Paris, Amsterdam, July 23, 2014
Press Release
HALF-YEAR RESULTS 2014
Innovation and expansion driving growth
"As a result of the excellent work of our teams, the Group's H1-2014 recurring net result was up by +8.0%, driven by strong rental growth, operating efficiencies and an even lower cost of debt than last year. The first half of 2014 was also characterized by a number of exciting developments such as the acquisition of a stake in Germany's best shopping centre, CentrO, the introduction of a number of URÂ Lab's innovations and the award to the Unibail-Rodamco-led consortium to develop the NEO 1 project, including the "Mall of Europe", in Brussels."
Christophe Cuvillier, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board.
Recurring EPS at €5.52, up +6.0%, ahead of guidance
Strong like-for-like growth in shopping centres and offices, the impact of the successful deliveries of 2013, and a cost of debt further decreasing to 2.7%, resulted in a +8.0% growth of the Group's recurring net result to €539 Mn, up from €499 Mn in H1-2013.
Strong operating performance delivers results
As preliminary signs of recovery start to appear in Continental Europe, Unibail-Rodamco's tenant sales(1) were up +3.6% through May and by +3.9% in the Group's large malls(2), outperforming national sales indices by +290 bps and +320 bps, respectively. Through May, footfall was strong at +3.1% after a stable year in 2013 at +0.2%.
Like-for-like Net Rental Income (NRI) growth was +2.6% compared to H1-2013, +170 bps above indexation, driven by the +3.7% growth in the Group's large malls. The Group's NRI growth however was impacted by lower indexation (+0.9% vs. +2.1% in H1-2013) and the performance of its smaller malls.
The Group signed 728 renewals and relettings on standing assets, and achieved rental uplifts of +23.1% compared to +13.7% for the same period last year. Unibail-Rodamco signed 83 leases with international premium retailers, up from 78 in H1-2013. Vacancy was unchanged at 2.5%, including 0.3% in strategic vacancy created by the Group to prepare for major restructuring projects.
The Paris region office market is showing signs of recovery with an increase of +24% in take-up for the first half. During H1-2014, the Group continued its strong leasing activity in Paris with 12 leases for a total take-up of 28,020 m². The French office like-for-like NRI increased by +5.0% compared to a decline of -0.8% during the same period last year. The office like-for-like NRI for the Group increased by +4.0%.
Convention & Exhibition recurring result was down by -0.6% in H1-2014 compared to H1-2013, and, pro-forma for the impact of the timing of a number of shows(3), up by +0.7% over the same period in 2012.
Unparalleled skillset drives performance
During the first six months of 2014, "UR Lab" launched several new initiatives and further refined and expanded a number of others, all of which are aimed at strengthening the Group's leading position in terms of asset quality, premium services and differentiated customer experience, in turn driving additional footfall:
- Fresh!: the latest "UR Lab" innovation will further strengthen the food offer across the Group's shopping centres. Inspired by the best of downtown markets, it aims to create an exceptional gourmet hall for the most demanding customers encompassing a high quality, diversified and regularly renewed offer. "El Mercat de Glòries" in Glòries (Barcelona) will be the 1st "Fresh!" concept to open (September 2014);
- Digital marketing: the Group expanded its drive to connect more closely with its shopping centres' visitors. Year-on-year:Â
- iPhone and Android apps downloads increased by +60% to 3.0 million;
- Facebook fans of the Group's shopping centres increased by +50% to 4.9 million;
- Mobile website visits increased by +35% to 4.7 million; and
- Website visits increased by +13% to 16.9 million;
In addition, the Group signed an exclusive partnership with Niantic Labs, a division of Google. This initiative enables "Ingress" gamers (Google's near-real time augmented reality game) to expand their playground to shopping centres for the first time ever in Continental Europe;
- 4 Star label: the Group's quality referential, has now been awarded to 17 shopping centres with the addition of the CNIT (Paris region) and Pasing Arcaden (Munich) in H1-2014. Pasing Arcaden is the first shopping centre in Germany to receive this demanding label;
- The Dining ExperienceTM: The Group's initiative aims to increase the space dedicated to dining as well as the quality of the dining offer with differentiating food concepts and unique gastronomy events and services. Les Quatre Temps (Paris region) will be equipped with a full Dining ExperienceTM concept after the successful launches in La Maquinista (Barcelona), Confluence (Lyon), Galeria Mokotow (Warsaw) and Aéroville (Paris region).
These innovations have widened the Group's lead in Continental Europe.
Focusing on prime assets
During H1-2014, the Group resumed its disposal programme generating €384 Mn in proceeds, including its 7.25% stake in Société Fonciere Lyonnaise and small retail and office assets, realizing an aggregate 9.3% premium. The Group also continued its expansion with the acquisition of a stake in CentrO. Located in Oberhausen in the heart of the densely populated Ruhr region, the 232,000 m² GLA shopping centre complex is one of Germany's largest and most successful. On July 1, 2014, Perella Weinberg Real Estate Fund I (PWREF I) exercised its put for its remaining interest in mfi. Unibail-Rodamco will pay PWREF €317 Mn upon closing, and bring its total ownership in mfi to 91.15%.
Average cost of debt decreasing again yet maturities extend with record issuances
During the first 6 months of 2014, Unibail-Rodamco raised €2,866 Mn of medium to long-term funds in the debt capital and bank markets and increased the average debt maturity to 5.7 years as at June 2014. The average cost of debt for the Group decreased to a historical low of 2.7% compared to 2.9% for the full year 2013. The Group also applied its innovative approach to its fund raising with two firsts for a European real estate company: a €750 Mn 10-year "Green bond" with a 2.5% coupon, and a €500 Mn 0% coupon, 7-year ORNANE. Financial ratios remained strong: Loan-to-Value stands at 40% and the interest cover ratio at 4.2x. The Group has ample liquidity with €4.8 Bn of undrawn bank lines.
The portfolio value increases, Spain and Paris offices values stabilize
The Gross Market Value (GMV) of the Group's portfolio as of June 30, 2014 amounted to €33.6 Bn, up from €32.1 Bn on December 31, 2013. The shopping centre GMV was up +1.2% like-for-like to €26.8 Bn. Paris offices stabilized with a moderate -0.3% portfolio revaluation, compared to -6.4% at year-end 2013 driven by a strong rental effect of +0.9% due to very active leasing. The average net initial yield of the retail portfolio was 5.0%, down from 5.1% in December 2013.
The Group created €9.73 of value per share, which was offset by the -€8.90 per share dividend paid in May 2014 and the mark-to-market of the debt and derivatives of -€3.33 per share. Considering these two effects, the Going Concern Net Asset Value per share was €157.10, down -1.6% from €159.60 in December 2013. The EPRA triple Net Asset Value per share was €143.30, down -2.0% from €146.20 as at December 31, 2013.
€7.3 Bn development pipeline: a strong foundation to build upon
After a very active 2013 in terms of deliveries, Unibail-Rodamco's development teams focused during H1-2014 on extension projects in a number of important standing assets. Projects were launched in Euralille (Lille) and Parly 2 (Paris region). An agreement with the city of Leidschendam-Voorburg (The Netherlands) was reached for an extension and complete redevelopment of Leidsenhage (renamed: The Spring), and the Group acquired full control of the Val Tolosa project (Toulouse region).  The estimated total investment cost (TIC) of the consolidated development pipeline as at June 30, 2014 amounts to €7.3 Bn compared to €6.9 Bn as at December 31, 2013.
In April 2014, the Group was awarded the NEO 1 tender for the complete redevelopment of the Heysel plateau in Brussels, including a 114,000 m² GLA shopping centre. An appeal was lodged against this award, which was subsequently suspended by the Belgian Council of State. This project was therefore not included in the Group's pipeline as at June 30. On July 10, 2014, the City of Brussels revised its decision, in order to comply with the Council of State ruling, and confirmed the award of the NEO 1 project to Unibail-Rodamco and its partners.  On July 7, 2014, the Group delivered Majunga, a 65,737 m² office tower in La Défense. Pro-forma for these two projects, the Group's development pipeline amounts to €7.4 Bn.Â
Outlook
The Group confirms its recurring EPS growth target of at least +5.5% for 2014, as a result of the solid operating fundamentals (tenant sales growth, low vacancy, good rental spreads), the contribution of the acquisition of the stake in CentrO and deliveries of extensions and brownfield projects in 2013. In addition, the cost of debt is secured at low levels.
| H1-2014 | H1-2013 | Growth | Like-for-like growth | |
| Net Rental Income (in € Mn) | 719 | 657 | +9.4% | +2.5% |
| 590 | 532 | +11.0% | +2.6% |
| 83 | 80 | +4.0% | +4.0% |
| 46 | 46 | -0.5% | -0.5% |
| Recurring net result (in € Mn) | 539 | 499 | +8.0% | |
| Recurring EPS (in € per share) | 5.52 | 5.21 | +6.0% | |
| June 30, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | |||
| Total portfolio valuation (in € Mn) | 33,587 | 32,134 | +1.0% | |
| Going Concern Net Asset Value (in € per share) | 157.10 | 159.60 | -1.6% | |
| EPRA triple Net Asset Value (in € per share) | 143.30 | 146.20 | -2.0% |
Figures may not add up due to rounding.
The appendix to the press release and the half-year 2014 results presentation are available on the Group's website www.unibail-rodamco.com (http://www.unibail-rodamco.com)
Review procedures completed, statutory auditors' report issued today
(1) Based on latest national sales indices. Excludes the sales of four Virgin stores in 2012 and 2013 due to the bankruptcy of the retailer in June 2013. Including sales of these stores, the Group's tenant sales through November grew by +3.3% outperforming national sales indices by +260 bps.
(2) Large shopping centres: assets driving 6Mn visits per year and above.
(3) Excluding the impact of the Intermat show in H1-2012, the movement of two shows to odd years and the shift of the timing of one show from H1Â to H2-2014.
For further information, please contact:
Investor Relations
Pierre-Marie Battesti
+33 1 76 77 56 97
Media Relations
Camille Delomez
+33 1 76 77 57 94
About Unibail-Rodamco
Created in 1968, Unibail-Rodamco SE is Europe's largest listed commercial property company, with a presence in 12 EU countries, and a portfolio of assets valued at €33.6 billion as of June 30, 2014. As an integrated operator, investor and developer, the Group covers the whole of the real estate value creation chain. With the support of its 1,550 professionals, Unibail-Rodamco applies those skills to highly specialised market segments such as large shopping centres in major European cities and large offices and convention & exhibition centres in the Paris region.
The Group distinguishes itself through its focus on the highest architectural, city planning and environmental standards. Its long term approach and sustainable vision focuses on the development or redevelopment of outstanding places to shop, work and relax. Its commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability has been recognised by inclusion in the DJSI (World and Europe), FTSE4Good and STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes.
The Group is a member of the CAC 40, AEX 25 and EuroSTOXX 50 indices. It benefits from an A rating from Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings.
For more information, please visit our website: www.unibail-rodamco.com (http://www.unibail-rodamco.com/)
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: UNIBAIL-RODAMCO SE via Globenewswire
