Slate Office REIT: Strategic Disposition and Unit Repurchases Drive Value

Slate Office REIT (TSX: SOT.UN) recently announced the disposition of two office properties in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for a combined sale price of $25.2 million. This strategic move aligns with the REIT's focus on generating meaningful returns for unitholders and creating liquidity for future opportunities. In this article, we will explore the significance of this transaction, its impact on the REIT's financial stability, and the potential future capital gains and stable income opportunities it presents for investors.

The sale of 895 Waverley Street and 1000 Waverley Street in Winnipeg, Manitoba, demonstrates Slate Office REIT's ability to generate meaningful returns for unitholders. The disposition price represents an 8.1% premium to the REIT's IFRS value, indicating a strong return on investment. Furthermore, the expected levered internal rate of return (IRR) for these dispositions is 19%, highlighting the REIT's strategic capital recycling efforts.

Slate Office REIT expects to use the net proceeds from the sale to reduce outstanding debt and fund continued unit repurchases. By reducing debt, the REIT improves its balance sheet, lowering its debt-to-equity ratio and interest expenses, which positively impacts its earnings and cash flow. Additionally, the unit repurchases, totaling $11.3 million and 1.8 million units in 2019 at a weighted average price of $6.10 per unit, indicate the REIT's confidence in its undervalued units. As the REIT buys back its units, the outstanding shares decrease, potentially leading to an increase in the unit price due to supply and demand dynamics.


The REIT's strategic acquisitions and investments with the generated liquidity could enhance its portfolio and drive growth. With a focus on strategic capital recycling, potential acquisitions could include undervalued assets in major population centers, aligning with the author's preference for stable, income-generating investments.

Slate Office REIT's recent disposition and unit repurchases present potential future capital gains and stable income opportunities for investors. The REIT's strong fundamentals, including its solid balance sheet and global diversification, make it an attractive investment in a high-interest-rate environment. By capitalizing on undervaluations created by market perceptions, such as high interest rates affecting REITs, investors can secure steady returns through an income-focused strategy.


In conclusion, Slate Office REIT's recent disposition of two office properties in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for $25.2 million, generates liquidity that can be strategically recycled to reduce debt and fund continued unit repurchases. This transaction, at an 8.1% premium to the REIT's IFRS value, demonstrates the REIT's ability to generate meaningful returns for unitholders. With a levered internal rate of return of 19%, the disposition highlights the REIT's strong fundamentals and potential for future capital gains. Additionally, the REIT has repurchased and canceled approximately 1.8 million units in 2019 at a weighted average price of $6.10 per unit, indicating a belief in the REIT's units trading at a significant discount to its net asset value. This income-focused strategy, coupled with the REIT's global diversification, offers investors potential stable income opportunities and capital gains in the future.