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Company Information
St Helier Jersey / Channel Islands -
Nine months 2018 trading update
Operational improvements and significant progress with portfolio repositioning
strategy underpinning performance
Jersey, 13 November 2018, Atrium European Real Estate Limited (VSE/Euronext:
ATRS), (the "Company" and together with its subsidiaries, the "Atrium Group" or
the "Group"), a leading owner, operator and redeveloper of shopping centres and
retail real estate in Central Europe, provides an update on trading for the nine
months ended 30 September 2018.
9M 2018 Key highlights
* 1.7% increase in like-for-like NRI excluding Russia, 0.9% for the Group
* Strong operating margin and occupancy rate of 97.4% and 96.6%, respectively
* EBITDA margin increased by 3pp to 88% driven by the cost savings programme
* 13 assets sold since December 2017 for a total of EUR176m, at 9% above book
value
* Wars Sawa Junior, a prime high-footfall retail asset in Warsaw acquired in
October for EUR301.5m
* 3 redevelopment projects opened in Q4 2018 in Warsaw
* Increased liquidity by extension of the revolving credit facility to EUR300m
until 2023
* Issuance of EUR300m unsecured 7 year Eurobond at 3% (Repurchased EUR242m 2020/
2022 Notes)
* 0.9% rise in EPRA like-for-like net rental income (NRI) and a 1.7% increase
excluding Russia.
* Exiting the Hungarian and Romanian markets, disposing of non-core assets in
the Czech Republic and Slovakia combined with the temporary impact on rental
income from the redevelopments resulted in a drop in NRI. Although partially
compensated by the positive momentum in like-for-like assets, the total NRI
was 6.1% lower at EUR135.0m.
* EBITDA margin increased by 3pp to 88% (2017: 85%) mainly due to the cost
savings programme which has delivered a 23% reduction (or EUR4.8m) in
administrative costs compared to 2017 and approx. EUR10m savings compared to
2016. EBITDA dropped by 3.1% driven by the lower NRI.
* The ongoing strategy to focus the Group's portfolio towards prime shopping
centres in Poland and the Czech Republic continued with the operational exit
from Romania and Hungary and the disposal of other small assets for a total of
EUR176m.
* In September, the Group issued a EUR300m unsecured seven-year Eurobond
maturing in 2025, carrying a fixed 3.0% coupon and repurchased EUR242m of the
outstanding 2020 and 2022 notes.
* This followed the signing in May of a EUR75m increase to EUR300m and three
year extension to 2023 of the Group's revolving credit facility.
* The Group completed the EUR301.5m acquisition of Wars Sawa Junior, a prime
retail asset in the center of Warsaw in October this year, which increases the
proportion Group's portfolio in Poland and the Czech Republic to 84%. The
acquisition was funded using a mixture of external financing and existing cash
resources, following which the Group's net LTV increased to 37.1% from 31.3%.
* Fourth quarterly dividend of 6.75 EURcents per share due to be paid as a
capital repayment on 28 December 2018.
* The Board decided to maintain the Group's annual dividend, payable as a
capital repayment, at EURcents 27 per share for 2019, demonstrating its
continued confidence in the Group's strategy. The dividend will continue to be
reviewed quarterly.
KEY FINANCIAL FIGURES FOR THE PERIOD
9M 2018 9M 2017 Change
EUR M EUR M %
EPRA Like-for-Like 89.7 88.9 0.9%
net rental income
EPRA Like-for-Like
net rental income 59.4 58.4 1.7%
excl. Russia
Net rental income 135.0 143.8 (6.1%)
Operating margin 97.4 96.6 0.8%
Occupancy rate (%) 96.9 95.4 1.5%
EBITDA 118.3 122.1 (3.1%)
Company adjusted 84.4 92.7 (8.9%)
EPRA earnings
Company adj. EPRA 22.4 24.6 (8.9%)
earnings per share
Net LTV (%) 31.3 30.7 0.6%
EPRA NAV per share* 5.05 5.29 (4.5%)
* Including EURcents 14 special dividend paid in Mar.18 and EURcents 20.25
regular dividend paid YTD
Liad Barzilai, Chief Executive Officer of Atrium Group, commented:
"We have continued to grow like-for-like rental income during the year to date,
while maintaining high levels of activity and productivity in terms of improving
our portfolio quality. This has been achieved through a combination of divesting
non-core assets, progressing with the extension and improvement projects at our
flagship Warsaw assets and by adding a prime, well established, high footfall
retail asset to our portfolio, through the acquisition of the War Sawa Junior
centre in Warsaw. While the asset sales undertaken decreased the total rental
income for the first three quarters, this significant acquisition and the
various openings within our redevelopment programme will partially offset that
income with higher quality revenues going forward and will additionally provide
us with a portfolio of dominant retail assets that is well placed to deliver
longer term income and capital growth.
"The prospects for our core markets of Poland and the Czech Republic remain
strong, offering a combination of forecast GDP growth with falling unemployment
and increasing retail sales. This positive macro outlook together with the solid
portfolio progress we continue to make underpins my confidence in the Company's
future prospects."
Further information can be found on the Company's website www.aere.com or for
Analysts:
Molly Katz: mkatz@aere.com
Press & Shareholders:
FTI Consulting Inc.: +44 (0)20 3727 1000
Richard Sunderland/Claire Turvey: atrium@fticonsulting.com
About Atrium European Real Estate
The Company is established as a closed-end investment company incorporated and
domiciled in Jersey and regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission as
a certified Jersey listed fund, and is listed on both the Vienna Stock Exchange
and the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange. Appropriate professional advice
should be sought in the case of any uncertainty as to the scope of the
regulatory requirements that apply by reason of the above regulation and
listings. All investments are subject to risk. Past performance is no guarantee
of future returns. The value of investments may fluctuate. Results achieved in
the past are no guarantee of future results.
Further inquiry note:
For further information:
FTI Consulting Inc.:
+44 (0)20 3727 1000
Richard Sunderland
Claire Turvey
Richard.sunderland@fticonsulting.com
end of announcement euro adhoc
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 13, 2018 00:45 ET (05:45 GMT)
