RioCan aims to cut risk, boost cash flow

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $28 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units outstanding: 324.8 million; Market cap: $9.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 8.1; Dividend yield: 5.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.riocan.com) owns all or part of 303 shopping centres in Canada, including 16 under development. The trust cuts its risk to online shopping and declining mall traffic in several ways. For example, It focuses on Canada’s six largest cities—Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. They account for 75.0% of its rental revenue. High-quality tenants draw shoppers RioCan also focuses on properties that attract a wide variety of tenants. As of March 31, 2016, its occupancy rate was a high 94.8%. Moreover, well-established national chains such as Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire and Cineplex theatres account for 84.2% of RioCan’s rental revenue. The trust spreads out the terms of its leases so that only a few expire each year. RioCan took advantage of low interest rates to buy new…