RioCan Aims to Keep on Growing

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $25 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units outstanding: 208.0 million; Market cap: $5.2 billion; SI Rating: Average) will record a $150 million pre-tax charge to its earnings in the second quarter of 2007. This is a non-cash charge, so it has no effect on RioCan’s cash flows, nor on its ability to maintain its $1.32 distribution rate, which yields 5.3%. Ottawa’s new rules for income trusts come into effect in 2011, and RioCan will probably have to restructure its operations to qualify as a tax-exempt REIT. Meanwhile, however, its growth is likely to continue. RioCan is a buy. buy…