Cash boost for PRT

Article Excerpt

PRT FOREST REGENERATION INCOME FUND $2.11 (Toronto symbol PRT.UN; SI Rating: Speculative) (250-381-1404; www.prtgroup.com; Shares outstanding: 9.7 million; Market cap: $20.5 million; Dividends suspended in January 2009) has received $4.6 million in insurance proceeds to cover damage to some of its greenhouses that was caused by a heavy snowstorm in December 2008. PRT will put the cash toward its debt. That will lower its interest costs. The fund’s debt of $6.5 million is 31.7% of its market cap. Demand for PRT’s seedlings should improve as the U.S. economy recovers and housing starts revive. Demand should also rise as British Columbia begins to replace forests destroyed by the mountain pine beetle infestation. PRT Forest is still a hold. hold…