RioCan gains from higher-quality malls

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $27 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units outstanding: 308.9 million; Market cap: $8.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 5.8; Dividend yield: 5.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.riocan.com) continues to open new malls and, with partners, mixed-use properties with office and residential space. The trust is also selling less profitable properties. In the third quarter of 2014, RioCan’s net leasable area shrank by 2.5%, to 71.6 million square feet from 73.5 million a year earlier. But thanks to strong demand from retailers, it’s renewing leases at higher rental rates. That’s why its cash flow rose 7.4% in the latest quarter, to $131 million from $122 million. Cash flow per unit gained 5.0%, to $0.42 from $0.40, on more units outstanding. The units trade at a reasonable 15.9 times RioCan’s expected 2014 cash flow of $1.70 a unit. The $1.41 distribution yields 5.2%. RioCan is a buy. buy…