So, you want to start making passive income month after month? To do that, you’re going to need two things. First, a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). It’s no good making passive income if you have to turn around and let the government take a chunk, making a TFSA your best investment vehicle. Then, you’re going to need a top stock. A dividend stock that’s going to keep those payouts not just coming in, but growing.
That’s why today we’re going to look at SmartCentres REIT (TSX: SRU.UN), and why it’s a perfect dividend stock to pick up for long-term income.
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Making the income
Let’s not beat around the bush. First, we’ll get right into how much investors would need to invest in order to create that $250 each and every month. That price would mean creating an investment of $3,000 each year. With a dividend of $1.85 as of writing, that would mean picking up 1,622 shares. With the share price currently around $27 as of writing, with a 6.9% yield, that means investing about $43,440 in a TFSA today.
| COMPANY | RECENT PRICE | NUMBER OF SHARES | DIVIDEND | TOTAL PAYOUT | FREQUENCY | TOTAL INVESTMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRU.UN | $26.77 | 1,622 | $1.85 | $3,000 | Monthly | $43,440 |
Yet there are a few items to note. Currently, the dividend stock holds a payout ratio of 137%. This is earnings per share (EPS) based, so it’s not the right lens for a real estate investment trust (REIT). To get a better view, we can look at funds from operations (FFO) per unit, which comes to $0.55. This would mean there is an implied quarterly distribution of around $0.46 coming to that $1.85 each year, suggesting the FFO does, in fact, cover the dividend. Plus, improving net operating income (NOI) and rent growth support the sustainability.
Showing stability
As mentioned, the FFO per unit at $0.55 gives the dividend stock healthy coverage. NOI grew 4.8% year over year, but was even stronger, up 7.7% when taking out anchors. This showed rents are growing faster than costs, making the dividend stock quite sustainable at these levels.
Furthermore, occupancy remained at 98.6%, showing the dividend stock is basically full! Renewals also achieved 8.5% in rent growth. Therefore, the dividend stock continues to have strong cash flow based on support payouts. And with debt to equity at just 82%, within the normal range for REITs, and rate cuts underway, refinancing risks are dropping.
More to come
A supported dividend is great now, but what about in the future? SRU reported that its Costco and Pacific Fresh openings are happening later this year, locking in strong tenants and higher rents. Beyond that, the dividend stock is developing self-storage, residential, and even mixed-use projects. These would spread the risk beyond traditional shopping centres.
While all this is happening, the dividend stock still looks valuable. It trades at 0.88 times book value and 13.5 times earnings. With units trading below book value, investors can lock up this dividend stock for a great yield and great gains.
Bottom line
Altogether, SRU looks like a stable and strong TFSA income generator. With that investment, you could certainly bring in $250 per month in passive income. All that income is then backed by nearly full occupancy, solid rent growth, and a sustainable payout ratio. Add in stable grocery and retail anchors and diverse growth, and SRU looks like one of the most stable Canadian REITs out there.
