Aron Cline

CLEARWATER, FL—Net lease investors continue to favor 7-Eleven stores as investments. Aron Cline, senior vice president and senior director of net lease for Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, says there are several reasons for the convenience store chain's popularity.

"Their credit rating is attractive," Cline says. "Their S&P credit rating is Double A-, which is about as strong as you can get. It's a convenience store and gas, which is ecommerce-proof and recession proof. Even in a recession, people are still going to buy tobacco, energy drinks, fuel, beer, wine, snacks and all of that stuff. In today's world, retail has been shaken up and is evolving. Everyone is looking for stuff that is e-commerce proof."

Cline says new construction deals involving 7-Elevens usually have 15-year lease terms, which means there is 15 years of income that is safe and secure. Also, there is typically 10 percent rent increases every five years.

"They are usually built on hard corners, sometimes near new residential areas where they essentially serve as the neighborhood store," Cline says. Also, 7-11s are well-known and many people have shopped there, he says.

7-Eleven is the largest convenience store chain in the world operating, franchising, and licensing more than 70,000 stores in 18 countries. It is also one of the nation's largest independent gasoline retailers with over 11,000 stores in North America. Cline recently arranged the sale of a 7-11 in Clearwater. He has a 7-Eleven in Kenosha, Wisconsin in escrow and set to close in the next two weeks.