Sound bite for Twitter is: Dividend Paying Real Estate. Debt Ratios are mostly fine, but Liquidity could improve. The Dividend Payout Ratios (DPR) are high, but DPRs tend to be rather high on REITs. The current dividend yield is good with dividends flat. See my spreadsheet on SmartCentres REIT.
Is it a good company at a reasonable price? I buy REITs for diversification and dividends. Most REITs have little dividend growth, but dividends are good. For REITs, most of your return is from dividends. I own this stock in my TFSA account and I intend to keep it.
I own this stock of SmartCentres REIT (TSX-SRU.UN, OTC-CWYUF). Once you have 5 or 6 stocks, you might want to consider a REIT for diversification. REITs are an easy way to investment in real estate. I am therefore following a few REIT stocks and in 2009 I decided to look at a few on the Dividend Achiever's List. It is not always on this list because of periods of flat dividends.
When I was updating my spreadsheet, I noticed I have done well with this stock with a return of 10.90% with 3.88% from capital gains and 7.02% from dividends. This is a REIT, so you would expect the greater proportion of the return of come from dividends or distributions. There is a tradeoff between dividend yield versus dividend growth and stock price growth. I noticed that the REIT had a Net Income loss because of Fair Value adjustments on Investment Properties and Financial Instruments. However, most analysts look at Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO) and Funds from Operations (FFO) to evaluate REITs than in Net Income or EPS.
If you had invested in this company in December 2015, for $1,0026.46 you would have bought 34 shares at $30.19 per share. In December 2025, after 10 years you would have received $613.14 in dividends. The stock would be worth $875.50. Your total return would have been $1,488.64. This would be a total return of 4.76% per year with 1.58% from capital loss and 6.34% from dividends.
| Cost | Tot. Cost | Shares | Years | Dividends | Stock Val | Tot Ret |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30.19 | $1,026.46 | 34 | 10 | $613.14 | $875.50 | $1,488.64 |
The current dividend yield is good with dividends flat. The current dividend yield is good (5% to 6% ranges) at 6.72%. The 5 year median dividend yield is high (7% and higher) at 7.40%. The 10 year and historical median dividend yield is good at 6.85%, and 6.29%. Dividends have been flat for the last 6 years from 2020.
The Dividend Payout Ratios (DPR) are high, but DPRs tend to be rather high on REITs. The DPR for 2025 for Earnings per Share (EPS) is far too high at 134% with 5 year coverage better and high at 73%, but REITs tend to have high DPRs. The DPR for 2025 for Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO) is high at 91% with 5 year coverage at 95%. The DPR for 2025 for Funds from Operations (FFO) is fine at 83% with 5 year coverage at 84%. The DPR for 2025 for Cash Flow per Share (CFPS) is high at 60% with 5 year coverage at 65%. The DPR for 2025 for Free Cash Flow (FCF) is high at 71% with 5 year coverage at 75%.
| Item | Cur | 5 Years |
|---|---|---|
| EPS | 133.89% | 73.26% |
| AFFO | 91.13% | 94.29% |
| FFO | 82.96% | 84.48% |
| CFPS | 60.59% | 64.51% |
| FCF | 71.06% | 74.88% |
Debt Ratios are mostly fine, but Liquidity could improve. The Long Term Debt/Market Cap Ratio for 2025 is high at 1.01 and currently at 0.80. However, we need also to look at the Long Term Debt/Covering Assets Ratio for 2025 which is good at 0.41 and currently at 0.35 because this is a more important ratio for a REIT. The Liquidity Ratio for 2025 is really low at 0.26 and 0.41 currently. If you added in Cash Flow after dividends, the ratios are still low at 0.31 and currently at 0.18. The Debt Ratio for 2025 is good at 2.10 and 2.05 currently. The Leverage and Debt/Equity Ratios for 2025 are good at 1.91 and 0.91 and currently at 1.95 and 0.95.
| Type | Year End | Ratio Curr |
|---|---|---|
| Lg Term R | 1.01 | 0.80 |
| Lg Term A | 0.41 | 0.35 |
| Intang/GW | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Liquidity | 0.26 | 0.14 |
| Liq. + CF | 0.31 | 0.18 |
| Liq CF DT | 0.81 | 0.67 |
| Debt Ratio | 2.10 | 2.05 |
| Leverage | 1.91 | 1.95 |
| D/E Ratio | 0.91 | 0.95 |
The Total Return per Year is shown below for years of 5 to 28 to the end of 2025. Under the Capital Gain column is the portion of the Total Return attributable to capital gains. Under the Dividend column is the portion of the Total Return attributable to dividends. See chart below.
| From | Years | Div. Gth | Tot Ret | Cap Gain | Div. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 | 0.00% | 9.91% | 2.21% | 7.70% |
| 2015 | 10 | 1.41% | 4.76% | -1.58% | 6.34% |
| 2010 | 15 | 1.20% | 7.60% | 0.65% | 6.95% |
| 2005 | 20 | 1.51% | 7.05% | 0.41% | 6.64% |
| 2000 | 25 | 2.18% | 13.90% | 4.35% | 9.55% |
| 1997 | 28 | 26.63% | 10.23% | 16.40% |
The 5-year low, median, and high median Price/Earnings per Share Ratios are 9.26, 10.88 and 12.49. The corresponding 10 year ratios are 13.25, 14.29 and 15.57. The corresponding historical ratios are 13.65, 16.85 and 19.07. The current ratio is 33.13 based on a stock price of $27.51 and EPS estimate for 2026 of $0.83. The current ratio is above the high ratio of the 10 year median ratio. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively expensive.
The above EPS estimate for 2026 is rather low. The EPS estimate for 2027 is $1.98 and this implies a P/E Ratio of 14.22. This ratio is between the low and median ratio of the 10 year median ratios. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable and below the median.
I also have Adjusted Fund from Operations (AFFO) data. The 5-year low, median, and high median Price/ Adjusted Fund from Operations Ratios are 11.63, 12.55 and 15.68. The corresponding 10 year ratios are 12.14, 13.97 and 15.94. The corresponding historical ratios are 12.88, 14.64 and 16.29. The current ratio is 14.48 based on a stock price of $27.51 and AFFO estimate for 2026 of $1.90. The current ratio is between the median and the high ratio of the 10 year median ratio. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable but above the median.
I also have Fund from Operations (FFO) data. The 5-year low, median, and high median Price/Fund from Operations Ratios are 9.66, 11.21 and 12.87. The corresponding 10 year ratios are 11.19, 12.38 and 15.02. The corresponding historical ratios are 11.66,13.50 and 15.23. The current ratio is 13.04 based on a stock price of $27.51 and FFO estimate for 2026 of $2.11. The current ratio is between the median and the high ratio of the 10 year median ratio. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable but above the median.
I get a Graham Price of $23.57. The 10-year low, median, and high median Price/Graham Price Ratios are 0.63, 0.72, and 0.89. The current ratio is 0.73 based on a stock price of $27.51. The current ratio is between the median and the high ratio of the 10 year median ratio. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable but above the median.
I get a 10-year median Price/Book Value per Share Ratio of 0.95. The current ratio is 0.93 based on a stock price of $27.51, Book Value of $5,069M and Book Value per Share $29.73. The current ratio is 2% below the 10 year median ratio. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable and below the median.
I get a 10-year median Price/Cash Flow per Share Ratio of 13.43. The current ratio is 11.99 based on Cash Flow for the last 12 month $391.1M, Cash Flow per Share $2.29 and a stock price of $27.51. The current ratio is 11% below the 10 year median ratio. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable and below the median.
I get an historical median dividend yield of 6.29%. The current dividend yield is 6.72% based on a dividend of $1.85 and a stock price of $27.51. The current dividend yield is 7% above the historical dividend yield. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable and below the median.
I get a 10 year median dividend yield of 6.85%. The current dividend yield is 6.72% based on a dividend of $1.85 and a stock price of $27.51. The current dividend yield is 2% below the 10 year dividend yield. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable but above the median.
The 10-year median Price/Sales (Revenue) Ratio is 5.61. The current ratio is 4.89 based on Revenue estimate of $958.4M, Revenue per Share is $5.62 and a stock price of $27.51. The current ratio is 13% below the 10 year median ratio. This stock price testing suggests that the stock price is relatively reasonable and below the median.
Results of stock price testing is that the stock price is probably reasonable. The 10 yar median dividend yield test says the stock price is reasonable but above the median. The P/S Ratio test says that the stock price is reasonable but below the median. The rest of the testing shows that the stock price is reasonable to expensive. But the good tests say it is reasonable and below or above the median.
When I look at analysts’ recommendations, I find Strong Buy (4), Hold (4) and Unperform (1). The consensus is Buy. The 12 month stock price consensus is $30.00 with a high of $33.00 and low of $27.50. The stock price consensus of $30.00 implies a total return of 15.78% with 9.05% from capital gains and 6.72% from dividends based on a current stock price of $27.51.
There are a number of entries on Stock Chase. Some Buy and some Do Not Buy. One Do Not Buy says that the problem with REITs is that in rocky economic times, REITs either have to cut their dividend or issue shares. Sneha Nahata on Motley Fool likes this stock for its high dividend. Demetris Afxentiou on Motley Fool likes this stock for the high monthly income. The company put out a Press Release about its fourth quarter of 2025. The company put out a Press Release about its second quarter of 2026.
Guru Focus News via Yahoo Finance gives their view of this stock. They think that the Dividend Payout Ratio is too high. Simply Wall Street via Yahoo Finance reviews this stock and says it is undervalued. Simply Wall Street says it has 4 warnings on this stock of interest payments are not well covered by earnings; earnings have declined by 26.4% per year over past 5 years; profit margins (16.4%) are lower than last year (24.3%); large one-off items impacting financial results.
SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust is a Canadian fully integrated commercial and residential REIT, with several strategically located properties in communities across the country. It has one reportable segment, which comprises the development, ownership, management, and operation of investment properties located in Canada. Its web site is here SmartCentres REIT.
The last stock I wrote about was about was High Liner Foods (TSX-HLF, OTC-HLNFF) ... learn more. The next stock I will write about will be Cargojet Inc (TSX-CJT, OTC-CGJTF) ... learn more on Friday, September 4, 2026 around 5 pm. . Tomorrow on my other blog I will write about Something to Buy September 2026 learn more on Thursday, September 3, 2026 around 5 pm.
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