REIT cuts skyscraper stake

Article Excerpt

DREAM OFFICE REIT $18.50 (Toronto symbol D.UN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (416-365-3535; www.dream.ca/office; Units o/s: 107.6 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion; Dividend yield: 8.1%) owns and manages 160 properties in major Canadian cities. They comprise 22.3 million square feet of office and retail space. The trust is now selling part of its stake in the 2 million square-foot Scotia Plaza, in downtown Toronto. The buyer is KingSett Capital, a private equity firm. Neither party has disclosed the sales price. Dream Office bought two-thirds of the 68- storey building four years ago. Under the terms of this new deal, it will sell 16.66% of the property and keep its remaining 50% stake. It will also continue to manage the downtown office tower. Dream Office REIT remains a buy. buy…