Yield to Caution: Medical Facilities Corp.

Article Excerpt

MEDICAL FACILITIES CORP. $7.96 (Toronto symbol DR; Shares outstanding: 31.1 million; Market cap: $247.6 million; Dividend yield: 14.1%; www.medicalfacilitiescorp.ca) holds majority interest in five specialty surgical hospitals in South Dakota, Indiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas, as well as an outpatient surgical clinic in California. The company pays a monthly dividend of $0.09375. The yearly rate of $1.125 a share results in a very high 14.1% yield. Demand for Medical Facilities’ services should rise as the U.S. population ages. Moreover, physicians who practice at its facilities hold a minority stake in the company. That reduces turnover. However, the company relies on a limited number of surgical centres for its cash flow. Moreover, its health-care facilities are subject to numerous and constantly changing rules and requirements for hospitals and physicians. This could include new regulations or any changes U.S. President Donald Trump might make to the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (known as Obamacare). This adds some uncertainty to Medical Facilities’ prospects—as does its plan to grow quickly through…