Primaris keeps prospering

Article Excerpt

PRIMARIS REIT, $16.09, is a buy. The trust (Toronto symbol PMZ.UN; Units outstanding: 95.5 million; Market cap: $1.5 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Yield: 5.2%; www.primarisreit.com) owns 38 enclosed and open air shopping malls in Canada totalling 12.5 million square feet. The occupancy rate is 92.4%. Primaris’s properties include its recently acquired Halifax Shopping Centre, and its Annex, in that city’s west end. The purchase price was $370 million. The shopping centre is the leading shopping destination in its market. In the quarter ended June 30, 2024, Primaris’ revenue rose 25.1%, to $120.0 million from $96.0 million a year earlier. That was mostly due to its recent acquisitions. Cash flow per unit climbed 6.8%, to $0.422 from $0.395. In January 2024, the trust raised its monthly distribution by 2.5%; the new annual rate of $0.84 yields a high 5.2% for investors. The REIT aims to pay out 45% to 50% of its cash flow as distributions. Primaris REIT is a buy. buy…