Topic: How To Invest

Hello, Patrick: Thanks for your great advice. Could you please tell us what you think of Mainstreet Equity? Thank you

Article Excerpt

Mainstreet Equity, $32.50, symbol MEQ on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 10.3 million; Market cap: $333.9 million; www.mainst.biz), owns 216 properties with 9,319 apartment units, mainly in Western Canada. In the three months ended June 30, 2015, Mainstreet’s revenue rose 9.3%, to $25.1 million from $23.0 million a year earlier. Cash flow per share gained 15.9%, to $0.73 from $0.63. Mainstreet’s total debt, including mortgages, is $672.0 million, or a high 201% of its market cap. That’s compared to, say, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, a recommendation of our Successful Investor newsletter, whose total debt of $6.7 billion is 82.0% of its market cap. The company faces an uncertain economic outlook in Alberta and Saskatchewan, which together account for 71% of its rental portfolio. It aims to take advantage of the downturn by buying distressed properties. Mainstreet also plans to boost its profits by buying buildings it can fix up, making their units more attractive and pulling in higher rents. But that can add…