MI-Reit's Distributable Income Rises

Source : The Business Times, May 22, 2008

Q4's $5.8m boosted by rentals from new properties

STRONG rental contributions from its new properties lifted Macarthurcook Industrial Reit's (MI-Reit) distributable income in the fourth quarter to $5.8 million, with distribution per unit (DPU) coming in at 2.22 cents.

Q4 distributable income was 19.9 per cent higher than its initial forecast, while DPU was 19.4 per cent ahead of estimates.

'The 19.4 per cent higher than forecast DPU for 4Q FY08 was largely due to rental contributions from our acquisitions of nine yield accretive properties during the year. Of these nine properties, five were acquired during the fourth quarter,' said Craig Dunstan, chief executive officer of the manager for MI-Reit.

These acquisitions increased the total value of MI-Reit's investment properties by 75.5 per cent to $555.4 million, compared with its initial portfolio value of $316.5 million, he added.

MI-Reit's net property income for the fourth quarter ended March 31 stood at $8.21 million, 38.1 per cent higher than forecast. Taking an earlier revaluation gain from its 12 properties into account, its net asset value per unit (NAV) was $1.29 at the end of March, 7.5 per cent higher than the NAV of $1.20 at its initial public offer in April 2007, it said in a statement yesterday.

Annualised DPU came in at 7.91 cents for the full financial year, beating forecasts by 6.7 per cent. The annualised yield worked out to be 8.03 per cent, based on the closing price of $0.985 per unit at the end of March. Full-year distributable income also beat estimates at $19.61 million.

Properties acquired in the last six months include new warehouse and logistics facilities in Yishun Industrial Park A and Defu Lane 10, as well as a manufacturing complex in Kallang Way which was acquired through a sale and leaseback agreement with Xpress Holdings.

Besides lifting rentals, these acquisitions also helped to reduce the reliance on a single property or tenant, said MI-Reit. As testament to the results, it said no single tenant contributed more than 20.3 per cent to total rental income in March this year.

Looking ahead, Mr Dunstan expects economic growth in the region to be moderated as a result of the US mortgage crisis and this may put a temporary halt to MI-Reit's acquisition plans. However, he expects demand for industrial properties to remain strong across Asia.

MI-Reit shares closed at 96 cents yesterday, down 1.5 cents.