This new REIT needs a housing rebound

Article Excerpt

WEYERHAEUSER CO. $17 (New York symbol WY; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 538.7 million; Market cap: $9.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend yield: 3.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.weyerhaeuser.com) is a leading maker of forest products. It owns or leases over 21 million acres of timberland in the U.S. and Canada. Weyerhaeuser recently converted to a real estate investment trust (REIT). In connection with this change, it paid a special dividend in September 2010 that consisted of $560 million in cash and 324 million common shares. Many of Weyerhaeuser’s rivals operate as REITs, so this conversion will help it compete. REITs pay little or no income tax, and must pay 90% of their earnings to their shareholders as dividends. Right now, Weyerhaeuser pays a regular quarterly dividend of $0.15 a share, for a 3.5% annualized yield. As well, Weyerhaeuser is selling some of its less-important businesses and investing the proceeds in its main lumber and timberlands operations. In August 2011, it…