GlobeNewswire Inc | Oct 14, 2020 08:30AM EDT

October 14, 2020

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ:ROIC) announced today that Fitch Ratings, Inc. (Fitch) has assigned a BBB- long-term issuer default rating to ROIC with a stable outlook.

According to Fitchs published report, the rating and outlook reflect ROICs high-quality, grocery-anchored shopping center portfolio located in densely populated, high barrier-to-entry west coast U.S. markets. Additionally, Fitch stated that ROICs best-in-class historical occupancy levels, and investment-grade credit metrics are key factors supporting the rating.

Stuart A. Tanz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. stated, We are pleased to have earned an investment grade rating from Fitch. To achieve this rating and outlook during such an unprecedented time, with the ongoing pandemic, we believe speaks volumes as to the long-term strength and stability of our business, portfolio and balance sheet.

More information regarding ROIC's rating assignment can be found on Fitch's website at: fitchratings.com.

ABOUT RETAIL OPPORTUNITY INVESTMENTS CORP.

Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ: ROIC), is a fully-integrated, self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the acquisition, ownership and management of grocery-anchored shopping centers located indensely-populated,metropolitan markets across the West Coast. As of June 30, 2020, ROIC owned 88 shopping centers encompassing approximately 10.1 million square feet. ROIC is the largestpublicly-traded,grocery-anchored shopping centerREIT focused exclusively on the West Coast. ROIC is a member of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index and has investment-grade corporate debt ratings from Moody's Investor Services, Standard & Poors, and Fitch Ratings, Inc. Additional information is available at: www.roireit.net.

When used herein, the words "believes," "anticipates," "projects," "should," "estimates," "expects," guidance and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements with the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and in Section 21F of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Certain statements contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results of ROIC to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Information regarding such risks and factors is described in ROIC's filings with the SEC, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is available at: www.roireit.net.

Contact:Carol Merriman, Investor Relations858-255-7426cmerriman@roireit.net

Source: Retail Opportunity Investments Corp.