Earnings Release • Jan 16, 2020
Earnings Release
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AEW UK REIT plc (LSE: AEWU) ("the Company"), which, as at 15 January 2020, directly owns a diversified por3olio of 35 regional UK commercial property assets, announces its unaudited Net Asset Value ("NAV") and interim dividend for the three month period ended 31 December 2019.
"The result of the UK general elecon on 13 th December delivered a significant majority to the UK government for the first me in a decade, removing some of the polical uncertainty which has prevailed for some me and leading to improved senment across the market. This is encouraging for the sector as a whole and posive for the Company.The Company's por3olio is well-posioned as we move into 2020 and we are seeing many excing opportunies.
As manager, AEW UK Investment Management LLP is successfully execung the investment strategy, which has seen the Company's assets generate property level total returns of 6.69% over the 12 months to 30 September 2019 (being the most recent date for which benchmark data is available) from standing investments, an outperformance of 3.80% relave to the market (as measured by the MSCI/AREF UK PFI Balanced Funds Quarterly Index). Over the 12 months to 31 December 2019 the Company has generated total shareholder returns of 20.67% and, as noted above, has achieved a significant number of leBngs ahead of esmated rental values.
The REIT has consistently paid out dividends of 8 pence per share per annum, making it one of the highest dividend yields among UK listed REITs. It has paid total dividends of 32.8 pence per share since IPO, in addion to those announced below. Annualised total property returns since the Company's May 2015 IPO have been 10.89% up to 30 September 2019 on standing investments, an outperformance of 3.42% relave to the benchmark.
We are acvely working on an excing pipeline of potenal acquisions with a parcular focus on the industrial and office sectors, which we believe will be accreve to the strategy both in terms of income but also in terms of long term value retenon and creaon opportunies.To that end, the Company intends to raise addional capital under its exisng Placing Programme in the near future.
Through the December quarter valuaon, the por3olio maintained value on the whole with a marginal decrease of 0.13%. Industrial and office performed well increasing by 1.01% and 2.03% respecvely, however this was offset by a decrease in retail assets. Whilst the headwinds experienced by the retail sector are well publicised, the por3olio has a low vacancy rate (at 3.9%) amongst its assets and we have idenfied certain potenal value creaon opportunies which we are acvely pursuing."
The like-for-like valuaon decrease for the quarter of £0.25 million (0.13%) is detailed as follows by sector:
| Sector | Valuaon 31 December 2019 | Valuaon movement for the quarter | Valuaon movement for the quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ million | £ million | % | |
| Industrial | 94.88 | 0.95 | 1.01 |
| Office | 45.25 | 0.90 | 2.03 |
| Other | 29.67 | (0.35) | (1.17) |
| Retail | 26.00 | (1.75) | (6.31) |
| Total | 195.80 | (0.25) | (0.13) |
Strong valuaon upliK for the quarter came from the Company's office asset in Solihull where the Secretary of State for Communies and Local Government has agreed to take a new 15 year lease at an increased rental level with very limited capital cost to the REIT.This transacon is currently in solicitors' hands and is due to complete within the coming quarters, at which point we expect further valuaon upliK.
The Company's unaudited NAV as at 31 December 2019 was £147.38 million, or 97.24 pence per share.This reflects a decrease of 0.12% compared with the NAV as at 30 September 2019.The Company's NAV total return, which includes the interim dividend for the period from 1 July 2019 to 30 September 2019 of 2.00 pence per share, is 1.93% for the three-month period ended 31 December 2019. As at 31 December 2019, the Company owned investment properes with a fai r value of £195.80 million.
| Pence per share | £ million | |
|---|---|---|
| NAV at 1 October 2019 | 97.36 | 147.55 |
| Capital expenditure | (0.07) | (0.10) |
| Valua6on change in property porolio | (0.23) | (0.35) |
|---|---|---|
| Valua6on change in deriva6ves | (0.00) | (0.00) |
| Income earned for the period | 2.95 | 4.47 |
| Expenses and net finance costs for the period | (0.77) | (1.16) |
| Interim dividend paid | (2.00) | (3.03) |
| NAV at 31 December 2019 | 97.24 | 147.38 |
The NAV aNributable to the ordinary shares has been calculated under Internaonal Financial Reporng Standards. It incorporates the independent por3olio valuaon as at 31 December 2019 and income for the period, but does not include a provision for the interim dividend for the three month period to 31 December 2019.
The Company today announces an interim dividend of 2.00 pence per share for the period from 1 October 2019 to 31 December 2019.The dividend payment will be made on 28 February 2020 to shareholders on the register as at 24 January 2020. The ex-dividend date will be 23 January 2020.
The dividend of 2.00 pence per share will be designated 2.00 pence per share as an interim property income distribuon ("PID").
The EPRA EPS for the three-month period to 31 December 2019 was 2.18 pence (30 September 2019: 2.13 pence).
The Directors will declare dividends taking into account the level of the Company's net income and the Directors' view on the outlook for sustainable recurring earnings. As such, the level of dividends paid may increase or decrease from the current annual dividend of 8.00 pence per share. Based on current market condions, the Company expects to pay an annualised dividend of 8.00 pence per share in respect of the financial period ending 31 March 2020.
Investors should note that this target is for illustrave purposes only, based on current market condions and is not intended to be, and should not be taken as, a profit forecast or esmate. Actual returns cannot be predicted and may differ materially from this illustrave figure. There can be no assurance that the target will be met or that any dividend or total return will be achieved.
The Company's issued share capital consists of 151,558,251 Ordinary Shares and there was no movement during the quarter.
The Company has a strong pipeline of opportunies which it is acvely pursuing. Accordingly, the Company intends to raise addional capital under its exisng Placing Programme in the near future. Further announcements of any potenal equity fundraise will be made as and when appropriate.
During the quarter, the Company drew £1.50 million of its loan facility, to bring the total borrowings to £51.50 million and producing a gross loan to value of 26.30% and a net loan to value of 24.74%.
The loan connues to aNract interest at LIBOR + 1.4%. To migate the interest rate risk that arises as a result of entering into a variable rate linked loan, the Company has entered into interest rate caps on £36.51 million of the total value of the loan (£26.51 million at 2.5% cap rate and £10.00 million at 2.0% cap rate) up to October 2020, resulng in the loan being 71% hedged.
The loan term runs to October 2023 and the Company has entered into addional interest rate caps covering the period from October 2020 to October 2023, capping a noonal value of £46.51 million at LIBOR of 2.0% per annum, which represents 90% of the current £51.50 million loan balance. The Investment Manager and the Company will keep the levels of gearing and hedging under review.
AEW UK
| Alex Short | [email protected] | |
|---|---|---|
| +44(0) 20 7016 4848 | ||
| Laura Elkin | [email protected] | |
| +44(0) 20 7016 4869 | ||
| Nicki Gladstone | [email protected] | |
| +44(0) 7711 401 021 | ||
| Company Secretary | ||
| Link Company MaNers Limited | [email protected] | |
| +44(0) 1392 477 500 | ||
| TB Cardew | [email protected] | |
| Ed Orlebar | +44 (0) 7738 724 630 | |
| Lucas Bramwell | +44 (0) 7939 694 437 | |
Liberum Capital Gillian Marn/Owen MaNhews +44 (0) 20 3100 2000
AEW UK REIT plc (LSE: AEWU) aims to deliver an aNracve total return to shareholders by invesng predominantly in smaller commercial properes (typically less than £15 million), on shorter occupaonal leases in strong commercial locaons across the United Kingdom. The Company was listed on the Official List of the UK Lisng Authority and admiNed to trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange on 12 May 2015, raising £100.5m. Since IPO it has raised a further £51m.
The Company is currently invested in office, retail, industrial and leisure assets, with a focus on acve asset management, reposioning the properes and improving the quality of the income stream.
AEWU is currently paying an annualised dividend of 8p per share.
AEW UK Investment Management LLP employs a well-resourced team comprising 26 individuals covering investment, asset management, operaons and strategy. It is part of AEW Group, one of the world's largest real estate managers, with EUR70.2bn of assets under management as at 30 September 2019. AEW Group comprises AEW SA and AEW Capital Management L.P., a U.S. registered investment manager and their respecve subsidiaries. In Europe, as at 30 September 2019, AEW Group managed EUR32.3bn of real estate assets on behalf of a number of funds and separate accounts with over 400 staff located in 9 offices. The Investment Manager is a 50:50 joint venture between the principals of the Investment Manager and AEW. In May 2019, AEW UK Investment Management LLP was awarded Property Manager of the Year at the Pensions and Investment Provider Awards.
LEI: 21380073LDXHV2LP5K50
ISIN: GB00BWD24154 Category Code: MSCM TIDM: AEWU LEICode: 21380073LDXHV2LP5K50 OAM Categories:3.1.Additional regulated information required to be disclosed under the laws of a Member State Sequence No.: 40858 EQS News ID: 954517
End ofAnnouncementEQS News Service
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