Portfolio Acquisition and Notice of Final Results

RNS Number : 4014L

Urban Logistics REIT PLC

30 April 2020

 

Urban Logistics REIT plc

("Urban Logistics" or the "Company")

Portfolio Acquisition

and

Notice of Final Results

The Company announces that on 29 April 2020 it acquired seven properties (the "Crown Portfolio") for a total consideration of £47.2 million.

Highlights

§ £47.2 million portfolio acquisition at a net initial yield ("NIY") of 7.0%

§ Seven distribution sites, with average warehouse size of 84,105 sq ft, located in Aberdeen, Huntingdon, Blackpool, Ipswich, Newmarket, Plymouth and Rotherham

§ Low capital value of £68 per sq ft

§ Low average passing rent of £4.96 per sq ft

§ Acquisitions are fully funded from the proceeds of March's £136.1 million equity capital raise

Richard Moffitt, Chief Executive, commented:

"We are delighted to have continued strengthening the Company's portfolio, investing a further £47 million into regional warehouses which support the distribution of staple goods across the UK.

"These properties are well located, close to labour availability and population centres, have strong tenant covenants and offer a range of asset management opportunities.

"We have now deployed £103 million of the £136 million raised in March and will continue to adopt a patient and cautious approach as we build the portfolio. Our strong balance sheet enables us to look opportunistically at properties which offer attractive returns and complement our existing portfolio.

"Our tenants continue to trade well and all of our rents have now been collected. We remain convinced of the attractive opportunities ahead across the Company's portfolio and the mid-sized logistics warehousing sector more generally."

Crown Portfolio

The Crown Portfolio comprises seven properties which are being acquired for a consideration of £47.2 million, equivalent to a 7.0% NIY. The acquisition took place off market through the purchase of a Jersey unit trust from funds controlled by Legal & General Investment Management.

The Crown Portfolio's tenants include Giant Booker (three sites), Anglian Water, Hermes Parcelnet and Pegler plc. Included within the portfolio is a site in Aberdeen which is multi-let and subject to a 12-month rental guarantee on its two vacant units. With a weighted average unexpired lease term of eight years the portfolio offers asset management opportunities as well as secure income from high-quality tenants.

Giant Booker, the food wholesaler owned by Tesco plc, represents 31% of the portfolio's rental income.

Notice of Final Results

The Company intends to announce its Final Results for the year ended 31 March 2020 on or around 29 May 2020.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION (EU) NO 596/2014 ("MAR").

- Ends -

For further information contact:

Urban Logistics REIT plc Richard Moffitt	[phone]
Montfort - Financial PR and IR adviser Olly Scott	[phone]
N+1 Singer - Nominated Adviser and Broker James Maxwell / James Moat (Corporate Finance) Alan Geeves / James Waterlow / Sam Greatrex (Sales)	[phone]
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited - Joint Broker Chloe Ponsonby (Corporate Broking) Emma Earl (Corporate Finance)	[phone]

About Urban Logistics REIT

Urban Logistics REIT plc is a property investment company, quoted on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, (AIM: SHED).

The Company has been established to invest in UK-based logistics properties with the objective of generating attractive dividends and capital returns for its shareholders. Its investment strategy focuses on strategically located smaller single let properties servicing high-quality tenants. Investment returns will be generated by an experienced management team focusing on quality stock selection and active asset management.

A number of structural and commercial factors currently support the attractive opportunity in the last mile/regional industrial and logistics real estate sub-sectors targeted by the Company, including: strong occupier demand, (driven by the growth of e-commerce and investment by retailers in their associated supply chain) and a decline in the supply of smaller sized lettable space in industrial and logistics real estate across the UK.

 

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