Realty Income Corporation owns and leases commercial real estate properties, primarily freestanding retail buildings leased to tenants like convenience stores, pharmacies and other retail businesses under long-term net lease agreements. As a real estate investment trust, the company distributes most of its taxable income to shareholders as dividends, and it has built a well-known reputation for paying dividends monthly rather than the quarterly schedule most companies use, along with a long streak of consecutive dividend increases. Its net lease structure requires tenants to cover property taxes, insurance and maintenance costs directly, giving Realty Income more predictable, lower-maintenance rental income than property types requiring the landlord to handle these expenses. The company's tenant base spans many different retail and service business types, diversifying its exposure across various segments of consumer spending rather than depending heavily on any single retail category or tenant.