- Cannabis retail dispensaries in Arizona have grown to upwards of 168 locations as of January 2024
- Nonetheless, only 1% of Arizona’s commercial properties are eligible for use by the cannabis industry
- Zoned Properties has been a key partner for the industry in helping cannabis companies establish a physical retail presence
- The company has recently announced the approval of a $1 million share buyback plan
The legalized sale of recreational cannabis in Arizona has grown from strength to strength. Possession and cultivation of cannabis across the state became legal on November 30, 2020, with the state-licensed sale of recreational cannabis commencing on January 22, 2021 making Arizona the quickest state in U.S. history to begin retail sales post recreational legalization. Cannabis sales in the state drove over $1.4 billion in revenues in 2023, with the number of dispensaries swelling to 292 as of January 2024 (https://ibn.fm/ky6yg). Nevertheless, further expansion for the industry is easier said than done; at present, only 1 percent of Arizona’s commercial real estate properties are applicable to cannabis operators, imposing a further constraint on the growth and development of the state’s cannabis retail market.
Zoned Properties (OTCQB: ZDPY), a technology-driven property investment company focused on acquiring value-add real estate within the regulated cannabis industry in the United States, has been amongst the early leaders in facilitating the transition of the cannabis industry towards the physical retail space. The company maintains a portfolio of six investment properties located across Arizona, Michigan and Illinois; with each of its leased properties occupied by commercial cannabis-linked businesses, the company currently enjoys a 100% occupancy rate with a weighted average lease term of over 10 years.
Zoned Properties has been amongst the leaders in identifying and procuring registered cannabis facilities, which can subsequently be sub-leased to the cannabis industry. Bryan McLaren, Chairman and CEO of Zoned Properties elaborated on the company’s methodology during a recent interview with the Bell2Bell podcast (https://ibn.fm/CtsVE).
“Our company and our team go into these state marketplaces and we identify, qualify and get these properties approved that can be utilized as regulated cannabis facilities. In the best-case scenario, what we’re doing is securing a piece of retail real estate – an old bank, an old restaurant, an old quick service retail location – getting that property approved to be used as a cannabis site called a retail dispensary and leasing that property out to a third-party tenant with a cannabis license in that location under a long-term lease agreement.”
Zoned Properties’ unique business model has translated into a faster rate of operational growth, with the company recently revealing that it had acquired a further two sites for use as potential dispensary locations. Separately, the company has looked to combine its ambitious focus on growth with a desire to maximise total shareholder returns; Zoned Properties recently announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase program, pursuant to which the company was authorized to purchase up to $1 million of its common stock over an unlimited time period (https://ibn.fm/IehV5).
“As our business continues to outperform in a challenging overall operating environment, we are thrilled to announce this share repurchase program. The approval of this program demonstrates the management teams and board’s confidence in our prospects for the future, ongoing operational strength, and sound capital structure,” stated McLaren. “As we scale the investment portfolio, we are keeping conservative in our capital allocation strategy while also acknowledging the significant valuation gap between our public valuation and tangible book value. Due to this, it is crucial for us to be adaptable and make sure we are doing everything possible to increase shareholder value. As always, we remain committed in our strategic focus, and look forward to updating shareholders on our progress,” he continued.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ZonedProperties.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ZDPY are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ZDPY
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