Primaris is a top REIT

Article Excerpt

PRIMARIS REIT, $15.07, is a buy. The trust (Toronto symbol PMZ.UN; Units outstanding: 97.3 million; Market cap: $1.5 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Yield: 5.4%; www.primarisreit.com) owns 35 enclosed and open air shopping malls in Canada totalling 11.3 million square feet. The occupancy rate is 87.5%. Primaris is working with retailer tenants to facilitate their Internet businesses as consumers shift to online shopping. That includes building distribution and curbside pickup hubs near their stores. Under these deals, Primaris receives a percentage of their online sales. In the quarter ended December 31, 2022, revenue jumped 51.0%, to $99.8 million from $66.1 million a year earlier. The REIT added 8 new properties. Cash flow per unit was $0.271. (No prior-year, pre-spinoff figure was available). The trust just raised its monthly distribution by 2.5%; the new annual rate of $0.82 yields a high 5.4%. The REIT aims to pay out 45% to 50% of its cash flow as distributions. Primaris REIT is a buy. buy…