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)

Interesting developments today. Hmm.

Float the company.

Do a good job post flotation

And retire I should think

Good luck to him

Absolutely!!

The company has seen good growth and forward earnings are decent ........ but what after that?

Al. Here's my take. I'm missed out on this one completely mostly as half my portfolio is construction stocks and I couldn't add any more.

I've know this company for 25 years from the days they were entirely based in Wales building fairly standard stuff.

They've done incredibly well and the moment they floated the company I perceived this was the route to exit as there was no way the Watkin Jones family was going to have the responsibilities of being on the stock market unless they were getting something out of it.


I kind of feel the stock has had it's day now and if we want to make big money it's time to find the next Watkin Jones. However, I do think this is the right sector at the right time as the economy is coming back and the demise of Carillion will completely change margins for the better. I wouldn't blame anyone for staying with this trade.

I like the sector as I said. I have CTO, NMD and SFR having sold all my TW. and PSN.

I also have LWB which is a supplier to the sector, which has just come off the recent low if you like catching knifes.

A number of the other construction companies have pulled back a bit on the Carillion news. So, far I've looked at VANL, SDY and PTSG. I don't like any of them at their current prices.

Woodford Investment Management Ltd > 13%

CC - I was in and out of this quite quickly last summer and they're not much higher now than when I got out. Of course, they have been higher!! At the time I also held CLLN in the SIPP. Luckily saw the light just before the big drop, but took a loss anyway. I still hold TW. though. Had them since 26p so the yield in the SIPP is high given the current divi. Not inclined to dump them just yet whilst that's available. They've paid for themselves many times over obviously.

Just not sure where WJG go from here. Stunning run, but you always wonder when someone so close to an outfit bails after that kind of action. Not inclined to get back in.

Annual Report and Notice of AGM

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, announces that electronic copies of its Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2017 together with the Notice of Annual General Meeting and Form of Proxy will be available from the Company's investor relations website at www.watkinjonesplc.com on Monday, 22 January 2018. Hard copies of the 2017 Annual Report and Accounts, Notice of Annual General Meeting and Form of Proxy will be posted to shareholders today.

The Company's Annual General Meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, 13 February 2018 at the offices of Buchanan, 107 Cheapside, London EC2V 6DN.

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Octopus Investments ---> 6.4%

AGM today.

Result of Annual General Meeting

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, announces that at the Company's Annual General Meeting held earlier today in London, all resolutions put to shareholders were duly passed.

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Director Shareholding

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, announces that Mark Watkin Jones (CEO) has today sold 3,825,000 ordinary shares of one penny each in the Company, representing approximately 1.5% of the issued share capital, in order to facilitate final settlement of divorce proceedings. Following the trade, Mark Watkin Jones holds 3,825,000 ordinary shares, which are subject to a lock-up expiring in 180 days from today, and the Watkin Jones Family* continue to hold, in total, 70,584,407 ordinary shares representing 27.64% of the issued share capital.

14:51:54 195.0000 3,825,000 O 199.4000 201.0000 Sell 20,768 3,856,873

This maybe ties in with his retreat from day to day running of the Co , wants a bit of life back .

That's quite a bit of life!😃

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, announces its pre-close trading statement for the half year ended 31 March 2018 (the 'period').

The Board is pleased to report a strong trading performance in the first six months of the financial year, in line with its expectations.

Student Accommodation

In the period, good progress has been made in the student accommodation development business. As announced on 23 March 2018, Watkin Jones has now secured a development pipeline in excess of 9,800 beds, with over 8,300 beds having already received planning consent. All the developments due for delivery ahead of the 2018/19 academic year (3,415 beds) and a further five schemes (2,675 beds) currently scheduled to be delivered ahead of the 2019/20 academic year have been forward sold. The Group is actively marketing a number of further schemes scheduled to be delivered ahead of both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years and is seeking to secure forward sales for these developments in the second half of the financial year.

Build to Rent

The Group has continued to push forward with a number of opportunities in the build to rent sector. In the first half of the year, planning consents have been secured for three sites located in Bournemouth, Sheffield and Sutton, increasing the pipeline of owned sites with planning to approximately 700 units. The Group has also secured a significant development site in Uxbridge and is progressing the planning consent. In total, the Group is now in control of five build to rent development sites and remains in positive negotiations on several other opportunities, from which it expects to deliver over 1,500 units in the next five years.

Fresh Property Group ('FPG')

FPG currently has 16,185 student accommodation beds and 533 build to rent units under management, across 58 schemes. As advised in the Group's FY17 full year results issued on 15 January 2018, Watkin Jones anticipated that as a consequence of the sale by the Curlew Student Trust ("CST") of a portfolio of 14 schemes (the 'Enigma' portfolio), comprising 5,124 beds, it was likely that the management of the schemes concerned would be taken in house by the new owner. FPG has since agreed to provide full management services for these schemes until 30 April 2018, after which they will continue to provide financial reporting services for the schemes until at least September 2018. FPG will be fully compensated for any difference in the level of fees receivable over the remaining periods of the existing contracts. Excluding the Enigma schemes, FPG is currently contracted to manage 14,016 student accommodation beds from the start of the 2018/19 academic year. The recent successful launch of Curlew Student Trust 2 ('CST2'), an investment vehicle focused on UK student accommodation for which FPG is the preferred property manager, provides an additional opportunity for future business growth. FPG is working with CST2 in appraising several new schemes.

Outlook

The Group's progress in implementing its operational and strategic objectives is encouraging and the Board remains confident in the outlook for the full year and beyond.


Mark Watkin Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Watkin Jones plc, said: "I am delighted with the Group's performance in the period. The outlook for the UK purpose built student accommodation market is positive and demand for our high-quality product remains strong. FPG continues to be successful in securing new contracts and, from the start of the 2018/19 academic year, is contracted to manage over 14,000 beds.

"We continue to make solid progress in the build to rent sector, having successfully acquired five build to rent development sites. We remain in positive negotiations on several other opportunities and will update the market as these opportunities progress.

"As we continue to consolidate our position as a market leader in the development and construction of student accommodation and make good progress with our build to rent developments, the business continues to demonstrate sustainable growth. Given the encouraging start to the financial year, we believe our business model will continue to deliver strong returns to shareholders."


Notice of Results

The Group will be announcing its Interim Results on Tuesday, 22 May 2018. An analyst briefing will be held at 09.30hrs at the offices of Buchanan, 107 Cheapside, London EC2V 6DN.



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A mention here.

Half year results for the six months to 31 March 2018

· Revenues for the half year up 18.4% on the prior half year, driven by student accommodation developments.

· Strong profit growth for the half year, with gross profit increased by 18.6% to £34.5 million (H1 2017: £29.1 million) and operating profit increased by 22.7% to £23.8 million (H1 2017: £19.4 million).

· Gross margin for the six months to 31 March 2018 maintained at 21.8% (H1 2017: 21.8%).

· 12.3% increase in the interim dividend to 2.47 pence per share (FY 2017: Interim dividend of 2.2 pence per share), in line with our progressive dividend policy.

· Strong cash performance in the first half of the year, with net cash at 31 March 2018 of £38.4 million (31 March 2017: £11.7 million).



More.....

Peel Hunt Buy 205.75 230.00 240.00 Reiterates

Interesting UT of 28 shares @185.4000

Update on Student Accommodation and Build to Rent developments

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, announces that is has exchanged contracts to acquire a site in Wembley, London from Kelaty Propco Limited (a joint venture ultimately owned by Singapore incorporated Lum Chang Holdings Limited and Sin Heng Chang Private Ltd) (the 'Vendor'). The site benefits from an existing planning consent for a 599 bed student accommodation scheme, which will be developed by the Group for delivery in time for the 2021/22 academic year.


In addition, as part of the arrangement, the Group has entered into a development agreement with the Vendor to deliver 300 build to rent apartments on an adjoining site, to be completed in March 2021.

The securing of this opportunity in Wembley represents a significant addition to the Group's FY 2021 student accommodation and build to rent delivery pipelines.


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