Stockchase Opinions

Christine Poole Chartwell Retirement Residences CSH.UN-T BUY Jun 24, 2020

They have owned this for a number of years. She has been in regular contact with their management since COVID-19 lock downs. Only about 10% of their income comes from long term care. Longer term this sector is attractive due to an aging demographic. They have handled the crisis well. She is not sure if short term growth will continue as most locations are not allowed to offer tours presently and vacancy rates are increasing as a result. She has been putting new customer money into Chartwell over the past few weeks. Yield 6%
$9.720

Stock price when the opinion was issued

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BUY ON WEAKNESS

There's talk that the stock could break out of its current range, possibly. But he wonders about the direction of interest rates both here and abroad. Either hold if you already own, or buy on dips. Good job if you already own.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Mar 27/24, Up 40%)

91% occupancy, aiming for 95% by year's end, which is very high-margin growth. Great position to add to portfolio in an accretive way. Still lots of upside. He expects Q1 report will show positive balance sheet developments.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Apr 16/24, Up 43%)

Great story. Limited supply. Canada is vastly under-invested in seniors' retirement housing. See his Top Picks.

COMMENT

They're the best Canadian operator in this space, but there are many sophisticated private ones as well. The competition is fierce. Also, it will get harder to staff these places. Thirdly, there's the uncertainty over interest rates. He looked at during the pandemic and knew it would do well after the pandemic, but passed for these reasons. CSH has done well since then and will continue to do well, but isn't sure what will drive it much higher. It's a steady eddy, a good company, but unfortunately one he passed on.

HOLD

Since Covid very little new development in the space, yet we all keep getting older. Likes it here a lot. Continued visibility to 3 years of upside. 90% occupancy, with target of 95%. Sees continued growth, especially in Quebec. 

BUY
CSH.UN vs. SIA

Supply/demand in the space is good. People usually move in to these places around age 80, and 2025 is the very beginning of baby boomers turning 80. This should really drive demand. Properties are hard to build, also tough to operate, so you really need good management. Entirely retirement, so a little more risk but also more upside. Does better when things in the sector are good.

SIA has a mix of retirement and long-term care, which is government funded, so it's always full. More bond-like, not a lot of growth but really predictable. Does better when things are weaker in the sector.

WATCH

Most favourable sector among the REITs is probably seniors housing like CSH.UN. That sector has risks, such as liability issues during pandemic. Occupancy pretty close to objective of 95%. Demographics are in its favour, people will move there because they need to not because they want to. This would be the one she'd pick to consider.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Oct 31/24, Up 34%)

Phenomenal growth in the space. NAV is his firm's "north star", and the north star just keeps moving. On track to 95% occupancy, at 93% right now. Acquiring homes in an accretive manner. Sees great growth over the next year.

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

TOP PICK

A rare winner in the battered REIT space. It's rallied nearly 30% over the past 12 months and over 33% so far this year. Aging demographics and a shortage of new retirement homes continue to drive this chain. Its occupancy rate is now 93% and will likely touch 95%. CSH continues to acquire homes and absorb them into their network. Some concerns: the PE is currently over 100x, while peer, Sienna Senior Living, trades at 46x.

DON'T BUY

Follows quite closely. Has owned in the past, but not currently. Being a REIT, it's going to grow aggressively by developing projects and buying other companies. So in a downturn in the economy, such as the pandemic, it won't have retained any capital. Instead, they'll have to raise equity, and that's really dilutive to shareholders at a really bad time.

If you're a corporation in the real estate space, you control your destiny a little more.