Q1 Portfolio Update
Strong first quarter performance with £150 million equity fundraise, key acquisitions with continued value-enhancing asset management and its risk-controlled development progress
NewRiver Retail Limited (AIM: NRR), the UK REIT specialising in value-creating retail property investment and active asset management, announces the following portfolio update for the first quarter, beginning 1 April 2015 and ending 30 June 2015.
The Company has begun its financial year with a highly active and successful first quarter. The highlight was NewRiver's £150 million equity fundraise as announced on 19 June 2015 for which the majority of proceeds are committed. The Company also completed a number of acquisitions and one disposal with assets under management at the end of June 2015 totalling £849 million (31 March 2015: £848 million). Furthermore, the Company completed a significant number of value-enhancing active asset management and development initiatives.
HIGHLIGHTS
Completed a £150 million equity fundraise through the issue of 50,000,000 new ordinary shares at 300 pence per share, for which majority of the proceeds are committed
Post period end exchange of contracts for the £69.10 million acquisition of the Ramsay retail park portfolio at a yield of 8.03%
Exchange of contracts to acquire the remaining 50% of two separate joint ventures (Camel III and Trent) from LVS, a subsidiary of Bravo II*
Completed £7.23 million of acquisitions at an average net initial yield of 8.68%
Disposal of a portfolio of high street assets totalling £6.00 million, acquired in December 2014 for £5.00 million resulting in an IRR of 43.9%
Assets under management total £849 million at the end of June 2015 (31 March 2015: £848 million); on completion of the Ramsay portfolio NewRiver's assets under management will total nearly £920 million
Maintained a stable retail occupancy rate of 96%, at an average retail rent of £12.38 per sq ft (31 March 2015: 96% and £12.36 per sq ft respectively)
Weighted Average Lease Expiry ("WALE") for the retail portfolio is 7.5 years (31 March 2015: 7.4 years)
Successfully completed 55 new lettings and lease renewals during the period securing a total of £1.37 million per annum in long-term rent. New long-term leasing events achieved a rental income of 2.1% above valuation ERV with an average lease length of 9.4 years
Significant progress with the pub portfolio conversion programme, submitting a further six planning applications and successfully securing another three consents taking the total number of planning applications submitted to 45 and total planning consents received to 13.
Progress continues across the Company's growing development pipeline, comprising a total of 1.25 million sq ft of mixed-use, retail and leisure space which also includes hotels and residential