exceeding expectations by $0.04, indicating strong profitability in a stable healthcare rental market.
- Significant Revenue Growth: The company achieved $50.7 million in revenue for Q4, an 8.9% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations and demonstrating effective expansion strategies.
- Attractive Yield: Offering a 7% yield, Sila Realty Trust remains appealing to income-seeking investors despite market skepticism, enhancing its competitive position in the REIT sector.
- Top Small-Cap Performer: Recognized as one of the top ten small-cap stocks with the highest dividend growth, Sila Realty Trust showcases superior performance and investment appeal within the small-cap REIT landscape.
- Acquisition Activity: In 2025, Sila successfully acquired six high-quality healthcare properties for approximately $149 million, which play a critical role in the social infrastructure of their respective patient communities, enhancing the company's asset portfolio and market position.
- Cash NOI Growth: The cash NOI for Q4 2025 was $44 million, up 7.3% from $41 million in Q4 2024, primarily driven by acquisitions and a same-store cash NOI growth of 0.7%, indicating the company's sustained growth potential in the healthcare real estate sector.
- Financial Stability: As of December 31, 2025, Sila's liquidity was nearly $500 million, with a net debt to annualized EBITDA ratio of 3.9x, demonstrating the company's strong financial flexibility and robust capital structure for future investment opportunities.
- Shareholder Returns: In Q4 2025, Sila reported an AFFO of $30.4 million, or $0.55 per share, with a dividend payout ratio of 72.6%, reflecting the company's commitment to returning value to shareholders while maintaining healthy cash flow and profitability.
- Net Income Performance: For Q4 2025, Sila reported a net income of $5.0 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, down from $11.1 million in Q4 2024, reflecting challenges in market competition while underscoring its ongoing investment strategy in healthcare real estate.
- Cash NOI Growth: The cash net operating income for Q4 2025 reached $44.0 million, a 7.3% increase year-over-year, primarily driven by newly acquired healthcare properties and same-store cash NOI growth, indicating effective asset management and stable market demand.
- Annual Dividend Policy: The company declared a cash dividend of $1.60 per share for 2025, with a quarterly dividend of $0.40, demonstrating a commitment to shareholder returns and reflecting its stable cash flow and profitability.
- Portfolio Expansion: As of December 31, 2025, Sila owned 140 properties with approximately 5.3 million rentable square feet and a leasing rate of 98.7%, indicating a strong position in the healthcare real estate market and significant growth potential moving forward.










