Quality properties and tenants cut your risk

Article Excerpt

Uncertainty over the future of the traditional office model because of COVID-19 has weighed on these two REITs. However, their high-quality properties and tenants continue to help them weather the pandemic. What’s more, their current payouts still seem sustainable. ALLIED PROPERTIES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $39 is a buy. The trust (Toronto symbol AP.UN; Cyclical-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Units outstanding: 127.3 million; Market cap: $5.0 billion; Dividend yield: 4.4%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.alliedreit.com) creates value for investors through its 202 office buildings, mainly in major Canadian cities. Most of those are classified as Class I buildings, and together they comprise 14.0 million square feet of leasable area. The overall occupancy rate is 92.5%. Class I refers to 19th- and early-20th-century industrial buildings that are now used as office space. They often have exposed beams and brick walls, and hardwood floors. Starting with the January 2021 payment, the REIT raised its monthly distribution by 3.0%. Investors now receive $0.1417 a unit instead of $0.1375….