For release 6th
April 2020
Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust Limited
("SREIT"/ the "Company" / "Group")
COMPANY AND DIVIDEND UPDATE
LARGE CASH RESERVE, LOW LEVERAGE AND
LOW RETAIL EXPOSURE
Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust, the actively managed
UK-focused REIT, provides an update due to the market uncertainty
relating to COVID-19. The Company is in a robust position with a
large cash reserve, low leverage and low retail exposure.
Introduction
The Company’s diversified portfolio consists of 39 assets with
304 tenants with a focus on regional offices in Winning Cities and
multi-let industrial warehousing. 74% of the tenants are rated by
Dun & Bradstreet as having low or negligible risk. The
Company’s income is diverse and its largest tenant represents 6.2%
of the contracted rental income. The Company’s current focus is to
protect shareholders’ long term interests. A core part of
protecting the long-term value of our portfolio involves working
closely with and supporting our customers, tenants, suppliers and
our team.
Portfolio
The Company’s portfolio is balanced with the majority weighted
in office and industrial warehousing. The retail and leisure
exposure (where retail is the sole use rather than ancillary to the
dominant use) comprises 22% of portfolio value. The Company owns no
shopping centres.
Cash and Undrawn facilities
Following the significant sales programme and refinance in 2019
the Company has significant operational flexibility and liquidity.
As at 31 March 2020 the Company has
approximately £35 million of free cash and an undrawn £52.5 million
Revolving Credit Facility. The cash and undrawn debt facilities
provide capacity of approximately £87.5 million for attractive
investment opportunities and income enhancing capital expenditure
initiatives.
Balance Sheet and Debt
The Company has one drawn debt facility with Canada Life
comprising a £129.6 million long term fixed rate loan. The
Company’s consolidated net Loan to Value ratio is 21%. This was
intentionally positioned at the end of 2019 following the sales of
£95 million of assets. The Company has significant headroom on all
loan covenants which are summarised below:
- £129.6 million fixed loan with a remaining term of 16.2 years
at a total interest rate of 2.5%.
- Net Loan to Value on the secured assets against this loan is
40% as at 31 December 2019. On this
basis the properties charged to Canada Life could fall in value by
38% prior to the 65% LTV covenant being reached.
- The interest cover ratio as at 31
December 2019 is 450% based on actual net rents. A 59% fall
in net income could be sustained prior to the loan covenant of
185%.
- The Company has additional flexibility to add cash and assets
to the Canada Life facility to further improve cover against loan
covenants. If required and used, the unencumbered cash and assets
could support the security in the existing bank facility and would
enable, all other things being equal, the Company to further
increase the headroom in a worst case scenario to withstand:
- A valuation fall of 67% from the 31
December 2019 valuation, prior to the 65% LTV covenant being
reached; and
- A 70% fall in net income prior to the interest cover ratio
covenant of 185% being reached.
Lettings
Since 1 January 2020, 27 new
lettings, renewals and rent reviews have completed, generating
additional income of approximately £645,000 per annum. Three
lettings in Leeds, Milton Keynes and Sheffield have completed since
the start of March 2020 generating a
rental income of £228,000 per annum which on average is an uplift
of 44% compared with the previous rent being paid.
Rent collection
As at close of business on 3 April
2020, the Company had received payments reflecting 63% of
contracted rents relating to the first quarter of the financial
year ending 31 March 2021. The
payment rate is continuing to rise. At the equivalent stage over
the past four quarters, 87% of the rent had been paid. This more
than covers the running costs of the Company. The analysis between
sectors for rent collection is 82% of office collected, 61% of
warehousing collected, 33% of retail and leisure collected, and 78%
of other collected.
As a responsible landlord we will continue to work
constructively with occupiers who have genuine challenges and have
yet to pay rent. In this process we will agree a repayment plan for
any rent deferrals and are also considering other solutions such as
extensions of leases. Some rents are also being paid monthly rather
than quarterly to help tenants’ cash flow.
Dividend
The Company is well capitalised and can meet the prevailing
dividend. However, in light of the ongoing market uncertainty the
Board intends to postpone the dividend payment to be paid in
June 2020. Whilst the Company
recognises the importance of dividends to shareholders, in the
current circumstances, it feels that it is not appropriate to
continue with this payment at this time. This will be reviewed as
clarity improves around the economic backdrop in light of ongoing
developments regarding COVID-19. The Company’s intention would be
to pay the postponed dividend in part or whole at a later stage and
a further announcement will be made in due course once market
uncertainty is removed and there is greater clarity.
Year end results
Due to the impact of COVID-19 and guidance from the Company’s
auditors and the FCA, the announcement of the Company’s full year
results to 31 March 2020 is now
expected to be made during June 2020.
Further details will be provided in due course.
-ENDS-
For further information:
Schroder Real Estate Investment
Management Limited:
Duncan Owen / Nick Montgomery / Frank Sanderson |
020 7658 6000 |
J.P. Morgan
Cazenove:
William Simmonds |
020 7742 4000 |
Northern Trust:
Lisa Garnham |
01481 745529 |
FTI Consulting:
Dido Laurimore / Richard Gotla |
020 3727 1000 |