Updates on RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST and NEWMONT MINING

Article Excerpt

RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $17.18 (Toronto symbol REI.UN; Units outstanding: 234.1 million; Market cap: $4.2 billion; SI Rating: Average) has bought 100% of the first phase of the RioCan Centre in Vaughan, near Toronto. That’s double the 50% interest that the trust previously held. The first phase of this three-phase project consists of a shopping centre, which opened earlier this year. Wal-Mart is the anchor tenant, and has signed a 20-year lease. RioCan continues to hold a 50% interest in each of the remaining two phases. The trust also raised its stake in the RioCan Beacon Hill mall near Calgary. It now owns 50% of this property, up from 40%. These moves cost RioCan $38 million. The trust took out a five-year, $22-million mortgage on the Vaughan property to finance part of the purchase price. However, the extra cash flow from these two investments should help RioCan cover the interest payments. It should also let it keep paying monthly distributions of $0.115…