By Dan Weil The total return of the FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs index slumped 16.1% this year through May 9. Real estate investments in recent months have hit the skids amid rampant inflation, soaring interest rates and fears of recession. The total return of the FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs index slumped 16.1% this year through May 9, worse than the S&P 500’s 15.9% total-return slide during that period. But for long-term investors, some real estate investment trusts could be profitable investments. Morningstar analyst Kevin Brown recently cited three strong candidates. Federal Realty Investm…