Stockchase Opinions

Paul Gardner, CFAArtis Real Estate Investment TrustAX.UN.TODON'T BUYNov 09, 2023

Fell on hard times. Repositioning. Cut distribution. Exposure to office and retail. Leverage is too high, needing refinancing at higher levels. There's another chance of a downdraft in equity markets, so you want high quality.

$6.18

Stock price when the opinion was issued

$8.82

As of Feb 03, 2026. Market Open.

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DON'T BUY

Diversified across type and geography. Recent announcement would see it effectively sold at 44% discount to integral value. Distribution moving from monthly to quarterly, and much lower. Definitely avoid.

COMMENT

Going private at zero premium, will be delisted temporarily. Market's giving it a big thumbs down. Structure will be peculiar. Small company, not a lot of institutional investment. Doesn't see prospects for a better offer.

SELL

Diversified with office, retail, industrial in both Canada and US. Institutional investors tend not to like diversified REITs. Over their skis on the balance sheet, so forced to sell assets and a lot of the best ones. Has become more of an office REIT in challenged markets.

When REITs come back into favour, this won't be leading the parade. Best move on and deploy capital into one of the other suggestions from today.

DON'T BUY

In transition, difficult to analyze. Not really covering its distribution. Investors hoping dividend won't be cut.

COMMENT
The preferred shares, Series E

Has a rate reset spread at 330 basis points, and pays a dividend yield of 15%. Something happened to the dividend last August. Doesn't know this name well. They are selling some retail assets to add stability to the stock.

DON'T BUY
AX.UN vs. HR.UN

In the midst of trying to decide on its strategy. Strategic review. Outcome uncertain. Challenging market in which to sell non-trophy real estate. Show-me on execution. Higher risk.

He'd own HR.UN over this one.

DON'T BUY

Their office holdings will be in a tough spot, but their industrial ones are doing very well and will continue to. NAV is $14-15, but shares are only at $6. So, management will have to work hard to prove to investors that there's a lot more value here. Don't buy until you see that plan.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Oct 12/22, Down 28%)

Turnaround situation that got caught in a rising interest rate environment. Still likes it and is buying for new clients. Essentially, a creeping takeover. More upside than downside. Don't sell now, lots of positive catalysts.

WEAK BUY
Buy the preferred shares, repriced in September at BOC 5-year rate plus 3.3%?

Tempting. You'd get a yield of about 8% until the end of September, and 7.25% after that unless they call it back.  You could buy a 5-year GIC in a registered account, no risk, and a yield of 5.32%. Or buy a laddered group of preferreds with about 6%.

Pretty indebted, not the best credit rating, fairly illiquid. If he's going to take the risk, he really wants the reward. He doesn't love either, but the AX.UN common shares with a yield of 8.34% are a better bet right now.

DON'T BUY

It is reflecting a lot of REIT's with the squeeze on returns. You should look at companies that are defensive. He would pass on Artis but has a couple of others to look at. For real estate in general he likes shopping centres, but stay away from residential.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Jun 15/22, Down 37%)

Most unloved asset class. Don't throw in the towel. 1/3 of business is owned by insiders. Immense pressure to be privatized, which often carries a 20-30% premium to share price. He's dollar-cost averaged down. 

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1550+ opinions with 4.81 rating (one of the best performing expert).

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Jan 26/23, Down 7.8%)Stockchase Research Editor: Michael O’Reilly

Our PAST TOP PICK with AX.UN has triggered its stop at $8.80.  To remain disciplined, we recommend covering the position at this time.  

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Unlock this Panic-proof Portfolio opinion with Stockchase Premium

Curated by Michael O'Reilly since 2020.
1550+ opinions with 4.81 rating (one of the best performing expert).

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Jan 26/23, Down 3.8%)Stockchase Research Editor: Michael O’Reilly

Our PAST TOP PICK with AX.UN is progressing well.  To remain disciplined, we recommend trailing up the stop (from $8.00) to $8.80 at this time.  

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It's a Monthly Gems opinion which is available only for Stockchase Premium

Curated by Allan Tong since 2019.
99+ opinions with 4.15 rating.

TOP PICK

Based in Winnipeg, this REIT owns property in Manitoba, BC, Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota and Wisconsin, broken down into 47% office, 32% industrial and 20% retail. Before you get alarmed over the office and retail holdings, consider Artis' 6.92x PE, 6.35% dividend yield based on a 43.8% payout ratio, and 6.5x cash flow, as Stockchaser Michael O'Reilly notes. In fact, the forward PE is 11.51x, so the market has faith in this name, even though mixed REITs have fallen out of fashion in this post-Covid world.