REIT spinoff plan still on tap

Article Excerpt

LEON’S FURNITURE LTD. $18 is a buy for aggressive investors. The retailer (Toronto symbol LNF; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 67.9 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion; Dividend yield: 3.6%; Takeover Target Rating: Lowest; www.leons.com) operates 304 stores that sell furniture and home appliances, mainly under the Leon’s, The Brick, and Appliance Canada banners. Leon’s still plans to transfer its real estate holdings to a new real estate investment trust (REIT). It will then hand out units in the REIT to its shareholders, or sell units to the public through an initial public offering. Regardless, Leon’s will retain majority interest in the REIT. As of June 30, 2023, the net book value of the company’s land, buildings and building improvements was $608.3 million. The stock now trades at just 8.4 times the $2.14 a share that Leon’s will probably earn for all of 2023. The $0.64 dividend yields a solid 3.6%. Leon’s is a buy for aggressive investors. investors…