Topic: How To Invest

Q: Pat, what do you think of Bridgemarq Real Estate Services? It has recently changed its name, but has anything else changed? Is the dividend safe? Thank you.

Article Excerpt

A: Bridgemarq Real Estate Services, $13.90, symbol BRE on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 9.5 million; Market cap: $132.5 million; www.bridgemarq.com), is a leading provider of services to residential real estate brokers. Its network is comprised of 19,046 real estate agents working with 337 broker-owners, who operate 671 locations under 298 franchise agreements. In Canada, Bridgemarq operates under the Royal LePage, Via Capitale and Johnston & Daniel brands. It has about a one-fifth share of the Canadian market. In May 2019, the company changed its name from Brookfield Real Estate Services. In the three months ended June 30, 2019. Bridgemarq’s revenue rose 1.9%, to $11.7 million from $11.5 million, a year earlier. That reflects the market: The total value of real estate bought and sold in Canada increased by 7% to $76.3 billion in the latest quarter. Nationally, the number of homes sold was up 5% while the average selling price of a home decreased by less than 1%. The Greater Vancouver market experienced significant weakness,…