DJ Intu Properties plc Interim Results to 30 June 2016
Key highlights
UK market review
Operating review
Top properties
Financial review
Principal risks and
uncertainties
Directors' responsibility
statement
Independent review
report
Unaudited financial
information
Other information
Dividends
Glossary
About intu
intu is the UK's leading owner, manager and developer of prime regional shopping centres with a growing presence in Spain.
We are passionate about creating uniquely compelling experiences, in centre and online, that attract customers, delivering enhanced footfall, dwell time and loyalty. This helps our retailers flourish, driving occupancy and income growth.
A FTSE 100 company, we own many of the UK's largest and most popular retail destinations, including nine of the top 20, with super regional centres such as intu Trafford Centre and intu Lakeside and vibrant city centre locations from Newcastle to Watford.
We are focused on four strategic objectives: optimising the performance of our assets to provide attractive long term total property returns, delivering our UK development pipeline to add value to our portfolio, leveraging the strength of our brand and seizing the opportunity in Spain to create a business of scale.
We are committed to our local communities and to operating with environmental responsibility. Our centres support over 120,000 jobs representing about 4 per cent of the total UK retail workforce.
Our success creates value for our retailers, investors and the communities we serve.
Presentation of information
Amounts presented in the key highlights, operating review and financial review are shown including the Group's share of joint ventures. See the financial review for more details and the other information section for a reconciliation between this and the equity method as required by IFRS11 Joint Arrangements.
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” regarding the belief or current expectations of intu properties plc, its Directors and other members of its senior management about intu properties plc's businesses, financial performance and results of operations.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Rather, they are based on current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of intu properties plc and are difficult to predict, that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from any future results, performance or developments expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this press release. Except as required by applicable law, intu properties plc makes no representation or warranty in relation to them and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in intu properties plc's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Any information contained in this press release on the price at which shares or other securities in intu properties plc have been bought or sold in the past, or on the yield on such shares or other securities, should not be relied upon as a guide to future performance.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2016
Key operating highlights
Optimising asset performance
Our focus is to deliver attractive long-term total property returns from strong, stable income streams and capital appreciation
— increased like-for-like net rental income by 7.5 per cent in the period, reflecting increased occupancy, improving rental levels from new lettings and rent reviews and the benefits of unit reconfigurations
— signed 98 long-term leases (82 in the UK and 16 in Spain) for GBP17 million new annual rent at an average 7 per cent above previous passing rent and in line with valuers' assumptions
— increased occupancy to 96.1 per cent through demand for new lettings (30 June 2015: 95.1 per cent)
— increased footfall by 1.3 per cent, compared to a 1.7 per cent fall in the national Experian retail average; estimated retailer sales in our centres increased by 0.2 per cent
— strong pipeline of new lettings with 106 leases in solicitors' hands, of which 27 have exchanged since the outcome of the EU referendum vote
UK development momentum
By extending and enhancing our existing locations we aim to deliver superior returns
— spent GBP23 million in the period on active asset management projects including the completion of the catering developments at intu Metrocentre (nine restaurants) and intu Bromley (five restaurants), both projects opening fully let
— on target for opening 20 new restaurants at intu Eldon Square in Autumn 2016 with 19 pre-let
— completed the demolition work and signed and commenced the main contract for the GBP178 million extension of intu Watford
— agreed the contract with Parques Reunidos to create a 50,000 sq. ft. Nickelodeon themed indoor family entertainment centre to anchor the GBP70 million leisure extension at intu Lakeside
Making the brand count
We are using the strength of our brand to create compelling experiences that ensure our centres deliver a day out experience for our customers and sales growth for our retailers
— intu Experiences, our dedicated promotions business, generated gross revenues of GBP8 million in the period. With estimated revenues of GBP20 million for the year, this is equivalent to the rental income of our eighth largest centre
— unprompted brand awareness of 21 per cent, up from 7 per cent when we started measurement in early 2015
— over 26 million website visits in the last 12 months, comparable with the footfall of a centre like intu Derby, a year-on-year increase of 23 per cent
— active marketing database of 2.3 million shoppers and over 440 retailers on our transactional website, intu.co.uk
— continued improvement in net promoter score to 74, an increase of 9 points year-on-year
Seizing the growth opportunity in Spain
Our Spanish strategy is to create a business of national scale through acquisitions and development projects
— occupancy remained strong at our two existing completed centres, with footfall and retailer sales both up 2 per cent in the period
— signed 16 new leases at 16 per cent above previous passing rent
— increased market value of both centres in the period with intu Asturias up 8 per cent and Puerto Venecia up 4 per cent
Acquisitions and disposals
— acquired the remaining 50 per cent interest in the intu Merry Hill estate in June 2016 for GBP410 million enabling us to accelerate re-engineering the retail, catering and leisure mix to unlock the full potential of this centre
— disposed of our interest in Equity One in January 2016 for GBP202 million, completing our exit from the US
Financial strength
— cash and available facilities of GBP564 million at 30 June 2016 (31 December 2015: GBP588 million)
— weighted average debt maturity of 7.2 years, with only GBP168 million of refinancing required through to the end of 2017
— substantial headroom on our debt covenants. By way of an example, a 25 per cent fall in capital values and 10 per cent fall in income would only require an equity cure of GBP84 million
— high quality income streams with financially secure tenants and a weighted average unexpired lease term of 7.7 years
— 100 per cent ownership of key assets, valued at GBP6.7 billion, including intu Trafford Centre, intu Lakeside and intu Merry Hill
Property valuation