RioCan expands in southern Ontario

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $27 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units outstanding: 299.0 million; Market cap: $8.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 5.3; Dividend yield: 5.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.riocan.com) has agreed to buy a mall in Oakville, Ontario, plus 50% of another mall in Burlington, Ontario. Right now, Primaris Retail Real Estate Investment Trust (Toronto symbol PMZ.UN) owns these malls. RioCan will buy them from a consortium that has launched a friendly takeover for Primaris. The $362-million price is equal to 4% of RioCan’s market cap. The new malls will give RioCan more flexibility to attract tenants with leases that include space in its other Toronto-area malls. RioCan is a buy. buy…