Sharper focus should pay off for these REITs

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $24.86 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Units outstanding: 326.3 million; Market cap: $8.1 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 5.7%; www.riocan.com) owns all or part of 294 shopping centres and other properties in Canada. That includes 16 properties now under development. In all, the REIT controls 45.1 million square feet of rentable space. Its overall occupancy rate is a high 96.8%. RioCan’s revenue rose 1.6% in the quarter ended September 30, 2017, to $286.7 million from $282.2 million a year earlier. Cash flow in the quarter gained 7.0%, to $0.46 per unit from $0.43. As part of its decision to focus on Canada’s six major population centres, RioCan continues to divest itself of more than 100 properties worth in excess of $2.0 billion. The trust aims to generate over 90% of its annual rental revenue from these six markets, up from 75.2% as at September 30, 2017. Over 50% of its annual rental revenue will come from the Greater Toronto…