Updating RioCan REIT, Tim Hortons and Canadian National Railway

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $25 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Units outstanding: 263.4 million; Market cap: $6.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 6.0; Dividend yield: 5.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.riocan.com) has interests in 305 shopping malls in Canada, including 10 under development. RioCan also owns stakes in 35 malls in the U.S. through joint ventures. In the first six months of 2011, the trust bought or increased its stake in 16 properties. These purchases cost it a total of $230 million ($139 million in Canada and $91 million in the U.S.). That’s 25.7% more than its cash flow of $183 million, or $0.70 a unit, in the first half of 2011. However, these properties have grocery stores and other major retailers as anchor tenants. That cuts their risk. In the current quarter, RioCan plans to spend $245.9 million to buy or raise its interest in 11 more properties. RioCan is a buy. TIM HORTONS INC. $43 (Toronto symbol THI; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer…