Topic: How To Invest

What is your opinion of Cominar REIT? Thanks

Article Excerpt

Cominar REIT, $23.99, symbol CUF.UN on Toronto (Units outstanding: 123.6 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; www.cominar.com), is the largest commercial property owner in Quebec. In all, the real estate investment trust owns 415 properties, including 82 office buildings, 158 shopping malls and 175 industrial and mixed-use buildings. These properties contain more than 30.7 million square feet of leasable space located in Montreal (56%), Quebec City (24%), the Atlantic provinces (9%), western Canada (4%), other parts of Quebec (3%), the Ottawa/Gatineau region (2%) and Ontario (2%). Cominar’s occupancy rate is 94.5%. The trust continues to grow by acquisition. In March 2012, it purchased Canmarc REIT for $904.6 million. That increased Cominar’s leasable space by 44%. Contributions from Canmarc’s properties pushed up Cominar’s revenue by 71.0% in the three months ended June 30, 2012, to $140.4 million from $82.1 million a year earlier. Cash flow rose 63.8%, to $47.2 million from $28.8 million. The company sold $373.8 million of new units to help pay for…