Yield to Caution: American Hotel Properties REIT

Article Excerpt

AMERICAN HOTEL INCOME PROPERTIES REIT $6.82 (Toronto symbol HOT.UN; Units outstanding: 78.1 million; Market cap: $532.6 million; Dividend yield: 12.4%; www.ahipreit.com) owns 112 hotels, comprising over 11,524 rooms in 33 U.S. states. The REIT operates in two segments: Its Premium Branded Hotels business consists of 67 hotels, with 7,684 guestrooms; and its Economy Lodging Hotels business consists of 45 hotels (comprised 3,840 guestrooms). It caters primarily to mobile workforce employees in the transportation, construction, and resource industries. However, American Hotel has now agreed to sell its Economy Lodging portfolio of 45 hotels for $215.5 million. It plans to focus solely on Premium Branded hotels. The REIT’s monthly distribution of $0.054 U.S. per unit to investors yield a very high 12.4%. However, American Hotels needs to keep renovating its aging properties to remain competitive. That will hold back its cash flow for a least this year, and possibly next. As well, the REIT’s growth-by-acquisition strategy—which will likely accelerate with the sale of its Economy Lodging unit—adds considerable risk for investors. We don’t…