A Yield to Caution: Automotive Properties REIT

Article Excerpt

AUTOMOTIVE PROPERTIES REIT $10 (Toronto symbol APR.UN; Units outstanding: 39.7 million; Market cap: $397.0 million; Dividend yield: 8.0%; www.automotivereit.ca) is a real estate investment trust that owns 77 commercial properties across cities in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, B.C. and Quebec. The REIT’s properties offer 2.9 million square feet of space for a wide variety of car dealerships. Automotive Properties pays monthly distributions of $0.067 a unit; the annual rate of $0.80 yields a high 8.0%. The Dilawri Group exclusively occupies 37 of the REIT’s dealerships and is the REIT’s largest tenant; it accounts for about 60% of Auto Properties’ rental income. As well, Dilawri owns 31.4% of the REIT. Since it first sold units to the public in July 2015, Automotive Properties has purchased 51 new sites. These property acquisitions included luxury car brands such as Jaguar, Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Mercedes. The REIT’s units trade at a low 10.1 times its forecast 2024 cash flow of $0.99 a unit. However, its exposure to cyclical automotive sales and…