Topic: How To Invest

Pat: We are looking for stable income and came across this REIT: Artis Real Estate Investment Trust, AX.UN. Its dividend is higher than others, but how sustainable is it? Can you comment on this REIT? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Artis REIT, $13.15, symbol AX.UN on Toronto (Units outstanding: 149.3 million; Market cap: $2.0 billion; www.artisreit.com), owns 25.4 million square feet of industrial (43%), office (43%) and retail (14%) space. Those properties are in Alberta (19% of the total), Manitoba (15%), Saskatchewan (6%), B.C. (3%), and Ontario (16%), and in Minnesota (26%), Wisconsin (7%) and Arizona (6%). Artis continues to modernize its properties in order to attract higher-quality tenants and more-profitable leases. As part of this plan, the REIT has put seven industrial properties in Minnesota up for sale. It’s also exiting the U.S. retail segment, including selling its seven Minnesota retail properties. So far this year, Artis has sold seven properties, with a total of 740,000 square feet, for $158.1 million. That includes four properties in Alberta and two in B.C. The REIT also expects to soon sell its Humana building in Phoenix (valued roughly at $20 million U.S.) and its Horizon Heights retail property in Calgary. Artis intends to put these proceeds…