The Watkin Jones Group is one of the UK's leading developers of student accommodation with a reputation for consistently delivering high quality accommodation, on time, and to budget.
UK wide, our portfolio of developments range from purpose-built cluster flats and studios, to refurbishment projects and mixed-use schemes. Strategic choice of locations, coupled with cutting-edge design and exceptional build quality are the cornerstones of our success.

Today's students demand quality, affordability and exceptional connectivity with easy links to learning and leisure facilities as standard. This is an exacting combination but this is precisely the accommodation we deliver in prime locations nationwide.

Since 1999 we have developed more than 25,000 student units and have an in-depth understanding of this resilient property sector.

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Watkin Jones Group Fundamentals (WJG)

Pre-Close Trading Statement

Watkin Jones plc (AIM:WJG), a leading UK developer and constructor of multi occupancy property assets, with a focus on the student accommodation and Build to Rent sectors, today provides the following trading update for the year ended 30 September 2017 (the 'period').

The Board is pleased to announce that the Group has successfully achieved its operational objectives for the period and that it expects to report underlying earnings for the financial year in line with its expectations.

In the period Watkin Jones delivered, ahead of the 2017/18 academic year, ten student accommodation developments across the UK with a total of 3,314 beds. All ten student accommodation developments (3,415 beds) scheduled for delivery in FY18, ahead of the 2018/2019 academic year, have been forward sold and are on track. Looking to FY19, the Group has already forward sold five student accommodation developments (2,599 beds) for delivery ahead of the 2019/20 academic year. In addition to these forward sold developments, Watkin Jones has a further eight secured development sites (2,959 beds) targeted for delivery during FY19 to FY21.

Watkin Jones is continuing to gain momentum in the Build to Rent sector. The Group has ownership of three development sites and is in separate negotiations on several other opportunities, from which it is targeting to develop approximately 1,500 units during FY18 to FY22, subject to securing the necessary planning consents. The Board is encouraged by both the Group's progress in securing Build to Rent opportunities and the prospects for growth in this market going forward.

Fresh Property Group, the Group's accommodation management subsidiary which trades under the brand names of Fresh Student Living and Five Nine Living, performed in line with the Board's expectations for the period and now has 16,082 student beds across 53 schemes under management for the 2017/18 academic year (12,337 student beds under management at the start of the 2016/17 academic year across 44 schemes).

Investor demand for purpose built student accommodation remains strong and the Group's robust development pipeline continues to provide strong future visibility of earnings and cash flows. The Group is well positioned to expand its operations into the Build to Rent sector as further sites and opportunities are being secured and investor appetite gathers momentum. As a result, the Board remains confident in the future outlook for the Group.

Mark Watkin Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Watkin Jones plc, said: "We are pleased to have delivered on our development pipeline objectives for the year, alongside a strong operational performance and expect to report underlying earnings in line with the Board's expectations.

2017 has been another year of significant progress for the Group with our student accommodation, Build to Rent and accommodation management divisions all performing strongly, providing us with excellent future earnings and cash flow visibility. This demonstrates the robustness of our model and ability to deliver significant returns for our shareholders."

The Group will be announcing its Final Results on Monday, 15 January 2018. An analyst briefing will be held at 09.30hrs at the offices of Buchanan, 107 Cheapside, London EC2V 6DN.

- Ends -

A new high @239.50p

Making new highs again @244.50p.

Taking a bit of a hammering , for some reason ,nothing changed but you'd think end of the world , how do they get away with it .

Fantastic trade regardless if you were in at the IPO. Well done guys.

Starting falling about 11 which is a bit odd. Maybe just some profit taking?

I sold 20% near the top, but didn't expect this fall - all very strange.

This is where i'm poor really , it's had such a good run should have took some profit , but i think it will carry on up that lovely slope soon .

Skinny, I see the fall started a number of days ago but could the last couple of days be something to do with housing associations now being classified as in the private sector which will enable them to borrow more? I can't see why though.

Or it could be someone being margin called on CLLN (timing doesn't fit well though)

Or it could just be it's had a fantastic run and now we are in to stop running (think this one most likely)

imho - I haven't got a clue really

I guess danger zone is next load of stops at 200?

As you say - any/none of the above.

Annoying really, as this has been one of my better performers and (I thought) not one to lose sleep over!

I seem to remember the Telegraph said take some profits about a week or so back some one said , gone too far though .

Looking at that delayed 22k trade at 205.0 I'd suggest a forced close by broker/spreadbet company.

CC - it was a delayed trade.

Very strange sp action. Did a quick trade but suspect I sold too soon!😃

This getting stupid now , no one knows anything yet .

The recent Questor article in the Telegraph suggested it was a good time to take profits but today's action appears to be a bit excessive!

The sp was around 249p at the time of the Questor article so it's come off a long way (now 197p ish) for just profit-taking, imo.

There's no way someone knows something to cause this , it's just got out of hand in my view , well hope so .

Maybe it needs the Co to say we see no reason for share price movement .

Stops taken out at 200, then 190, then 185.

Has bounced now to around 200 but risk it will drift back to 190 as those in from far lower down take some off the table.

Octopus Investments > 5%