Smart acquisitions fuel these REITs

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $27.64 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Units outstanding: 304.4 million; Market cap: $8.4 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 5.1%; www.riocan.com) is Canada’s largest real estate investment trust (REIT), with interests in 340 shopping malls containing over 82 million square feet of leasable area. That total includes 47 U.S. malls with over 13 million square feet. In the three months ended March 31, 2014, RioCan’s revenue increased 6.4%, to $299 million from $281 million a year earlier. Cash flow per unit rose 2.4%, to $0.42 from $0.41, on more units outstanding. RioCan continues to see growth opportunities in Canada and the U.S. In 2013, it spent $849 million on 32 properties. In the first quarter of 2014, it bought two more for a total of $21 million. RioCan is also making better use of its existing space. For example, the trust is adding office and residential units to its malls, which is cheaper than buying new properties. This also helps RioCan’s…