Primaris offer a high yield

Article Excerpt

PRIMARIS REIT, $13.60, is a buy. The trust (Toronto symbol PMZ.UN; Units outstanding: 97.3 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Yield: 6.0%; www.primarisreit.com) owns 36 enclosed and open air shopping malls in Canada totalling 11.4 million square feet. The occupancy rate is 91.0%. Primaris is working with retailer tenants to facilitate their Internet businesses as consumers have shifted to online shopping. That includes building distribution and curbside pickup hubs near their stores. Under these deals, Primaris receives a percentage of their online sales. In the quarter ended June 30, 2023, revenue rose 1.7%, to $96.0 million from $94.3 million a year earlier. Cash flow per unit fell 1.0% in the quarter, to $0.395 from $0.399. In January 2023, the trust raised its monthly distribution by 2.4%; the new annual rate of $0.82 yields a high 6.0% for investors. The REIT aims to pay out 45% to 50% of its cash flow as distributions. Primaris REIT is a buy. buy…