Re: Admission to trading

Local Shopping REIT (The) PLC 02 May 2007 2 May 2007 THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN The Local Shopping REIT plc Admission to trading on the London Stock Exchange Key points: • The Local Shopping REIT plc ('LSR'/'the Company'), a UK resident property investment company, announces that its Ordinary Shares have been admitted to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and commenced trading on the London Stock Exchange. • The Company successfully completed an oversubscribed placing and offer for subscription, raising £160 million • The demand for the placing demonstrates both a strong appetite from investors for exposure to investing in local shopping assets in the United Kingdom offering the potential for income and capital growth and strong support for the Company's highly experienced management • The Company is self-managed. The Board of the Company comprises joint Chief Executives Mike Riley and Nick Gregory with Victoria Whitehouse as Finance Director. Grahame Whateley is non-executive Chairman and Andrew Cunningham (of Grainger Plc) and Nick Vetch (of The Big Yellow Group Plc) are non-executive directors • The Company aims to pay its shareholders dividends which it intends will provide an initial target annualised gross dividend yield of 4.75 per cent. on the 174 pence issue price • The Company expects this target dividend yield to grow by the UK Index of Consumer Prices from September 2008 • As at the date of the prospectus, the Company had built up a portfolio valued at £207.7 million of property spread across 484 assets, with 1,409 tenants producing an overall net rental income of £13.8 million per annum. The Company plans to invest a further £143 million into additional property by 30 September 2008 • The Company's shares will trade under the name 'LSR' • JPMorgan Cazenove Limited has been appointed Financial Advisor and Broker to the Company. Grahame Whateley, Chairman of The Local Shopping REIT plc, said: 'We are delighted to have successfully completed the Offer, enabling us to welcome a wide range of institutional investors to the Company. We believe that we are providing a unique opportunity for investors to gain access to a strong and diverse portfolio of local shopping assets, which will benefit greatly from the expertise of our highly experienced management team.' Mike Riley, Joint Chief Executive, The Local Shopping REIT plc, said: 'We are very excited to be embarking on the next phase of The Local Shopping REIT's evolution. Our accretive business model and prospects for growth are clearly appealing to institutional and retail investors alike.' Nick Gregory, Joint Chief Executive, The Local Shopping REIT plc, said: 'With the capital raising process successfully completed, we will now continue our focus on acquiring good quality assets, creating additional opportunities through our established network of agents and unlocking additional value through our asset management skills.' For further information please contact: The Local Shopping REIT plc +44 20 7187 4444 Mike Riley Nick Gregory JPMorgan Cazenove +44 20 7588 2828 Robert Fowlds Edward Gibson-Watt Financial Dynamics +44 20 7831 3113 Stephanie Highett Dido Laurimore Important information The target gross dividend yield of the Company is a target only and is based on assumptions and projections, including with respect to the Company's property portfolio, capital structure, costs and expenses, and real estate market and general economic conditions. These assumptions and projections are based on the Board's judgements, estimates and beliefs as well as current market conditions, and are therefore subject to change. There can be no guarantee that the Company will achieve its targets annualised dividend yield. The price and value of securities may go down as well as up. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance and failure of any assumptions and projections with respect to the Company to be accurate or correct may adversely impact the value of the Company's securities. Persons needing advice should contact a professional adviser. All statements in this announcement that are not historical fact are forward looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the IPO, the expected proceeds from the IPO, the intention to list on the London Stock Exchange, the target gross dividend yield of the Company, the quality, composition, size, diversification and performance of the portfolio, the Company's ability to generate above average returns and its growth prospects and statements containing the words 'believes', 'estimates', 'anticipates', 'expects ', 'intends', 'assumes', 'may', 'will', or 'should' or in each case, their negative or other variations or similar expressions. Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risk, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Subject to any regulatory obligation, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revised forward-looking statements to reflect any change in expectations, new information, subsequent events or otherwise. This communication is made by JPMorgan Cazenove Limited. JPMorgan Cazenove Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, is acting for the Company only and will not be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for advising such person on the matters referred to in this announcement. This document is an advertisement and does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or issue, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for Shares, nor should it or any part of it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or commitment whatsoever. This document is not a prospectus. This document does not constitute, and may not be used for the purposes of, an offer or an invitation to subscribe for Shares by any person in any jurisdiction in which (i) such offer or invitation is not authorised; or (ii) in which the person making such offer or invitation is not qualified to do so; or (iii) to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or invitation. Background information The Local Shopping REIT plc is a limited liability, UK resident, self-managed, closed ended investment company which, shortly following Admission, will elect to become a Real Estate Investment Trust. The Company's capital structure will consist solely of Ordinary Shares and the Company will have an indefinite life. The Company's investment objective is to provide shareholders with an attractive level of income with the potential for income and capital growth. Its investment policy is to focus on investments in 'local' retail assets in the United Kingdom. Having developed the business concept with Grahame Whateley, Mike Riley and Nick Gregory started the Company's activities in January 2005 and the Group began acquiring properties in April 2005. Since that time, Mike Riley and Nick Gregory have been responsible for identifying and acquiring investment properties fitting the Company's business model, as well as negotiating investment finance and effective asset management. Prior to Admission, the Company was owned 75% by Castlemore Holdings Limited (which holds its interests for the benefit of Grahame Whateley's family) and 12.5% each by Mike Riley and Nick Gregory. The Board Grahame Whateley, non-executive Chairman, has been in the property industry for approximately 45 years, after qualifying as a surveyor. He founded Castlemore Securities Limited (now a subsidiary of Castlemore Holdings) 36 years ago. Castlemore is currently involved in developing a portfolio of office, retail and large mixed use schemes worth over £1 billion around the country, totalling 10 million square feet of new space. Nicholas Gregory, Joint Chief Executive. Along with Mike Riley, Nick was a director at Castlemore Securities Limited between October 2002 and January 2005, when he became a director of the Company. Previously, Nick was at UBS Global Asset Management (UK) Limited from April 1996 to September 2002. At UBS, he was appointed fund manager responsible for the management of a portfolio with a value of £175m for Philips & Drew Second Property Partnership (later renamed Triton Property Fund). His role included stock selection, purchase diligence and sales, and he was later made responsible for all purchase and sales transactions. He became a director in July 2000 and a member of the Property Investment Committee in May 2001 with responsibility for setting fund strategy and transaction approval for a fund with £568m of property assets (as at June 2002). Prior to joining UBS, Nick was a trainee surveyor at Chesterton from 1993 to 1996. Michael Riley, Joint Chief Executive. Mike has been working in the property industry since 1986. Along with Nick Gregory, he was a director of Castlemore Securities Limited between October 2002 and January 2005, when he became a director of the Company. Prior to joining Castlemore, Mike was at Quintain Estates and Development Plc from July 2001 until July 2002, holding the role of Chief Executive from March 2002. Previously, Mike worked at HVB Real Estate Capital for four years where he became joint managing director in October 1999 and was responsible for the bank's marketing team. He also sat on its London credit committee. Prior to that he was at Chesterton International from 1989 to 1997. Mike trained as a chartered surveyor with Hillier Parker between 1986 and 1989. Victoria Whitehouse, Finance Director. Victoria joined the Company as Finance Director in January 2007 from ProLogis Developments Limited where, as Group Financial Controller, she was responsible for directing the accounts team. Victoria was with KPMG, between 1997 and 2005, becoming senior audit manager responsible for a variety of clients with turnovers up to £350m per annum, including publicly listed companies and a property group. Victoria trained with Felton & Co in Birmingham and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1997. Andrew Cunningham, Non-Executive Director, qualified as an accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells, becoming a partner in 1989 with responsibility for a broad range of audit clients. He joined Grainger PLC as Finance Director in 1996, becoming Deputy Chief Executive in 2002. Nicholas Vetch, Non-Executive Director, was a co-founder of Big Yellow Group PLC in September 1998. Prior to that he was joint Chief Executive of Edge Properties plc, which he co-founded in 1989 and which was subsequently listed on the Official List of the London Stock Exchange in 1996 before being taken over by Grantchester Properties plc in 1998. Mr Vetch is also a non-executive director of Blue Self Storage S.L - a self storage operation in Spain. The Company's management has also established a network of national and local advisers, including active relationships with 4 specialist managing agents and 18 investment acquisition agents around the UK, who are kept in close touch with the Company's objectives and progress. This strategy has greatly assisted in identifying and converting investment opportunities and maximising asset management benefits and is expected to continue to provide the Group with access to potential acquisitions and facilitate the execution of transactions and management. In all, over 50 agents are actively identifying investment opportunities and providing asset management and professional services to the portfolio. The management team engages and monitors agents' performance against established rigorous standards. Supported by its professional advisers, LSR has already established a reputation for swift and efficient deal execution, which has led to repeat business with vendors and their agents on an off-market basis, with consequent benefits for pricing and deal costs. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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