CTO Realty Growth, Inc. (CTO) Covered Calls

CTO Realty Growth, Inc. is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and operates a portfolio of high-quality, retail-based properties in high-growth markets across the United States. The company focuses on open-air shopping centers located primarily in the Southeast and Southwest regions. In addition to its property portfolio, CTO externally manages and holds a significant interest in Alpine Income Property Trust, Inc. (PINE), a net lease REIT.

You can sell covered calls on CTO Realty Growth, Inc. to lower risk and earn monthly income. Born To Sell's covered call screener gives you customized search capabilities across all possible covered calls but here are a couple of examples for CTO (prices last updated Wed 4:16 PM ET):

Want to make money with covered calls?  Sign Up For A Free Trial

Core Business and Products

CTO Realty Growth, Inc. (CTO) is a real estate investment trust focused on the ownership, operation, and management of income-producing retail properties. Its portfolio is primarily composed of high-quality, open-air shopping centers and large-scale retail assets. The company strategically targets "high-growth" markets—cities with strong population and employment growth, particularly in the Sunbelt states. As of early 2026, the company manages approximately 3 million square feet of leasable space, maintaining a high occupancy rate supported by a mix of national and regional retail tenants.

Beyond direct property ownership, CTO generates revenue through a multi-faceted investment strategy. This includes managing a portfolio of commercial loans and investments, as well as earning management fees through its external management of Alpine Income Property Trust. This dual structure—operating as both a property owner and an asset manager—provides the company with diversified income streams, combining stable rental cash flows with recurring fee-based revenue and interest income from its lending activities.

Competitive Landscape

The retail REIT sector is highly competitive, with CTO vying for prime acquisitions and high-credit tenants against much larger institutional players. Its primary competitors include diversified and retail-focused REITs such as Regency Centers, Federal Realty Investment Trust, and Kite Realty Group Trust. These firms often compete for the same open-air shopping center assets in the Southeast and Southwest regions.

CTO also faces competition from smaller-cap REITs that target similar high-growth demographic trends, such as American Assets Trust and Acadia Realty Trust. Because of its external management of PINE, CTO is also compared to net-lease specialized firms like Agree Realty Corporation. CTO differentiates itself through its "disciplined asset recycling" strategy, frequently selling stabilized assets at lower cap rates to reinvest in higher-yielding opportunities, effectively acting as an opportunistic value-adder in the retail space.

Strategic Outlook and Innovation

CTO’s strategy for 2026 and beyond is centered on its "signed-not-open" pipeline, which serves as a primary driver for near-term Net Operating Income (NOI) growth. The company is focused on maximizing the value of its existing portfolio through aggressive leasing at record rent spreads, particularly in under-managed or recently acquired assets. Following a strong 2025 performance, management is prioritizing "accretive recycling," where the proceeds from the sale of mature properties are used to fund a robust acquisition pipeline of retail centers in Texas and Florida.

Innovation at CTO is largely reflected in its proactive asset management and data-driven site selection. The company utilizes advanced demographic and consumer traffic analytics to identify retail centers that are essential to their local communities, ensuring high tenant retention and the ability to push rents during renewal cycles. Additionally, the company continues to optimize its capital structure by managing a mix of preferred equity and senior notes to maintain liquidity. By focusing on essential, open-air retail in markets with superior economic tailwinds, CTO aims to provide sustainable dividend growth and long-term capital appreciation for its shareholders.

Want more examples? CTMX Covered Calls | CTRA Covered Calls