Month: April 2009
FSL – BT
FSL Trust to give DPU of 2.45 US cents for Q1
Firm doing well with stable cash flows from lease portfolio
FIRST Ship Lease Trust (FSL Trust) will distribute US$12.3 million or a distribution per unit (DPU) of 2.45 US cents to its unitholders for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009, FSL Trust Management Pte Ltd (FSLTM), the trustee-manager, said yesterday.
The DPU of 2.45 US cents represents a payout of approximately 73 per cent of the total distributable cash flow for the quarter.
This is lower than the DPU of 3.08 US cents in Q408 and 2.59 US cents in Q108, which were based on a 100 per cent payout ratio.
The cash retained in Q109 has been primarily applied towards a voluntary loan prepayment of US$4.0 million, it said.
The distribution re-investment scheme (DRS) will apply for the Q109 distribution.
Eligible unitholders will thus have the option to receive their distributions in the form of new units, cash, or a combination of both.
Philip Clausius, chief executive officer of FSLTM, said: ‘Whilst the global shipping and capital market conditions remain challenging, FSL Trust’s business continues to perform well with stable cash flows from the lease portfolio.’
‘We have started to prepay some debt voluntarily, as a signal to our lenders, and as reaffirmation of our commitment to be proactive and prudent in our capital management.
‘ The board has decided to apply the DRS this quarter in order to increase its scope of voluntary debt repayment.’
Of the total revolving credit facilities of US$515 million secured by FSL Trust, US$513 million have been utilised to acquire the additional 10 vessels post IPO.
FSLTM made a voluntary prepayment of US$4.0 million in Q109, which reduced the outstanding loan amount to US$509 million.
The loans are fully secured on all of FSL Trust’s vessels. The facilities are provided on a floating rate basis.
FSL Trust said it has hedged its interest rate risk through natural hedges or interest rate swaps to fix the interest rates until the maturities of the facilities.
All vessels in FSL Trust’s lease portfolio are fully financed and there is no committed capital expenditure that requires additional funding.
It said it does not have any loan refinancing needs until 2012. FSL Trust is also in compliance with all of its covenants under the credit facilities with its lenders.
It added that there is no immediate need to raise substantial capital.
For Q209, the trustee-manager is providing a DPU guidance of 2.45 US cents, which represents approximately 75 per cent of the projected distributable cash flow.
The cash retained, together with any proceeds from unitholders who have elected to receive their Q109 distributions in units under the DRS, will be principally used to reduce the outstanding loan balance.
FSL Trust units closed up two cents at 43 cents yesterday.
KREIT – BT
K-Reit Asia’s Q1 DPU tumbles 48% to 2.38 cents
KEPPEL Land’s listed trust K-Reit Asia says distribution per unit (DPU) fell to 2.38 cents in the first quarter of this year, down 48 per cent from 4.6 cents a year earlier, on an enlarged share base after a rights issue.
K-Reit issued 396.9 million new units – more than doubling the total number of units – in the May 2008 issue.
The fall in DPU was despite a 37 per cent surge in distributable income as the office trust achieved higher rents from new and renewed leases.
Distributable income for Q1 March 31, 2009 rose to $15.7 million, from $11.4 million a year earlier.
Besides better rental income, K-Reit benefited from lower borrowing costs and lower income tax due to a reduction in the tax rate.
Net property income of $10.8 million was 18 per cent higher than $9.1 million in Q1 2008.
The growth was underpinned by higher gross rental income from K-Reit’s properties – Keppel Towers, GE Tower, Prudential Tower and Bugis Junction Towers.
Gross rental income rose 29 per cent year- on-year to $14.5 million.
The trust had borrowings of $577.6 million at end-March. None of the amount is repayable in a year or less.
‘K-Reit Asia remains in a healthy financial position, with low aggregate leverage of 27.6 per cent at end-March 2009,’ the trust said in a statement.
‘It has no immediate refinancing concerns as its existing loans will mature in 2011.’
The trust set up a $1 billion medium-term note programme recently to provide it with greater funding flexibility.
K-Reit Asia acknowledged that the office sector softened in Q1.
Average prime and Grade A monthly rents fell 34.4 per cent and 34 per cent year-on-year to $10.50 per sq ft (psf) and $12.30 psf respectively, according to data from CB Richard Ellis.
But the trust said its portfolio still enjoys positive rental reversions and has a diverse tenant business mix.
Income from its one- third interest in One Raffles Quay also remains sustainable, with income support lasting until end-2011, K-Reit said.
Given the uncertainties ahead, the trust will emphasise tenant retention and is looking to achieve greater operational and cost efficiency.
It will also make selective asset acquisitions should opportunities arise.
K-Reit units lost 0.5 cent to close at 68 cents yesterday.
ART – BT
SINGAPORE – Ascott Residence Trust recorded a 24 per cent drop in its distribution per unit for Q1 2009 year-on-year, from 2.33 cents to 1.77 cents.
Gross profit for the quarter fell 16 per cent compared to the same period from a year ago, from $23.6 million to $19.9 million.
The trust attributed the lower profit to the economic downturn which had affected the Asian hospitality industry.
K-Reit – BT
Keppel Land’s listed trust K-Reit Asia reported on Tuesday a 37.3 per cent surge in Q1 distributable income as it saw higher rents from new and renewed leases.
Distributable income for the three months ended March 31, 2009 rose to $15.7 million, from $11.4 million in Q1 2008.
But distribution per unit fell to 2.38 cents, from 4.60 cents, on the back of new shares issued during the trust’s May 2008 rights issue.
Given the uncertainties ahead, K-Reit’s manager said it will place emphasis on tenant retention and seek to improve operational and cost efficiencies, the trust said. K-Reit Asia will also make selective asset acquisitions should opportunities arise, it added.
CMT – CIMB
Signs of decline
• DPU in line, gross turnover down. 1Q09 results were in line with Street and our expectations. Total distributable income of S$62.6m excludes S$5.9m of revenue which has been retained. 1Q09 DPU of 1.97cts fell 43.4% yoy to form 24% of our forecast for FY09. The yoy decline was due to more units as a result of its rights issue. Gross revenue of S$134.5m was up 11.1% yoy on new contributions from Atrium@Orchard and the completion of asset enhancement initiatives in various malls. Qoq, gross revenue was flat due to a 3.4% qoq decline in gross turnover (all categories affected) as well as a slowdown in reversions.
• Reversion rates slowing. While portfolio occupancy had remained stable at 99.5%, reversions showed the first signs of slowing. Based on 125 leases renewed in 1Q09, average rentals grew 1.3% over preceding rates (typically committed three years ago). This represents an annual growth of 0.4%, below the 6-year average annual growth of 3.2%.
• Asset enhancement for JEC and Atrium still under review. Plans for the asset enhancement of Jurong Entertainment Centre and Atrium@Orchard are still under review. Subject to market conditions and regulatory approvals, work could start at the end of 2009 for JEC and end of 2010 for Atrium.
• No changes to our forecasts; downside risks remain. For the rest of 2009, we expect CMT’s portfolio occupancy to stay rather stable, anchored by its well-located suburban malls. However, with leases accounting for more than 50% of its rental revenue expiring over 2009-10 (21.5% in 2009 and 36.4% in 2010) and possibly worsening unemployment and retail sales, downside risks for rents remain. Maintain Underperform and target price S$0.87, still based on DDM valuation (discount 9.7%).