For release 27 February 2024
Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust
Limited
('SREIT' or the
'Company')
NAV AND DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE
QUARTER TO 31 DECEMBER 2023
Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust Limited
('SREIT' or the 'Company'), the actively managed REIT focused on
improving the sustainability performance of buildings to generate
higher income, announces its net asset value ('NAV') and dividend
for the quarter to 31 December 2023 and provides an update on
portfolio activity.
Highlights:
· NAV
decline to £287.0 million or 58.7 pence per share ('pps') (30
September 2023: £296.0 million or 60.5 pps), driven by a 1.6%
decline in capital growth, which compared to a 2.3% decline in
capital growth for the MSCI UK Balanced Portfolios Quarterly
Property Index
· NAV
total return of -1.6%
·
Announcement of an interim dividend of 0.836 pps for the
period 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2023, and paid on 28 March
2024
· Net
loan to value of 36.6%, with an average interest cost on debt drawn
of 3.5%, an average loan duration of 10.0 years and no debt
maturities until June 2027
·
Continued leasing momentum since 1 October 2023 with 32 new
lettings, renewals and rent reviews completed across 378,159 sq ft.
This includes:
o Two new
lettings totalling 24,683 sq ft at the Company's net zero warehouse
on Stanley Green Trading Estate, 31% ahead of underwrite,
demonstrating the rental premium for buildings with the highest
sustainability credentials
o 85,814 sq ft
lease renewal with the University of Law at Bloomsbury, 39% above
the previous passing rent by December 2028
·
Disposed of an office asset, Coverdale House, in Leeds, for
£3.8 million, at a 16% premium to the independent valuation as at
30 September 2023
·
Sustained outperformance versus the MSCI UK Balanced
Portfolios Quarterly Property Index (the 'Benchmark') over three
months, twelve months, three years and since inception in
2004
·
Strong shareholder support to change the investment objective
and policy to formally include sustainability at the centre of the
Company's investment proposition, with a sustainability improvement
and decarbonisation strategy focused on adapting existing buildings
into those that are both modern and fit for purpose
Alastair
Hughes, Chair of the Board, commented: "Despite
continuing market uncertainty the Company remains well placed with
an above average rental income profile and the longest duration,
fixed-rate debt in the peer group. These factors enable us to
continue paying an attractive dividend, with good visibility on
future earnings growth. I am also delighted shareholders provided
strong support to the evolution of our strategy which places
sustainability at the centre of our investment proposition, and we
will provide a detailed update on progress implementing this
strategy in our forthcoming year end results."
Nick
Montgomery, Fund Manager, added: "This has been
an encouraging period of leasing activity, with a high volume of
deals closed and under offer. We are also working up a pipeline of
new asset management initiatives to further grow earnings, with a
focus on delivering projects to a high sustainability specification
such as our Stanley Green operational net zero warehouse
development."
NAV
The unaudited NAV as at 31 December 2023 was
£287.0 million, or 58.7 pps, a decrease of -3.0% compared with the
NAV as at 30 September 2023 (£296.0 million, or 60.5
pps).
Including the quarterly dividend of 0.836 pps
paid in December 2023, the NAV total return for the quarter was
-1.6%. A breakdown is set out below:
|
£m
|
PPS
|
Comments
|
NAV as at 30 September 2023
|
296.0
|
60.5
|
Calculation based on 489,110,576
shares
|
Unrealised net decrease in the valuations of
the direct real estate portfolio and Joint Ventures
|
(5.0)
|
(1.0)
|
The underlying portfolio saw a decline in
capital growth over the quarter of -1.6% which compared to -2.3%
for the MSCI UK Balanced Portfolios Quarterly Property
Index
|
Capital expenditure (direct portfolio and share
of Joint Ventures)
|
(3.0)
|
(0.6)
|
Principally relating to the operational net
zero carbon warehouse development at Stacey Bushes Industrial
Estate in Milton Keynes and two refurbishments at Stirling Court, a
multi-let industrial estate in Swindon
|
Realised gain on disposal
|
0.5
|
0.1
|
Coverdale House, an office in Leeds, sold for a
headline price of £3.8 million, compared with a value of £3.275
million at the start of the quarter, with £50,000 disposal costs
incurred
|
EPRA earnings
|
3.6
|
0.7
|
Impact of fees associated with obtaining
shareholder approval to the recent strategy evolution
|
Dividend paid
|
(4.1)
|
(0.8)
|
Dividend for the quarter ended 30 September
2023 paid in December 2023 of 0.836 pps
|
Unrealised loss related to interest rate
hedging instruments
|
(0.8)
|
(0.2)
|
Relating to hedging linked to the Company's
revolving credit facility with Royal Bank of Scotland International
('RBSI')
|
Others
|
(0.2)
|
(0.0)
|
All other items including lease incentives and
rounding
|
NAV as at 31 December 2023
|
287.0
|
58.7
|
Calculation based on 489,110,576
shares
|
Dividend
payment
The Company announces an interim dividend of
0.836 pps for the period 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2023. The
dividend payment will be made on 28 March 2024 to shareholders on
the register at the record date of 8 March 2024. The ex-dividend
date will be 7 March 2024.
The dividend of 0.836 pps will be wholly
designated as an interim property income distribution
('PID').
Property
portfolio
As at 31 December 2023, the underlying
portfolio comprised 39 properties valued at £457.8 million. It
generated an annual rent of £29.2 million, reflecting a net initial
yield of 6.0%. The portfolio's estimated rental value ('ERV') is
£38.5 million per annum, reflecting a reversionary yield of
8.4%.
The void rate was 12.0% calculated as a
percentage of ERV, and since the quarter end 2.9% of this has let
or is under offer, and a further 0.7% undergoing refurbishment. The
weighted average unexpired lease term, assuming all tenants vacate
at the earliest opportunity, is 5.3 years.
The tables below summarise the portfolio
information as at 31 December 2023:
Sector
weighting
|
Sector as a % of total
value
|
|
SREIT
|
Benchmark
|
Industrial
|
49.8
|
32.8
|
Office
|
25.2
|
22.6
|
Retail warehouse
|
11.4
|
9.9
|
Retail
|
7.7
|
9.9
|
Retail
ancillary to main use
|
4.9
|
|
Retail single
use
|
2.8
|
|
Other
|
5.9
|
19.0
|
Shopping centres
|
-
|
2.0
|
Unattributable
|
-
|
3.8
|
Region
weighting
|
Region as a % of total
value
|
|
SREIT
|
Benchmark
|
Central London
|
8.4
|
19.5
|
South East excluding Central London
|
17.3
|
32.9
|
Rest of South
|
10.8
|
15.9
|
Midlands and Wales
|
21.1
|
13.1
|
North
|
40.2
|
14.2
|
Scotland
|
2.2
|
4.2
|
Northern Ireland
|
-
|
0.2
|
Portfolio
activity
Transactional activity
Coverdale House, a 32,355 sq ft multi-let
office asset in Leeds, was sold in December for £3.8 million
reflecting a 16% premium to the 30 September 2023 independent
valuation. It generated a net rent of £157,860 per annum with a
weighted average unexpired lease term of two years. Further small
disposals are being progressed on completion of asset management
initiatives.
Asset management
Continued leasing momentum since 1 October 2023
with 32 new lettings, renewals and rent reviews completed across
378,159 sq ft. Key highlights include:
Industrial
portfolio:
Stanley Green
Trading Estate, Cheadle, Greater Manchester
Continued progress is being made leasing the
Company's recently constructed 80,274 sq ft operational net zero
warehouse development at Stanley Green Trading Estate ('STGE'),
with the development now 56% let.
· A
10-year lease completed with Siemens plc ('Siemens') for a 13,881
sq ft unit generating £212,295 per annum and equating to £15.29 per
sq ft, in line with the September ERV, and is 33% above the
original underwrite. Following this letting Siemens remains the
Company's second largest tenant by income across STGE and Langley
Industrial Park in Chippenham (4.9% of total rent). Siemens will
have six-months of rent free and a break at year five.
· A
10-year lease completed with Licata Building Systems Limited
('Licata') for a 10,802 sq ft unit, generating £164,155 per annum
and equating to £15.20 per sq ft, in line with the September ERV of
£15.25 per sq ft, and is 29% above the original underwrite. Licata
will have five-months of rent free and a break at year
five.
· A
further 19,340 sq ft is either under offer or in advanced
negotiations which, assuming these proceed to completion, would
generate a further £340,000 per annum of rent and result in the
scheme being approximately 80% let.
Jaguar Land
Rover Limited ('JLR') unit, 55/56
Heathcote Industrial Estate, Warwick
·
JLR, who occupy a 50,139 sq ft warehouse unit used as a
training academy, have completed a five-year lease renewal
generating £412,500 per annum, equating to £8.23 per sq ft. This
reflects an increase of 25% compared with the previous rent. JLR
will have six-months of rent free and a contribution towards
improvement works supporting electric vehicles, capped at
£110,000.
Office
portfolio:
University of
Law, Store Street, Bloomsbury, London (numbers below reflect SREITs
50% share)
· The
Company owns a 50% interest in the University of Law ('UoL')
building on Store Steet in Bloomsbury, an improving location
benefiting from the Elizabeth Line station at Tottenham Court Road
and "knowledge-based" occupier demand. In December, the Company
completed a new 85,814 sq ft lease with UoL on the following
terms:
o Lease expiry
extended from December 2026 to December 2029.
o Rent review
dated December 2024 pre-agreed at £2,359,885 per annum equating to
£55.00 per sq ft, 28% above the current rent.
o Fixed rental
increase in December 2026 to £2,430,682 per annum equating to
£56.65 per sq ft.
o Annual fixed
uplifts of 3% per annum from December 2026, leading to rent of
£2,578,710 per annum or £60.10 per sq ft from December 2028, 39%
above the previous rent.
o The next phase at
Store Street is to progress plans for the longer-term potential
re-development post 2029, with the objective to align with Camden's
local plan, promoting sustainable characteristics and contributing
positively to Bloomsbury's character and amenity. Consideration
will also be given to the specific demands of occupiers in the life
sciences, technology, and higher education sectors.
Retail
warehouse portfolio:
St John's
Retail Park, Bedford
· A
15-year lease without breaks completed with Starbucks Coffee
Company UK Limited ('Starbucks') for a new 1,800 sq ft drive-thru
unit they constructed on the site. The rent is £155,000 per annum
which equates to £86.11 per sq ft, and the lease benefits from
inflation-linked increases. Starbucks will receive a contribution
towards construction costs of £850,000 and 12-months of rent
free.
103 Watling
Street, Bletchley, Milton Keynes
· A
15-year lease completed with Starbucks Coffee Company UK Limited
('Starbucks') for a new 1,800 sq ft drive-thru unit they
constructed on the site. The rent is £105,000 per annum which
equates to £58.33 per sq ft, and the lease benefits from
inflation-linked increases. Starbucks will receive a contribution
towards construction costs of £850,000 and 12-months of rent
free.
Balance sheet
and debt
The average interest rate for total debt drawn
at the quarter end was 3.5%, with an average maturity of 10.0
years, and 91% either fixed or hedged against movements in interest
rates.
The debt refinancing with Canada Life in 2019
provides a significant benefit in a higher interest rate
environment. This long-term loan, which represented £129.6 million
of the £175.6 million total borrowings at the quarter end, has an
average loan maturity of 12.3 years, with a fixed average interest
rate of 2.5%. At the quarter end, the incremental positive fair
value benefit of this fixed-rate loan was £17.1 million, which is
not reflected in the Company's NAV.
The balance of borrowings at the quarter end,
totalling £46.0 million, comprised a revolving credit facility
('RCF') from RBSI. This facility totals £75.0 million and can be
drawn and repaid at any time up to maturity on 6 June 2027. The RCF
is a 'Green Loan', with criteria linked to reduced energy
consumption, future improvements in the GRESB rating and
certification linked to building improvements.
£30.5 million of the £46.0 million drawn on the
RCF benefits from an interest rate collar, which protects the
Company from interest rates above 4.25%, whilst also allowing the
Company to benefit from future falls in interest rates down to a
3.25% floor. The collar matches the loan duration and had a fair
value of nil at the quarter end.
As at 31 December 2023, the Company had cash of
£8.2 million and a net loan to value ratio of 36.6%, slightly above
the long-term strategic target range of 25% to 35%. The Company has
significant headroom against all loan covenants, and steps are
being taken to reduce the net loan to value ratio back in line with
the target range.
-ENDS-
For further information:
Schroder Real Estate Investment Management
Limited:
Nick Montgomery / Bradley Biggins / Matthew
Riley
|
020 7658 6000
|
FTI Consulting:
Dido Laurimore / Richard Gotla / Ollie
Parsons
|
020 3727 1000
|
About Schroder
Real Estate Investment Trust Limited
Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust Limited
aims to provide shareholders with an attractive level of income
together with the potential for income and capital growth as a
result of its investments in, and active management of, a
diversified portfolio of UK commercial real estate, weighted
towards higher growth sectors.
The Company employs a sustainability
improvement and decarbonisation strategy focused on adapting
existing buildings into those that are both modern and fit for
purpose, thereby taking a proactive position in response to the
UK's Net Zero Carbon objectives whilst optimising portfolio
performance to seek enhanced total returns for
shareholders.
The Company leverages Schroders' specialist
multi-strategy capabilities and 139-strong UK real estate team (as
at 31 December 2023), incorporating a hospitality-driven approach
to improve the operational performance of its assets.