22 May 2024
REGIONAL
REIT Limited
("Regional REIT", the "Group" or the "Company")
Q1 2024 Trading Update,
Dividend Declaration
and EPC
Update
Regional REIT Limited (LSE: RGL),
the regional property specialist, announces the following trading
update for the period from 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2024 and a
dividend declaration for the first quarter of 2024. Additionally,
the Group provides an update on its continued EPC
progress.
Portfolio Highlights as at 31 March 2024:
· 135 properties,
1,344 units and 906 tenants, totalling c.£688.2m* of
gross property assets value (31 December 2023: £700.7m)
·
Rent roll of £65.5m (31 December 2023: £67.8m);
ERV £84.3m (31 December 2023: £87.0m)
· Total rent
collection for the quarter is currently 97.2% compared with 96.3%
for the equivalent period in 2023
·
EPRA Occupancy (by ERV) at 79.9% (31 December
2023: 80.0%); 31 March 2024 like-for-like (versus 31 March 2023)
EPRA occupancy was 79.9% (84.6%)
· Weighted average
debt duration 3.2 years, with the earliest borrowing maturity date
being August 2024 (31 December 2023: 3.5years); significant work
continues to be undertaken in respect of both the debt and equity
refinancing options
·
Disposals amounted to £15.0m (before costs),
reflecting a net initial yield of 9.2%
·
Net loan-to-value ratio c. 55.2%* (31
December 2023: 55.1%)
·
Cash and cash equivalent balances £33.5m (31
December 2023: £34.5m)
· Group cost of debt (incl. hedging) 3.4% pa (31 December 2023:
3.5% pa) - currently 100% fixed and hedged
·
Gross borrowings £413.2m (31 December 2023:
£420.8m)
·
Average lot size c. £5.1m (31 December 2023: c.
£4.9m)
· Offices (by value) were 92.8% of the portfolio (31 December
2023: 92.1%), Retail 3.1% (31 December 2023: 3.1%), Industrial 2.4%
(31 December 2023: 3.2%) and Other 1.7% (31 December 2023:
1.7%)
· England & Wales represented 83.5% (31 December 2023:
83.8%) of the portfolio with the remainder in Scotland
* Gross
property assets value based upon Colliers valuations as at 31
December 2023, adjusted for subsequent acquisitions, disposals and
capital expenditure in the period.
Q1
2024 Dividend Declaration
The Company declares that it will
pay a dividend of 1.20 pence per share ("pps") for the period 1
January 2024 to 31 March 2024, (1 January 2023 to 31 March 2023:
1.65pps). The entire dividend will be paid as a REIT property
income distribution ("PID").
Shareholders have the option to
invest their dividend in a Dividend Reinvestment Plan ("DRIP"), and
more details can be found on the Company's website
https://www.regionalreit.com/investors/investors-dividend/dividend-reinvestment-plan.
The key dates relating to this
dividend are:
Ex-dividend date
|
30 May 2024
|
Record date
|
31 May 2024
|
Last day for DRIP
election
|
21 June 2024
|
Payment date
|
12 July 2024
|
The level of future payments of
dividends will be determined by the Board having regard to, among
other factors, the financial position and performance of the Group
at the relevant time, UK REIT requirements, the interest
of shareholders and the long term future of the Company.
EPC
Update
During the quarter, the Company
continued to improve the portfolio's EPC ratings and the Company
remains on target to achieve the planned EPC B rating by 2030 in
accordance with current guidelines.
Rating
|
31 December
2023
%
|
31 March 2024
%
|
Movement
percentage points (pps)
|
B plus and Exempt
|
42.1%
|
55.8%
|
+13.70pps
|
C
|
31.6%
|
25.9%
|
(5.70)pps
|
D
|
15.7%
|
11.5%
|
(4.20)pps
|
E and below
|
10.6%
|
6.7%
|
(3.90)pps
|
Excluding Scotland:
Rating
|
31 December
2023
%
|
31 March 2024
%
|
Movement
percentage points (pps)
|
B plus and Exempt
|
42.9%
|
49.2%
|
+6.30pps
|
C
|
32.4%
|
29.7%
|
(2.70)pps
|
D
|
15.8%
|
13.6%
|
(2.20)pps
|
E and below
|
9.0%
|
7.4%
|
(1.60)pps
|
Rental Collection Update
As at 17 May 2024, the Company had
collected 97.2 % of the rent due for Q1 2024. This comprised rent
received of 96.7%, monthly rents of 0.5%. The rent received of
97.2% compares favourably with the equivalent period in 2023 of
96.3%.
Outlook
Although the inflationary backdrop
continues to impact the economy, there are signs that inflation is
heading back towards the Bank of England's two percent target,
allowing for a more favourable outlook for the Company.
The Board remains focused upon
reducing the LTV back to the Company's long-term target of 40%
through controlled asset sales, whilst aligning the quarterly
dividend with the earnings.
Stephen Inglis, CEO of London & Scottish Property
Investment Management, Asset Manager commented:
"During the period under review, rent
collection remained strong, positive leasing momentum was
maintained, EPC ratings continued to improve, and the disposals
programme remains on track for 2024.
"With inflation pressures subsiding
we expect this to lead to an easing of pressure on the wider
economy and in turn the likely reduction in the borrowing cost
environment. The combination of these two factors should see a
positive impact on the investment market and transactional
activity, assisting the sales programme and the value of our
assets.
"We are acutely aware of the need to
reduce our LTV back towards the 40% long term target and finding
the most appropriate solution for the retail bond, which is due to
mature in August. We continuing to progress the work on debt and
equity refinancing options available to the Company, whilst
executing the controlled disposal programme.
"The Board continues to align the
dividend with earnings and has today declared the Q1 2024 dividend
of 1.20pps for the period."
Summary of Activity in the Quarter to 31 March
2024
Sales
Total disposals in the three months
to 31 March 2024 amounted to £15.0m (before costs), reflecting a
net initial yield of 9.2%.
Lettings
Since 1 January 2024, the Group has
exchanged on seven notable leases to new tenants totalling 69,067
sq. ft., amounting to £1.2m per annum ("pa") of rental income
when fully occupied, and achieving a rental uplift of 9.1% against
December 2023 ERVs. In addition, three notable leases have renewed
amounting to 80,546 sq. ft. and £1.2m pa of rental income, delivering a rental uplift of 4.4%
against December 2023 ERVs.
·
Clearblue
Innovation Centre, Bedford - SPD
Development Co Ltd. renewed its lease to September 2033, at a
rental income of £825,000 pa (£14.18/ sq. ft.) on 58,167 sq. ft. of
space.
·
The Foundation
Chester Business Park, Chester - GB
Group plc renewed its lease to July 2028, with the option to break
in 2026, at a rental income of £289,500 pa (£18.21/ sq. ft.) on
15,902 sq. ft. of space.
·
Lightyear,
Glasgow Airport, Glasgow - Heathrow
Airport Ltd. has let 15,154 sq. ft. of office space to March 2039,
with an option to break in 2034, at a rental income of £264,618 pa
(£17.46/ sq. ft.).
·
Park House,
Bristol - Serco Ltd. has let 10,035
sq. ft. of office space to September 2031, with an option to break
in 2029, at a rental income of £230,000 pa (£22.92 sq.
ft.).
·
Oakland House,
Manchester - Please Hold (UK) Ltd.
has let 10,926 sq. ft. of office space to March 2029, with an
option to break in 2027, at a rental income of £147,501 pa (£13.50
sq. ft.).
·
Delta 1200, Delta
Business Park, Swindon - Improve
International Ltd. has let 9,776 sq. ft. of office space to
February 2034, with an option to break in 2029, at a rental income
of £185,744 pa (£19.00 sq. ft.).
·
Linford Wood
Business Park, Milton Keynes -
Senceive Ltd. has let 9,055 sq. ft. of office space to March 2030
at a rental income of £156,888 pa (£17.33 sq. ft.).
·
133 Finnieston
Street, Glasgow - Kibble Education
and Care Centre has let 6,610 sq. ft. of office space to March
2034, with an option to break in 2029, at a rental income of
£112,370 pa (£17.00 sq. ft.).
·
Equinox North,
Almondsbury, Bristol - Qualcomm
Technologies Int Ltd. renewed its lease to March 2029, with the
option to break in 2027, at a rental income of £97,155 pa (£15.00/
sq. ft.) on 6,477 sq. ft. of space.
·
Bennett House,
Stoke-on-Trent - NHS Property
Services Ltd. has let 7,511 sq. ft. of office space to March 2029,
with an option to break in 2027, at a rental income of £95,000 pa
(£12.65 sq. ft.).
Subsequent Events summary post 31 March 2024
Since the quarter end, the Group has
successfully completed the following notable lettings and
sales:
Lettings
·
1-6 Silver Court,
Welwyn Garden City - Telespazio UK
Ltd. has let 3,873 sq. ft. of office space to April 2027, with an
option to break in 2025, at a rental income of £67,800 pa (£17.51/
sq. ft.).
·
84 Albion Street,
Leeds - Jugo Digital Ltd. has let
1,304 sq. ft. of office space to April 2027, with an option to
break in 2025, at a rental income of £66,000 pa (£50.61/ sq.
ft.).
·
York House,
Felixstowe - Existing tenant
Poundland Ltd. has renewed existing lease of 7,593 sq. ft. of space
at a rental income of £60,000 (£7.90/ sq. ft.). The lease is to
April 2027.
Sales
·
1 disposals and 1 part sales completed totalling
£1.1m (before costs), 17.5% above pre-sale valuation.
Following these sales the disposal
programme comprises of 59 sales totalling c £111m:
·
3 disposals contracted for c. £2
million
·
8 disposals totalling c. £22 million under offer
and in legal due diligence
·
4 further disposals totalling c. £9 million are in
negotiation
·
12 further disposals totalling c. £15 million are
on the market
·
32 potential disposals totalling c. £63 million
are being prepared for the market.
Forthcoming Events
To be confirmed
10 Sep 2024
13 Nov 2024
|
Annual General Meeting
Interim Results
Announcement
Q3 2024 Trading Update
|
|
|
Note: All dates are provisional
and subject to change
- ENDS -
Enquiries:
Regional REIT Limited
|
|
Press enquiries through
Buchanan
|
|
|
ARA
Europe Private Markets Limited
|
Tel: +44 (0) 203 831 9776
|
Investment Adviser to the
Group
|
|
Adam Dickinson, Investor Relations,
Regional REIT Limited
|
|
|
|
London & Scottish Property Investment
Management
|
Tel: +44 (0) 141 248 4155
|
Asset Manager to the
Group
|
|
Stephen Inglis
|
|
|
|
Buchanan Communications
|
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
|
Financial PR
|
|
Charles Ryland, Henry Wilson, George
Beale
|
|
About Regional REIT
Regional REIT Limited ("Regional
REIT" or the "Company") and its subsidiaries (the "Group") is
a United Kingdom ("UK") based real estate investment
trust that launched in November 2015. It is managed
by London & Scottish Property Investment Management
Limited, the Asset Manager, and ARA Europe Private Markets Limited,
the Investment Adviser.
Regional REIT's commercial property
portfolio is comprised wholly of income
producing UK assets and comprises, predominantly of
offices located in the regional centres outside of the M25
motorway. The portfolio is geographically diversified, with 135
properties, 906 tenants as at 31 March 2024, with a valuation of
c.£688.2m.
Regional REIT pursues its investment
objective by investing in, actively managing and disposing of
regional core and core plus property assets. It aims to deliver an
attractive total return to its Shareholders, targeting greater than
10% per annum, with a strong focus on income supported by
additional capital growth prospects.
The Company's shares were admitted
to the Official List of the UK's Financial Conduct
Authority and to trading on the London Stock Exchange on 6 November
2015. For more information, please visit the Group's website
at www.regionalreit.com .
Cautionary Statement
This document has been prepared
solely to provide additional information to Shareholders to assess
the Group's performance in relation to its operations and growth
potential. The document should not be relied upon by any other
party or for any other reason. Any forward looking statements made
in this document are done so by the Directors in good faith based
on the information available to them up to the time of their
approval of this document. However, such statements should be
treated with caution due to the inherent uncertainties, including
both economic and business risk factors, underlying any such
forward-looking information.
ESMA Legal Entity Identifier
("LEI"): 549300D8G4NKLRIKBX73