Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR) stock: Higher rent-per-kilowatt as smaller leases take hold

Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR) stock: Higher rent-per-kilowatt as smaller leases take hold

NEW YORK, August 2, 2026, 12:06 p.m. EDT

  • Shares ended Friday at $188.52, marking a 5.3% decrease from July 24.
  • In the second quarter, 52% of annualized rent was generated from small-space and interconnection bookings.
  • Results from Iron Mountain are due ahead of Wednesday’s market opening. U.S. July payroll figures are expected Friday.

U.S. markets remain closed on Sunday. Digital Realty ended Friday trading at $188.52, down 2.4%. The stock declined 5.3% over the week.

Stock chart for NYSE:DLR

A Form 10-Q submitted after the market closed on Friday offered the latest update. It verified the quarter’s booking breakdown, requirements for capital, and funding risk.

The strongest indication for investors can be found beneath the main bookings figure. Leases for smaller spaces along with interconnection accounted for $108.3 million in annualized rent, making up 52% of Digital Realty’s portion of newly signed agreements.

Second-quarter booking categoryAnnualized GAAP rentPower bookedRent per kilowattShare of total
0–1 megawatt$87.8 million26.1 MW$28042.1%
Interconnection$20.5 million9.8%
Above 1 megawatt$99.8 million52.9 MW$15747.9%
Other$0.3 million0.2%

Small-scale contracts consume less energy but come with higher prices. Their rental cost hit $280 per kilowatt, 78% above larger lease rates. The mark-up was 88% in the Americas, 61% in Europe, and 73% in Asia-Pacific.

Chief Executive Andy Power noted the achievement. “We signed more than $100 million of 0-1 MW plus Interconnection bookings for the first time.” Digital Realty Investor Relations

Top-line expansion outpaced the growth rate of underlying FFO. Revenue increased by 29% to reach $1.92 billion, supported by a $188 million promote. Core FFO, excluding the promote, climbed 14% to $2.13 per share. Core FFO also received a $27 million boost from an insurance settlement.

Digital Realty’s share of the contracted backlog stood at $1.4 billion. The weighted-average commencement lag was nine months. In July, hyperscale agreements contributed an additional $205 million in annualized rent.

Management increased its outlook for revenue and FFO, but the development budget saw an even sharper rise. Figures in the table reflect the midpoint of each stated range.

2026 guidance midpointApril 23 outlookJuly 23 outlookChange
Revenue excluding promote$6.70 billion$6.90 billion+3.0%
Core FFO per share excluding promote$8.05$8.175+1.6%
Net development capital spending$3.75 billion$4.50 billion+20.0%
Cash renewal spread7.5%10.0%+2.5 points

An initial funding analysis highlights the disparity. Using the FFO midpoint with 360.6 million diluted shares and units results in approximately $2.95 billion. The capex midpoint stands at nearly 1.5 times that amount. This does not represent a cash-flow projection.

Digital Realty raised capital by issuing equity for its expansion. By June, the company had sold 13.5 million shares at an average price of $184.94 each. Net proceeds totaled approximately $2.5 billion.

The overall data-center sector also saw losses last week. Major data-center REITs underperformed both the broader real estate sector and the S&P 500. These figures are based on closing prices from Friday to Friday.

SecurityJuly 24 closeJuly 31 closeWeekly move
Digital Realty$199.08$188.52-5.3%
Equinix $1,084.24$1,019.28-6.0%
Iron Mountain$128.31$122.32-4.7%
Vanguard Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:VNQ)$100.81$98.95-1.8%
S&P 5007,411.987,489.72+1.0%

Shares of Equinix declined after the company projected weaker sales for the third quarter. Despite this, Equinix raised both its annual and longer-range forecasts. Investors now look to Iron Mountain’s results on Wednesday for the next update on the sector.

Wall Street maintains a positive outlook for Digital Realty. According to Google Finance, there are 19 buy recommendations, four holds, and zero sell ratings. The consensus price target stands at $221, which is roughly 17% higher than the closing price on Friday.

Two broader measures of demand are scheduled for next week. The ISM services index for July will be released Wednesday at 10 a.m. EDT, followed by U.S. payrolls data on Friday at 8:30 a.m. EDT.

Risks: Power limitations may postpone the commencement of leases. Expenses for development could increase again. Digital Realty reported $18.6 billion in debt, with net debt to EBITDA at 4.7 times. Issuing additional equity may reduce returns.

Investors face a straightforward measure. The higher rent per kilowatt must exceed the increased capital expenditure.

TS2 TECH • EXTENDED COVERAGE

Further analysis

Is Digital Realty able to maintain its latest earnings pattern?
The company lifted its 2026 core FFO outlook to a range of $8.15–$8.20 per share. Core FFO for Q2, excluding net promote, was up 13.9% to $2.13. Revenue guidance was also raised to between $6.85 billion and $6.95 billion. The guidance boost improves DLR’s earnings foundation. Digital Realty Investor
What portion of future revenue has been secured through contracts?
Signed backlog reached a record $1.9 billion on a 100% basis, with Digital Realty’s portion at $1.4 billion. July hyperscale deals contributed $205 million to the company’s share. Second-quarter leases commenced on average nine months after signing. This enhances revenue visibility out to 2027. Digital Realty Investor
Is continued internal growth supported by renewal pricing?
Cash renewal spreads stood at 25.4% during Q2. The company increased its full-year outlook for cash renewal growth to a range of 9%–11%. Guidance for same-capital cash NOI growth now sits between 4.25% and 5.25%. Increases in rents have the potential to boost NOI even in the absence of new development. Digital Realty Investor
What potential gains does Wall Street anticipate from the present valuation?
DLR ended July 31 at $188.52, representing 23.1 times the 2026 core FFO midpoint. The average target from FactSet is $221.90, suggesting 17.7% potential upside. Forecast targets range from $197 to $250, highlighting notable uncertainty. Analyst ratings show 27 Buy or Overweight, eight Hold, and zero Sell. The Wall Street Journal
Is Digital Realty able to finance growth without major dilution?
Guidance for net development spending increased to a range of $4.25–$4.75 billion. Debt reached $18.6 billion, while net leverage stood at 4.7 times. Year-to-date ATM issuance generated $2.5 billion. Further issuance of debt or equity could affect per-share returns if there are project delays. Digital Realty Investor

Iwona Majkowska is a financial markets journalist at TS2.tech, specializing in stocks, artificial intelligence and technology. A graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics, she previously worked in equity research and financial analysis before focusing on market reporting. Her daily coverage helps investors follow major developments across U.S. and global markets. Follow Iwona Majkowska on Google News.

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