That's among the findings of research conducted and published by Prologis, a global owner, operator and developer of industrial real estate. The study, titled "Opportunities in the European Industrial Property Market," highlights the impact of cyclical factors such as the current deficit in Class-A space and supply-demand dynamics, as well as major structural trends such as the ongoing supply chain reconfiguration and the rise of e-commerce.

Other key findings:

• Logistics real estate delivered 7.6 percent in direct return over the last 10 years, some 200 and 240 basis points higher than the direct return component of office and retail respectively.

• Despite weak GDP growth in the EU - just 1.5 percent per annum over the last 10 years - trade and supply reconfiguration are expected to drive strong demand for distribution space in Europe.

• The U.S. market has more than four times the Class-A distribution stock relative to Europe, where Class-A logistics assets account for only 14 percent of industrial stock. The European logistics property market is therefore relatively underdeveloped.

• E-commerce is increasing, requiring retailers to reevaluate their distribution channels to support demand and expected growth. Every additional â"šÂ¬1 billion of online sales resulted in an average additional warehouse demand of approximately 72,000 square meters in the UK, Germany and France over the last five years.

"Over the long term, the industrial property sector has proven to be a solid and defensive asset class, with an attractive risk-return profile to institutional investors, said Ali Nassiri, vice president, acquisitions and research, Prologis Europe. "Industrial space is a key contributor to productivity enhancement, cost reduction and overall supply chain strategy. The ongoing drive for greater operational and cost efficiency will benefit industrial real estate, fueling the sector through its recovery in the near term and into the future."

The full report can be downloaded.

Source: Prologis