A Yield to Caution

Article Excerpt

AUTOMOTIVE PROPERTIES REIT $11.10 (Toronto symbol APR.UN; Units outstanding: 16.2 million; Market cap: $179.8 million; Dividend yield: 7.2%; www.automotivepropertiesreit.ca) is a real estate investment trust that owns 35 commercial properties across cities in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C. and Quebec. The properties offer 1.4 million square feet of space for a wide variety car dealerships. Automotive Properties pays monthly distributions of $0.067 a unit; the annual rate of $0.80 yields a high 7.2%. The Dilawri Group owns 61 dealerships and is the REIT’s largest tenant; it accounts for about 93% of Auto Properties’ rental income. As well, Dilawri owns 38% of the REIT. Since it first sold units to the public in July 2015, Automotive Properties has purchased nine new sites for a total of $112.9 million. These property acquisitions have expanded its presence in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. They have also attracted several luxury car brands such as Jaguar and Mercedes. The REIT’s units trade at 12.8 times its forecast 2017 cash flow of…