Rayonier (NYSE: RYN) is a real estate investment trust that manages timberland and produces basic wood products (i.e. lumber and wood chips) and fibers that are used in products such as textiles and diapers. It is one of the largest private landowners in the U.S., with over 2.5 million acres of land in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.^[1] Like other timber companies, Rayonier has made money by selling off desirable parcels of land - specifically its coastal land in Florida and Georgia - to home developers. The company generally makes money profit from the initial sale of the land as well as receiving a portion of the proceeds when finished homes are sold to home-buyers. The company earned $1.17 billion in revenue and $3.9 billion in net income in 2009.^[2]

Rayonier enjoys a greater degree of insulation from fluctuations in U.S. housing market than other types of REITs. When the housing market slumps and demand for timber drops, the company can sit on its land - unlike other goods, timber appreciates in value over time as trees grow.

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