TECHNOLOGY | HEALTH | CONSUMER | INDUSTRIAL | FINANCIAL | NATURAL | INVESTING
 

Latest Issues
Advanced Search
Subscribe
TWST Conferences
Subscribe Online
TWST Products
Technology
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry & Services
Financial Services
Natural Resources
Investing Strategies
Who is TWST?
Contact TWST
Contact TWST Europe
Sample Issue
Home

Click the button below to talk to a live representative from The Wall Street Transcript

 

The Wall Street Transcript publishes:

Internet Security & Identity Authentication Issue
Four analysts and top management from nine sector firms examine the Security/Internet Security & Identity Authentication sector in this 51 - page Issue from The Wall Street Transcript.
Investing Strategies Report
Weekly series of interviews with TWST Editors and top money managers

Let the best minds of Wall Street pick your stock

How has Special Stock Report been able to consistently outperform the major indices? Find out how!
 

 

MeriStar is one of Money Manager's largest hotel position Full article published: 03/06/2002     DAMON J. ANDRES is Vice President and Portfolio Manager with Delaware Investments


For Subscribers

Get the complete article now!

Seven money managers examine portfolio management strategies in the latest issue of The Wall Street Transcript, available at (212/952-7433) or http://www.twst.com/info/info505.htm

TWST: Do you have a hotel?

Mr. Andres: We do have a hotel. We actually own a couple. One in particular we own is MeriStar (NYSE:MHX). MHX trades at a significant discount to the REIT universe and to its hotel company peers. MHX’s valuation, along with all hotel companies, was severely impacted after September 11. In addition, it has temporarily suspended its dividend as business took a nosedive. We do expect MHX to resume their dividend later this year, and feel the dividend suspension was a very prudent financial decision by management. Also, we forecast business to start returning to normal as occupancy and room rates pick up. MHX has a lot of upside potential as these events unfold and investors get more comfortable with MHX’s business. Ultimately there is a lot of value in this stock. That being said, there’s still a lot of risk in this sector, so we’re not taking big bets. We have about a 5%-7% weight in hotels. MeriStar, which is our largest hotel position, is about 2.75%.

TWST: What is the dividend yield picture like going forward in 2002, and what events might impact that?

Mr. Andres: In our portfolio, our average dividend yield among all our securities is about 6%. For all REITs the weighted average dividend yield is about 7%. Our strategy is not to buy the highest yield, but to buy higher quality cash flow with growth. That, in turn, will result in better dividend growth and ultimately a higher yield at our cost. Many REITs are going to hold their dividend amounts flat year over year. There are, however, a handful of REITs we expect will raise their dividend this year. Given what’s going on in the current economic environment, that’s substantial.

TWST: When do you exit a REIT? What is your sell discipline?

Mr. Andres: For every company we invest in we set a price target. When everything goes right, that price target is our sell discipline. Another possibility is that better investment opportunities arise and we make a swap for a better risk-adjusted return. Unfortunately, we don’t always reach our price target or find a better investment. There are inevitably bad things that happen. The good news is that we continuously scrutinize our holdings to avoid or minimize these problems. Our fundamental process keeps us focused on criteria that would cause us to sell a stock. Such criteria include: declining asset yields, eroding quality of cash flow, questionable management strategy or decisions, and limited growth ability.

TWST: How do you differentiate yourself at Delaware from other companies that have REIT portfolios? What are your competitive differences?

Mr. Andres: We’re one of a few firms that have longer than a six-year track record. Because REITs are relatively new to the marketplace, we’ve been investing in them much longer than many of our peers. We have a very competitive track record placing us as one of the top performing managers over three and five years. Also, our product was born out of a large global investment firm that has a heritage in security analysis with a focus on cash flow. Delaware invests in several asset classes and styles. This puts our REIT investing in a global perspective and helps us analyze and understand our companies better. Many of our peers are solely REIT investors or real estate investors and have a limited perspective or expertise to analyze publicly traded companies. Finally, I think our process is unique.

This special Investing Strategies Report includes:

1) Investing in REITS - William K. Morrill, Jr. and Keith R. Pauley, both Managing Directors at LaSalle Investment Management, examine portfolio management strategies in this timely and deeply informative 6,800-word interview from The Wall Street Transcript.

2) Investing in REITS - Damon J. Andres, Vice President at Delaware Investments, examines portfolio management strategies in this timely and deeply informative 2,800-word interview from The Wall Street Transcript.

3) Investing in REITS - Kenneth T. Rosen, Chief Executive Officer and Michael A. Torres, President, both respectively at Lend Lease Rosen Real Estate Securities, examine portfolio management strategies in this timely and deeply informative 4,600-word interview from The Wall Street Transcript.

4) Kyle Prechtl Legg, President at Legg Mason Capital Management, examines portfolio management strategies in this timely and deeply informative 3,900-word interview from The Wall Street Transcript.

5) Richard D. Steinberg, President at Steinberg Global Asset Management, Ltd., examines portfolio management strategies in this timely and deeply informative 3,900-word interview from The Wall Street Transcript.


Tickers included in this excerpt: MHX

For US quote, 
enter ticker here:
For a European quote, 
enter ticker here:
Have TWST notes emailed to you free:
Version: Email address:


For Subscribers

Get the complete article now!

Email this page


This interview is a small excerpt from a comprehensive interview published in The Wall Street Transcript on 03/04/02. For more information call (212) 952 7400. The Wall Street Transcript does not endorse any of the comments made by interviewees, and does not make stock recommendations.

Copyright 2002, Wall Street Transcript Corp.

SECTOR LINKS

  • Banks/Brokers
  • Insurance
  • Real Estate/REITs


     

  • HOME PRODUCTS SUBSCRIBE ABOUT ARCHIVE HOTLINE CONTACT EUROPE