This REIT’s future looks bright

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $25 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units outstanding: 269.6 million; Market cap: $6.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 5.3; Dividend yield: 5.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.riocan.com) is Canada’s largest real estate investment trust (REIT). It specializes in big-box-style outdoor malls, and owns 314 retail properties, 10 of which are under development. Most are in suburban areas, where land is generally cheaper than in towns and cities. RioCan also owns 38 malls in the U.S. through a joint venture with Cedar Shopping Centers, Inc. (New York symbol CDR). The trust owns 80% of this joint venture, as well as 14.3% of Cedar. RioCan often leaves room at its malls for expanding existing stores, and building new ones. This makes its easy to add more tenants. Expanding into mixed-use properties The trust is also expanding into other types of developments. For example, it recently teamed up with KingSett Capital to buy the Sheppard Centre in northern Toronto. This…