5 February 2025
Alternative Income REIT
PLC
(the
"Company" or
"Group" or
"AIRE")
NET ASSET VALUE, DIVIDEND
DECLARATION AND PORTFOLIO VALUATION UPDATE
TO 31 DECEMBER
2024
Declares an interim dividend
of 1.55 pence per share ("pps") for the quarter ended
31 December 2024
The
target annual dividend remains at 6.2pps for the year ending 30
June 2025†, an increase of 5.1% on the prior year's
target of 5.9pps
Dividend cover of 110.3% for
the quarter
Unaudited NAV total return
for the quarter of 2.7%
Resilient portfolio
well-placed to continue to provide secure, index-linked income with
the potential for capital growth
The Board of Directors of
Alternative Income REIT PLC (ticker: AIRE), the owner of a diversified portfolio of UK
commercial property assets, predominantly let on long leases with
index-linked rent reviews, provides a
trading and business update and declares an interim dividend for
the quarter ended 31 December 2024.
Simon Bennett, Non-Executive Chair of Alternative Income REIT
plc, comments:
"The Company continues to pay a
fully covered dividend in line with the 2025 annual dividend target
of 6.2pps†. The dividend cover for the
quarter was 110.3%. The annual dividend target of 6.2pps is an
increase of 5.1% over the previous year's dividend of 5.9pps. The
target is subject to the continued collection of
rent from the Group's portfolio as it falls
due.
At 31
December 2024, the Group's unaudited NAV
was £66.0 million,
81.9pps, representing a 0.8% increase over the previous
quarter. When combined with the 1.55pps dividend paid in the quarter,
this produces an unaudited NAV total return for the quarter
of 2.7%.
The Group's portfolio remains
relatively insulated from market fluctuations, benefiting from
being 100% let, achieving 100% collection of rent due, and a 91.5%
index-linked rent review profile.
The Group's track record
demonstrates a secure and increasing income stream. The valuation
of the portfolio has risen this quarter by £0.6 million or 1% on a
like-for-like basis. The Group continues to benefit from low
borrowing costs until October 2025, when the current Canada Life
senior loan matures. The Board has appointed a debt adviser to
assist with the refinancing and is confident that the requisite
financing will be achieved prior to October 2025,albeit at an
increased interest rate as compared to the current rate. I look
forward to reporting on AIRE's continued progress in the coming
months."
Overview of Key Financials
|
At 31
December
2024
(unaudited)
|
At 30
September
2024
(unaudited)
|
Change
|
Net Asset Value ("NAV")
|
£66.0 million
|
£65.4 million
|
+0.8%
|
NAV per share
|
81.9p
|
81.3p
|
+0.8%
|
Share price per share
|
70.6p
|
72.5p
|
-2.6%
|
Share price discount to
NAV
|
13.8%
|
10.8%
|
+3.0%
|
Investment property fair
value
(based on external
valuation)
|
£106.2
million
|
£103.1 million
|
+3.0%
|
Loan to gross asset value ("GAV")
A B
|
37.4%
|
37.6%
|
|
|
Quarter
ended
31 December
2024
(unaudited)
|
Quarter
ended
30 September
2024
(unaudited)
|
Change
|
EPRA earnings per share
A
|
1.7p
|
1.6p
|
+6.2%
|
Adjusted earnings per share
A
|
1.7p
|
1.6p
|
+6.2%
|
Dividend cover
A
|
110.3%
|
100.7%
|
+9.6%
|
Total dividends per share
|
1.55p
|
1.55p
|
-
|
Dividend yield
(annualised)A
|
8.8%
|
8.6%
|
+0.2%
|
Earnings per share
|
2.2p
|
2.0p
|
+10.0%
|
Share price total return
A
|
-0.5%
|
12.3%
|
|
NAV total return
A
|
2.7%
|
2.5%
|
+0.2%
|
Annualised passing rent
|
£7.8 million
|
£7.8 million
|
-
|
Ongoing charges
A (annualised)
|
1.5%
|
1.5%
|
-
|
A Considered to be an Alternative Performance
Measure.
B The loan facility at 31 December 2024 of £41.0 million (30
September 2024: £41.0 million) with Canada Life Investments,
matures on 20 October 2025 and has a weighted average interest cost
of 3.19%.
Dividend Declaration, Earnings Per Share and Dividend
Cover
The Board is
pleased to declare a second interim dividend of
1.55pps for the quarter
ended 31 December 2024, in line with the Company's dividend target of 6.2pps for the year ending 30 June
2025†, which represents an increase of 5.1% over the
previous year. This interim dividend will
be distributed as Property Income
Distribution ("PID") and will be paid on 28 February 2025 to
shareholders on the register on 14 February 2025. The ex-dividend
date will be 13 February 2025.
The Adjusted EPS was 1.7pps for the
quarter (30 September 2024: 1.6pps), an increase of 6.2% over the
quarter. The dividend cover for the quarter increased significantly
from 100.7% at 30 September 2024 to 110.3% this quarter.
Property Portfolio
The Group's portfolio is relatively
insulated from market fluctuations, benefiting from being 100% let,
with 100% collection of rent due and 91.5% index-linked rent review
profile, which continues to provide a secure and growing rental
income stream.
At 31 December 2024, the
Group held 20 properties (30 September 2024: 19
properties) valued at £106.2 million (30 September 2024: £103.1
million). This valuation includes the acquisition of Tring
for £2.5 million, with the like-for-like increase therefore being
£0.6 million. The total increase for the quarter ended 31 December
2024 amounted to 3.0%.
At 31 December 2024, the Net Initial
Yield on the Group's portfolio was
7.1% (30 September 2024: 7.1%) and the
Group's assets remained 100% let (30
September 2024: 100%). The weighted average
unexpired lease term at 31 December 2024 was 16.1
years to the earlier of break and expiry (30
September 2024: 16.2 years) and 17.7 years to expiry (30 September
2024: 18.1 years).
The Group's contracted annualised
rent increased by 2.6% during the quarter to 31 December 2024 (30
September 2024: 1.3%). This was due to annual indexation of two
leases and the inclusion of Tring. 91.5% of leases within our
portfolio are index-linked, with 35.2% of the contracted rental
income reviewed annually. Active management
of the portfolio continues this quarter; Pure Gym's tenant break in
2027, in London, has been removed with their lease now extended to
2032. BGEN, one of the tenants at our St Helens industrial asset,
is staying in occupation for a further two years. Discussions
continue with three other tenants considering re-gearing leases,
removing tenant breaks and extending lease lengths. The Estimated
Rental Value of the Group's property assets has risen marginally by
0.2% this quarter.
For the
upcoming quarter to 31 March 2025, 5.9% of the Group's income will
be reviewed with an annual index-linked rent
review.
Net
Asset Value, Share Price and Share Price Discount to
NAV
At 31
December 2024, the Group's unaudited NAV
was £66.0 million,
81.9pps (30 September
2024: £65.4 million, 81.3pps), representing
a 0.8% increase over
the previous quarter.
When combined with the
1.55pps dividend paid in
the quarter, this produces an unaudited NAV total return for the
quarter of 2.7% (30 September 2024: 2.5%). Over the quarter, the Company's share price
decreased by 2.6% to 70.6pps, reflecting an increase in the discount from 10.8% to
13.8%.
The table below sets out the
movement in NAV during the quarter.
|
Pence per
share
|
£ million
|
NAV
at 30 September 2024
|
81.3
|
65.4
|
Valuation movement in property
portfolio
|
+0.5
|
+0.4
|
Income earned for the
period
|
+2.7
|
+2.3
|
Expenses for the period
|
-0.6
|
-0.5
|
Net finance costs for the
period
|
-0.4
|
-0.4
|
Interim dividend paid during the
quarter ended 30 September 2024
|
-1.6
|
-1.2
|
NAV
at 31 December 2024
|
81.9
|
66.0
|
The NAV attributable to the ordinary
shares has been calculated under International Financial Reporting
Standards as adopted by the United Kingdom and incorporates both
the Group's property portfolio individually valued on a 'Red Book'
basis at 31 December 2024 and net income for the quarter but does
not include a provision for the interim dividend declared today
(see above).
The income earned for the period
includes an accrual for the minimum contractual uplifts contained
in the index-linked leases. In the event that inflation is greater
than these minimum contractual uplifts, the actual income will be
greater than the income currently accrued.
Rent Collection
Rent collection remains resilient
with 100%
collection of rent
due for the quarter ended 31
December 2024. 90.50%
of the portfolio's contracted rent is payable quarterly in advance, rising from 83.6% at 30
September 2024. The remainder is payable monthly in
advance.
† This is a target and not a formal
dividend forecast or a profit forecast
ENQUIRIES
Alternative Income REIT PLC
|
|
Simon Bennett
- Chair
|
via H/Advisors Maitland
below
|
|
|
Martley Capital Real Estate Investment Management
Ltd
Richard Croft
Jane Blore
|
020 4551 1240
|
|
|
Panmure Liberum Limited
|
020 3100 2000
|
Alex Collins
|
|
Tom Scrivens
|
|
|
|
H/Advisors Maitland (Communications Advisor)
|
07747 113 930 / 020 7379
5151
|
James Benjamin
Rachel Cohen
Billy Moran
|
aire-maitland@h-advisors.global
|
The Company's LEI is
213800MPBIJS12Q88F71.
Further information on Alternative
Income REIT PLC is available at www.alternativeincomereit.com1.
1 Neither the content of
the Company's website, nor the content on any website accessible
from hyperlinks on its website or any other website, is
incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement nor, unless
previously published on a Regulatory Information Service, should
any such content be relied upon in reaching a decision as to
whether or not to acquire, continue to hold, or dispose of,
securities in the Company.
NOTES
Alternative Income REIT PLC
aims to generate a sustainable, secure and
attractive income return for shareholders from a diversified
portfolio of UK property investments, with a particular focus on
alternative and specialist real estate sectors. The majority of the
assets in the Group's portfolio are let on long leases which
contain index linked rent review provisions.
The Company's asset manager is
Martley Capital Real Estate Investment Management Limited ("Martley
Capital"). Martley Capital is a full-service real estate investment
management platform whose activities cover real estate investing,
lending, asset management and fund management. It has over 35
employees across five offices in the UK and Europe. The team
manages assets with a value of circa £900 million across 20
mandates (at 31 December 2024).