TIDMARTL
RNS Number : 0856Y
Alpha Real Trust Limited
17 August 2018
17 August 2018
ALPHA REAL TRUST LIMITED ("ART" OR THE "COMPANY")
TRADING UPDATE and dividend announcement
ART today publishes its trading update for the period ended 30
June 2018 and the period up until the date of this announcement.
The information contained herein has not been audited.
About the Company
Alpha Real Trust Limited ("the Company" or "ART") targets
investment, development, financing and other opportunities in real
estate, real estate operating companies and securities, real estate
services, infrastructure, infrastructure services, other
asset-backed businesses and related operations and services
businesses that offer attractive risk-adjusted total returns.
ART currently focusses on high-yielding property, infrastructure
and asset backed debt and equity investments in Western Europe that
are capable of delivering strong risk adjusted cash flows,
including build-to-rent investments. The current portfolio mix,
excluding sundry assets/liabilities, is as follows:
High yielding debt: 14.1%
High yielding equity in property
investments: 22.2%
Ground rent investments: 21.3%
Other investments: 3.8%
Build-to-rent investments: 29.2%
Cash: 9.4%
The Company's Investment Manager is Alpha Real Capital LLP
("ARC").
Highlights
-- NAV per ordinary and A share 174.8p: 30 June 2018 (172.9p: 31 March 2018)
-- Basic earnings for the three month period ended 30 June 2018
of 1.8p per ordinary and A share (18.5p per ordinary share and of
23.3p per A share for the year ended 31 March 2018)
-- Adjusted earnings for the three month period ended 30 June
2018 of 1.1p per ordinary and A share (3.5p per ordinary and A
share for the year ended 31 March 2018)
-- Declaration of a quarterly dividend of 0.6p per ordinary and
A share, expected to be paid on 21 September 2018
-- Balanced portfolio: continued capital allocation to a mix of
investments which balance income returns while creating potential
for capital value growth, including a substantial build-to-rent
exposure
-- Mezzanine loan investment: five loans totalling GBP6.2
million were completed in the quarter ending 30 June 2018 with one
further loan of GBP2.4 million funded post period end
-- Data centre Frankfurt: following planning consent being
secured, pre-development site enabling and power connection works
are underway
-- H2O shopping centre Madrid: visitor numbers continue to
increase. Visitors numbers are higher than during the same period
in 2017.
Investment summary
The Company's investments have benefited from an active
management approach with successes evident in both the Company's
directly and indirectly held investments.
Portfolio overview as at 30 June 2018
Investment name
Investment Carrying Income Investment Property type Investment notes % of
type value return location / underlying portfolio(1)
p.a. security
----------------- -------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
High yielding debt (14.1%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Secured finance
Diversified
loan portfolio
focussed on
9.0% real estate Secured debt
GBP16.8m to 16.0% investments and subordinated
Secured loans (2) (3) UK and developments debt 14.1%
----------------- -------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
High yielding equity in property investments (22.2%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
H2O shopping centre
High-yield,
dominant Madrid 30% shareholding;
shopping centre medium term
and separate moderately geared
Indirect GBP18.5m 5.9% development bank finance
property (EUR20.9m) (4) Spain site facility 15.5%
Active UK Real Estate Fund plc
High-yield
commercial 27.8% of ordinary
Equity GBP6.3m n/a UK UK portfolio shares in fund 5.3%
----------------- ------------------- ------------ ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Cambourne Business Park
Medium term
High-yield moderately
business geared bank
Indirect 11.0% park located finance
property GBP1.7m (4) UK in Cambridge facility 1.4%
----------------- -------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Ground rent investments (21.3%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Freehold Income Authorised Fund
Highly defensive
Ground rent 4.0% income; freehold No gearing;
fund GBP25.4m (5) UK ground rents monthly liquidity 21.3%
----------------- -------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Build-to-rent investments (29.2%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Unity and Armouries, Birmingham
Central Planning consent
Birmingham for 90,000 square
residential feet / 162 units
PRS development GBP4.8m n/a UK build-to-rent plus commercial 4.0%
----------------- ------------------------ ------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Monk Bridge, Leeds
Planning consent
for 205,129
square feet
/ 307 units
plus commercial
Outline consent
for further
Central Leeds 193,071 square
residential feet / 357 units
PRS development GBP9.2m n/a UK build-to-rent plus commercial 7.7%
----------------- ------------------------ ------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Data centre, Frankfurt
Site with
planning
and committed
GBP20.9m power for data Freehold site
Direct property (EUR23.6m) n/a Germany centre use with no debt 17.5%
----------------- ------------------------ ------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Other investments (3.8%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Galaxia
Legal process
underway to
recover
Development investment
GBP3.9m site located by enforcing
Investment (INR in NOIDA, Delhi, arbitration
receivable 350m) n/a India NCR award 3.3%
----------------- -------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Europip plc
Awaiting final 47% of the total
Indirect GBP0.3m shareholder ordinary shares
equity (EUR0.3m) n/a N/A distribution in fund 0.3%
----------------- -------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Healthcare & Leisure Property Limited
Indirect Leisure property No external
property GBP0.2m n/a UK fund gearing 0.2%
----------------- -------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
Cash and short term investments (9.4%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Current or 'on
Cash GBP11.2m 0.1% UK call' accounts 9.4%
------------------------ ------------- ----------- ---------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------
(1) Percentage share shown based on NAV excluding the company's
sundry assets/liabilities
(2) Including accrued coupon at the balance sheet date
(3) Annual coupon
(4) Yield on equity over 12 months to 30 June 2018
(5) 12 month income return; post tax
ART has a diversified portfolio of asset backed investments
spread across different sectors and asset types. The Company's
portfolio includes income producing assets, build-to-rent projects,
secured debt and mezzanine loan investments. Each investment offers
a different risk-return profile however the overall portfolio seeks
to provide a balance of stable income returns and scope for capital
growth.
ART actively manages its investment portfolio which continues to
be replenished via capital recycling from the sale of non-core
assets, loan repayments or strategic full or partial disinvestment
from assets that allow for profit-taking and portfolio
optimisation. This creates the opportunity for capital allocation
to new investments.
Further to the annual results announcement on 15 June 2018, the
following are key investment updates.
Positioning for continued investment
ART continues to actively manage its portfolio to enhance the
value of the underlying assets and to recycle capital from
investments where profit taking and portfolio optimisation
opportunities are identified. This successful capital recycling
allows for capital to be reinvested in new opportunities that meet
the Company's return criteria.
The Company continues to maintain a pipeline of new investment
opportunities under active review which compete for capital
allocation. An increased capital investment is planned for high
yielding mezzanine loans and high yielding equity, including
build-to-rent, across a range of markets and asset types.
High yielding equity in property investments
ART continues to remain focussed on investments that offer the
potential to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns by way of
value enhancement through active asset management, improvement of
net rental income, selective deployment of capital expenditure and
the ability to undertake strategic sales when the achievable price
is accretive to returns.
H2O shopping centre, Madrid
ART has a 30% stake in joint venture with CBRE Global Investors
in the H2O shopping centre in Madrid. H2O continues to benefit from
ongoing asset management initiatives. The centre attracted record
visitor numbers in the first half of 2018, despite one of the main
anchor tenants, the Mercadona supermarket, closing for a month to
undertake a complete refurbishment of the store. A specialist
masterplanning architect has been appointed to help create a design
plan for the shopping centre that is capable of being implemented
over the medium term with a view to identifying potential value
enhancing upgrades of the physical space and, subject to planning
consent, the creation of new retail stores.
Cambourne Business Park, Cambridge
At Cambourne business park, in which the Company invests in a
joint venture, a new 10 year lease was signed with Carl Zeiss
Microscopy Ltd & Carl Zeiss Ltd for 43,300 square feet of
space, representing approximately 41% of the investment's total
office space. Carl Zeiss will occupy the area previously occupied
by Citrix Systems. In parallel with the new letting, Citrix Systems
agreed to a surrender of their lease prior to its expiry at the end
of September 2018.
High yielding debt
ART continues to augment and diversify its portfolio of secured
real estate loan and mezzanine loan investments. These loans are
typically secured on real estate investment and development assets
with high risk-adjusted income returns from interest coupon and fee
income.
As at 30 June 2018, ART had invested GBP16.8 million in real
estate mezzanine loans. Post period end, a further GBP2.4 million
was funded and GBP1.1 million of mezzanine loan repayments were
received by ART.
Additional loan investments are continually being evaluated.
Loans will typically have a circa two year term and optimally a
maximum 75.0% loan to value ratio. Advances are targeted to
generate double digit income returns. Repayment proceeds are
planned to be rotated into new loans.
Ground rent investments
Freehold Income Authorised Fund ("FIAF")
ART invests in a fund which holds a diversified portfolio of UK
residential property freehold ground rents with a view to achieving
steady and predictable returns, a consistent income stream and
prospects for growth. The Company has invested GBP25.4 million as
at 30 June 2018 in FIAF, an open-ended fund that invests in UK
freehold ground rents with a net asset value of GBP305.5 million as
at 30 June 2018.
The following highlights were reported in the FIAF fact sheet as
at 30 June 2018 (published in July 2018):
-- FIAF owns over 65,000 freeholds with a gross annual ground
rent income of circa GBP8.9 million.
-- 86% of its freeholds have a form of inflation protection
through periodic uplifts linked to Retail Price Index, property
values or fixed uplifts.
-- FIAF's assets are defensive in nature, very long dated (with
an average lease length in excess of 100 years).
The total return on ART's investment in FIAF was 8.6%
(annualised post tax) for the 12 months ending 30 June 2018.
Post period end, ART has redeemed GBP6.0 million of FIAF units
to fund new investments.
Build-to-rent investments
ART has achieved the significant milestone of securing planning
consent for each of its build-to-rent investments. These
investments offer the opportunity to create a higher yield on cost
than is available from purchasing existing built investments of the
same quality. The investments also offer scope for capital growth
as the sites mature or planning is enhanced.
Build-to-rent investments provide the Company with flexibility
to add value by either constructing the development, funded with
either equity capital, joint venture capital or debt, and
subsequently holding the completed assets as investments; or,
alternatively, forward selling all or some of the developed
property or the site with enhanced planning permission.
Residential Private Rented Sector ("PRS")
The Company's investments in the residential Private Rented
Sector ("PRS") in central Leeds and central Birmingham are
opportunities that were secured early in the build-to-rent process
that offer potential to create an initial capital uplift in value
through enhanced planning and the opportunity to develop and let in
order to achieve resilient equity income returns at an attractive
yield on cost.
Planning consent for both sites has been secured. The Birmingham
project has implemented non-material amendments to its planning
consent for 162 residential units and ground floor commercial
space. Site mobilisation works are scheduled to commence in
September. The Leeds project has detailed planning consent for 307
residential units (which the Company intends to develop for PRS)
plus commercial development within the adjacent existing railway
arches. Outline planning consent for a further 357 residential
units, for which detailed planning consent is now being
advanced.
Preferred construction partners have been selected. The project
design team continues to review the existing detailed planning
consent for possible enhancements to meet best in class PRS
requirements and a value engineering process is underway to
identify the most efficient and effective construction processes
and potential cost savings.
The Company estimates that up to GBP23.7 million could be
invested to undertake the development of its PRS sites alongside
debt financing. The Company is exploring ways to optimise the
returns from its PRS investments and is exploring joint development
opportunities with potential partners.
Data centre investment
ART owns an industrial site in Frankfurt, Germany, for which it
has secured detailed planning consent for a five-story data centre
extending to 40,338 square metres and a commitment from the local
utility provider to install a 35 MVA dual feed power supply. The
power supply will be installed (funded by ART) on a phased basis
over the coming three years, synchronised with local electricity
substation and cable route upgrades. Installation is underway and
on target.
ART has commenced pre-development site enabling works.
Construction of an electricity receptor building on the site and
pre-identified ground remediation works are underway. ART's total
investment into the data centre project is estimated to be
approximately EUR28 million (GBP24.7 million).
Active marketing of the project to potential data centre
occupiers is underway.
Other investments
Galaxia, India
On 2 February 2011, ART recommenced arbitration proceedings
against its development partner Logix Group ("Logix") in order to
protect its Galaxia investment, an 11.2 acre Special Economic Zone,
in NOIDA, the National Capital Region, India.
In January 2015, the ICC Arbitral Tribunal decreed that Logix
and its principals had breached the terms of the shareholders
agreement and has awarded the Company:
-- Return of its entire capital invested of INR 450.0 million
(equivalent to GBP5.0 million using the period end exchange rate as
at 30 June 2018) along with interest at 18% per annum from 31
January 2011 to 20 January 2015.
-- All costs incurred towards the arbitration.
-- A further 15% interest per annum on all sums was awarded to
the Company from 20 January 2015 until the actual date of payment
by Logix of the award.
Logix challenged the validity of the arbitration award in the
Delhi High Court and latterly to the Division Bench of the Delhi
High Court. Both courts dismissed the respective appeals and upheld
the award declared in favour of the Company. Logix appealed the
dismissal before the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court
admitted the appeal and ordered Logix to deposit GBP2.2 million
(INR 200 million). In May 2018, the Supreme Court permitted the
Company to unconditionally withdraw INR 100 million (GBP1.1
million) which has been received by the Company. The remaining INR
100 million (GBP1.1 million) deposited by Logix maybe released
against a bank guarantee. The next Supreme court hearing is
scheduled for September 2018.
ART has commenced execution of the award and the Delhi High
Court has issued a warrant of attachment against the primary
residential property owned by Shakti Nath and Meena Nath, promoters
of Logix Group. The Court has also restrained Logix from alienating
their immovable assets. ART continues to actively pursue Logix
directors for the recovery of the award.
The sum awarded to ART, including the recovered deposits, has
now accrued to GBP13.2 million at the current exchange rate.
Following the recovery of a GBP1.1 million deposit, ART holds the
indirect investment at INR 350.0 million (GBP3.9 million) in the
accounts due to uncertainty over timing and final value.
Share buybacks
On 12 December 2017, the Company published a circular giving
notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting on 5 January 2018.
Consistent with the Company's commitment to shareholder value, the
Company asked its shareholders to approve a general authority
allowing the Company to acquire up to 24.99% of the Voting Share
Capital during the period expiring on 4 January 2019. Shareholders
approved the proposal.
On 24 January 2018, the Company announced its intention to buy
back its ordinary shares using its existing cash resources,
pursuant to the general authority granted by shareholders.
The share repurchase programme commenced with effect from 24
January 2018 and share repurchases may be undertaken until the
earlier of the maximum amount being repurchased and 4 January 2019.
The maximum amount of capital currently allocated for share
repurchases is GBP1 million.
During the quarter, the Company made no share buybacks.
Dividend
The Board announces the next dividend of 0.6p per share for the
quarter ended 30 June 2018 which is expected to be paid on 21
September 2018 (ex dividend date 30 August 2018 and record date 31
August 2018).
Net asset value ('NAV')
As at 30 June 2018, the unaudited NAV per ordinary share of the
Company was 174.8p (31 March 2018: 172.9p).
The movement in NAV mainly reflects the earnings of the Company
less the dividend paid in the period plus other investments fair
value uplift and positive foreign currency movements.
Foreign currency
The Company monitors foreign exchange exposures and considers
hedging where appropriate. Foreign currency balances have been
translated at the period end rates of GBP1:EUR1.130 or
GBP1:INR90.260, as appropriate.
Strategy and outlook
ART's diversified portfolio provides a balance of investments
that offer scope to deliver strong cashflows, capital value growth
and attractive risk adjusted total returns. ART continues to
actively manage its portfolio to enhance the value of the
underlying assets and to recycle capital from investments where
profit taking and portfolio optimisation opportunities are
identified. This successful capital recycling allows for capital to
be reinvested in new opportunities that meet the Company's return
criteria.
The Company currently focusses on high-yielding property,
infrastructure and asset backed debt and equity investments in
Western Europe that are capable of delivering strong risk adjusted
cash flows, including build to own investments.
The Company will consider investments and assets that offer
scope to generate long term income streams off a lower entry cost
through development. This approach provides ART with the
flexibility to take advantage of new investment opportunities where
ART sees best value.
ART continues to actively augment and diversify its portfolio of
mezzanine and secured loan investments. During the period the
Company has increased its loan investment portfolio. New investment
opportunities that are capable of delivering strong risk adjusted
cash flows are being actively pursued.
The Company remains well positioned to continue to deliver
attractive returns through investing, realising and reinvesting its
capital in asset backed investment opportunities.
Contact:
Alpha Real Trust Limited
David Jeffreys, Chairman, ART +44 (0)1481 231 100
Brad Bauman, Joint Fund Manager, ART +44 (0) 20 7391 4700
Gordon Smith, Joint Fund Manager, ART +44 (0) 20 7391 4700
Panmure Gordon, Broker to the Company
Richard Gray/Andrew Potts +44 (0) 207 886 2500
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the
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END
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