Buy either for dependable distributions

Article Excerpt

ALLIED PROPERTIES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $41 (Toronto symbol AP.UN; Cyclical-Growth Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Units outstanding: 93.0 million; Market cap: $3.8 billion; Dividend yield: 3.8%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.alliedreit.com) owns 147 office buildings, mainly in major Canadian cities. Together, they comprise over 11.3 million square feet of leasable space. Most of the properties are classified as Class I buildings. That designation refers to 19th- and early-20th-century industrial buildings now used as office space. They often have exposed beams and brick walls, and hardwood floors. With the January 2018 payment, Allied raised its monthly distribution by 2.0%, to $0.13 a unit from $0.1275. The new annual rate of $1.56 yields 3.8%. The REIT continues to grow steadily by acquisition. For all of 2017, it made $122.9 million in acquisitions and sold 12 non-core properties for $54.0 million. In the three months ended December 31, 2017, Allied’s revenue increased 3.1%, to $107.7 million from $104.5 million a year earlier. The REIT’s cash flow grew…