SGX Market Strategist, Equity & Fixed Income, Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Geoff Howie

SGX Market Strategist, Equity & Fixed Income

Asia’s leading multi-asset exchange

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Singapore Exchange is Asia’s leading and trusted market infrastructure, facilitating the exchange of capital and ideas to create value for people, businesses and economies. As a multi-asset exchange operating equity, fixed income and derivatives markets to the highest regulatory standards, SGX is a vertically integrated business that provides listing, trading, clearing, settlement, depository and data services.

With about 40% of listed companies and over 80% of listed bonds originating outside of Singapore as well as established linkages across the region and in Europe, SGX is Asia’s most international and connected exchange. Offering a full suite of derivatives products across Asian equity indices, commodities and currencies, SGX is the world’s most liquid international market for the benchmark equity indices of China, India, Japan and ASEAN.

As Asia’s pioneering central counterparty, SGX is globally recognised for its risk management and clearing capabilities, and was one of the first globally to adopt the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructure.

Headquartered in AAA-rated Singapore, SGX has over 800 employees including offices in Beijing, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, New York, Mumbai, San Francisco, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Equity Bottom-Up

Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust / Equity Bottom-Up

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 <div class='content-caption'>Schedule of SREIT earnings</div>
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SPH Reit kicked off the current financial reporting season for S-Reits on Apr 1, 2022 with the release of its H1 FY2022 (ended Feb 28, 2022) financial results.

This was followed by 7 other S-Reits, including Keppel DC Reit (Q1 business update), Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit (Q1 business update), Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust (full-year results), Keppel Reit (Q1 business update), Mapletree Commercial Trust (full-year results), Digital Core Reit (Q1 business update) and Sabana Industrial Reit (Q1 business update), over a 3-day period from Apr 19 to 21, 2022.

Another 22 S-Reits have also confirmed that they will unveil financial results or business updates between Apr 22, 2022 and May 12, 2022 for their respective periods ended Mar 31, 2022. 
Among them, 3 would be reporting full-year financial results, 4 would be reporting first-half or first-quarter financial results, and another 15 would be providing quarterly business updates.

Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust (MNACT) and Mapletree Commercial Trust (MCT) have both released financial results for the full year from Apr 1, 2021 to Mar 31, 2022 (FY21/22) while Mapletree Industrial Trust and Mapletree Logistics Trust will be unveiling full-year results on Apr 26 and 28, respectively.

Both MNACT and MCT managers reiterated their confidence and commitment to the proposed merger of the 2 trusts, citing long-term value and scale of the merged entity. 
On Mar 21, 2022, the trusts announced an alternative option for MNACT unitholders to receive the scheme consideration wholly in cash, providing additional optionality and enhanced flexibility to MNACT unitholders who wish to fully realise their investment, given higher uncertainty amid prevailing market conditions.

Both trusts are expected to hold extraordinary general meetings (EGMs) to obtain approvals from unitholders by end May 2022. REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times,<a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/singapore-office-s-reits-poised-to-benefit-from-positive-rental-momentum-0"> </a><a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/upcoming-s-reits-earnings-releases-schedule-0">read </a>the original version.
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    Schedule of SREIT earnings


SPH Reit kicked off the current financial reporting season for S-Reits on Apr 1, 2022 with the release of its H1 FY2022 (ended Feb 28, 2022) financial results.

This was followed by 7 other S-Reits, including Keppel DC Reit (Q1 business update), Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit (Q1 business update), Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust (full-year results), Keppel Reit (Q1 business update), Mapletree Commercial Trust (full-year results), Digital Core Reit (Q1 business update) and Sabana Industrial Reit (Q1 business update), over a 3-day period from Apr 19 to 21, 2022.

Another 22 S-Reits have also confirmed that they will unveil financial results or business updates between Apr 22, 2022 and May 12, 2022 for their respective periods ended Mar 31, 2022.  
Among them, 3 would be reporting full-year financial results, 4 would be reporting first-half or first-quarter financial results, and another 15 would be providing quarterly business updates.

Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust (MNACT) and Mapletree Commercial Trust (MCT) have both released financial results for the full year from Apr 1, 2021 to Mar 31, 2022 (FY21/22) while Mapletree Industrial Trust and Mapletree Logistics Trust will be unveiling full-year results on Apr 26 and 28, respectively.

Both MNACT and MCT managers reiterated their confidence and commitment to the proposed merger of the 2 trusts, citing long-term value and scale of the merged entity.  
On Mar 21, 2022, the trusts announced an alternative option for MNACT unitholders to receive the scheme consideration wholly in cash, providing additional optionality and enhanced flexibility to MNACT unitholders who wish to fully realise their investment, given higher uncertainty amid prevailing market conditions.

Both trusts are expected to hold extraordinary general meetings (EGMs) to obtain approvals from unitholders by end May 2022.  REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times, read the original version.



REIT Watch - Upcoming S-Reits' earnings releases schedule

Research from SooChow CSSD Capital Markets (Asia), SCCM Asia Research

SCCM Asia Research

Research from SooChow CSSD Capital Markets (Asia)

Headquartered in Singapore, SooChow CSSD Capital Markets (Asia) is an investment bank focusing on emerging growth companies across Asia, providing a full suite of investment banking services, including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions advisory, equity capital markets, institutional equities sales and trading and equities research.

SooChow CSSD Capital Markets (Asia)

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sph-reit" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5994" rel="noopener">SPH REIT (SPHREIT SP)</a> 1H22 Results – DPU of S$2.68c to be issued; Tenant Sales mostly sees recovery from COVID-19</li><li>Private home prices increases slightly 0.4% QoQ in 1Q22; Drop in HDB resale transactions due to Lunar New Year and COVID-19</li><li>GLP-backed developer, IndoSpace seeks US$700m IPO in SGXv</li></ul>

SPH REIT (SPHREIT SP) 1H22 Results – DPU of S$2.68c to be issued; Tenant Sales mostly sees recovery from COVID-19Private home prices increases slightly 0.4% QoQ in 1Q22; Drop in HDB resale transactions due to Lunar New Year and COVID-19GLP-backed developer, IndoSpace seeks US$700m IPO in SGXv

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (4Apr22) - SPHREIT's Tenant Sales Recovery

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The iEdge S-Reit Index declined 3 per cent in total returns in 2022 year to date (YTD), amid geopolitical escalations, macro uncertainty and increasing expectations of a potential rate hike.

Despite the decline, it remained one of the most defensive Reit indices globally, with the FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed Index declining 7 per cent during the same period.

Interest rates have always been a key driver for the sector, given the impact on yield spreads and borrowing costs. 
S-Reits have been actively managing their interest rate exposures.

On average, close to 75 per cent of S-Reits' current debts are entered directly in fixed rates or hedged through floating-to-fixed interest rate swaps.

S-Reits currently have an average gearing ratio of 37.4 per cent, based on latest company filings, well below the regulatory threshold of 50 per cent. 
This translates into approximately S$24.6 billion (based on Bloomberg data for total assets multiplied by company-reported gearing ratio) of potential debt headroom for the sector, to fund capital-intensive acquisitions. 
The five S-REITs that maintain the lowest gearing ratios are Sasseur REIT, Digital Core REIT, SPH REIT, IREIT Global and Lendlease Global Commercial REIT. Sasseur REIT reported a gearing of 26.1 per cent as of 31 Dec 2021, lowest amongst all S-REITs. 
The Reit noted that this demonstrated strong fundamentals of the portfolio as well as prudent capital management, with an expanded debt headroom to pursue potential acquisition opportunities.

With an average debt maturity of 1.2 years as at Dec 31, 2021, the Reit is actively exploring refinancing opportunities with a view to de-risk the current debt profile by staggering its debt maturity and amount.

Sasseur Reit posted FY2021 distribution per unit (DPU) of 7.104 Singapore cents, up 8.5 per cent year on year. The Reit's 4 outlets in China recorded total sales of almost 4.2 billion yuan in FY2021, representing a growth of 12.3 per cent year on year.

The Reit also observed continued robust consumption trends in the cities where its outlets are located, coupled with intensive promotional efforts in close collaboration with tenants which led to the higher sales.

Listed in 2021, Digital Core Reit is a pure-play data centre Reit with an initial public offering (IPO) portfolio of 10 quality freehold data centres located across the United States and Canada.

The Reit reported a gearing of 27 per cent as at IPO, noting ample debt headroom and potential to fuel outsized growth prospects.

In its FY2021 financial release, SPH Reit reported a gearing of 30.3 per cent with revolving credit facility lines of S$225 million undrawn as at Aug 31, 2021, providing ample debt headroom and additional liquidity if needed.

The Reit noted that its loans were refinanced in FY2021 at a lower interest rate, resulting in lower average cost of debt of 1.84 per cent, compared to 2.66 per cent in FY2020.

As at Nov 30, 2022, the Reit's average cost of debt is at 1.68 per cent and has a weighted average term to maturity of 2.7 years.  REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times,<a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/green-shoots-for-retail-and-hospitality-s-reits-amid-new-pandemic-phase"> </a><a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/s-reits-hedge-against-rising-interest-rates-0">read </a>the original version.
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    5 sreits with lower gearing ratios


The iEdge S-Reit Index declined 3 per cent in total returns in 2022 year to date (YTD), amid geopolitical escalations, macro uncertainty and increasing expectations of a potential rate hike.

Despite the decline, it remained one of the most defensive Reit indices globally, with the FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed Index declining 7 per cent during the same period.

Interest rates have always been a key driver for the sector, given the impact on yield spreads and borrowing costs.  
S-Reits have been actively managing their interest rate exposures.

On average, close to 75 per cent of S-Reits' current debts are entered directly in fixed rates or hedged through floating-to-fixed interest rate swaps.

S-Reits currently have an average gearing ratio of 37.4 per cent, based on latest company filings, well below the regulatory threshold of 50 per cent.  
This translates into approximately S$24.6 billion (based on Bloomberg data for total assets multiplied by company-reported gearing ratio) of potential debt headroom for the sector, to fund capital-intensive acquisitions.  
The five S-REITs that maintain the lowest gearing ratios are Sasseur REIT, Digital Core REIT, SPH REIT, IREIT Global and Lendlease Global Commercial REIT. Sasseur REIT reported a gearing of 26.1 per cent as of 31 Dec 2021, lowest amongst all S-REITs.  
The Reit noted that this demonstrated strong fundamentals of the portfolio as well as prudent capital management, with an expanded debt headroom to pursue potential acquisition opportunities.

With an average debt maturity of 1.2 years as at Dec 31, 2021, the Reit is actively exploring refinancing opportunities with a view to de-risk the current debt profile by staggering its debt maturity and amount.

Sasseur Reit posted FY2021 distribution per unit (DPU) of 7.104 Singapore cents, up 8.5 per cent year on year. The Reit's 4 outlets in China recorded total sales of almost 4.2 billion yuan in FY2021, representing a growth of 12.3 per cent year on year.

The Reit also observed continued robust consumption trends in the cities where its outlets are located, coupled with intensive promotional efforts in close collaboration with tenants which led to the higher sales.

Listed in 2021, Digital Core Reit is a pure-play data centre Reit with an initial public offering (IPO) portfolio of 10 quality freehold data centres located across the United States and Canada.

The Reit reported a gearing of 27 per cent as at IPO, noting ample debt headroom and potential to fuel outsized growth prospects.

In its FY2021 financial release, SPH Reit reported a gearing of 30.3 per cent with revolving credit facility lines of S$225 million undrawn as at Aug 31, 2021, providing ample debt headroom and additional liquidity if needed.

The Reit noted that its loans were refinanced in FY2021 at a lower interest rate, resulting in lower average cost of debt of 1.84 per cent, compared to 2.66 per cent in FY2020.

As at Nov 30, 2022, the Reit's average cost of debt is at 1.68 per cent and has a weighted average term to maturity of 2.7 years.   REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times, read the original version.



REIT Watch - S-Reits hedge against rising interest rates

Sabana Industrial REIT / Equity Bottom-Up

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 <div class='content-caption'>Schedule of expected S-Reits earnings or business updates</div>
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SPH REIT kicked off the current financial reporting season for S-REITs on 7 Jan 2022 with the release of its first quarter (ended 30 Nov 2021) business update. This was followed by Sabana Industrial Trust, which reported its second half and full year (ended 31 Dec 2021) financial results on 20 Jan 2022. 
Another 25 S-Reits have also confirmed that they will unveil results or business updates between Jan 24 and Feb 23 for their respective period ended Dec 31, 2021. Among them, 16 S-Reits would be reporting full-year financial results, 4 would be reporting first-half or third-quarter financial results, and another 5 would be providing quarterly business updates.

SPH Reit, in its Q1 FY2022 business update, reiterated its strategy to remain focused on maintaining high occupancy and generating sustainable cash flow while working in partnership with tenants. The Reit's portfolio occupancy rates maintained at 98.8 per cent for the quarter while portfolio weighted average lease expiry (WALE) improved to 5.5 years by net lettable area (NLA) and 2.9 years by gross rental income (GRI) from FY2021's WALE of 5.4 years by NLA and 2.7 years by GRI. 
The Reit remains cautiously optimistic despite the developments surrounding the Omicron variant. It noted resilient tenants' sales in Q1 FY2022 for its Singapore portfolio despite restrictions on dining-in. Occupancy rates for its Singapore portfolio also improved to 99.8 per cent from 98.9 per cent in Q4 FY2021, in line with its strategy of maintaining high occupancy and stabilised cashflow.

Sabana Industrial Reit (Sabana) reported a 14.4 per cent year-on-year increase in gross revenue for H2 FY2021, mainly due to higher occupancy rates from several properties across the portfolio. Net property income (NPI) also rose 10.4 per cent year on year on the higher revenue.

For the full year, the Reit's revenue and NPI increased 14.2 per cent and 16.4 per cent year on year respectively, compared to FY2020. This translated to a full year distribution per unit (DPU) of 3.05 cents, a 10.5 per cent year-on-year increase. 
The Reit manager noted that its focus on attracting tenants in expansionary sectors has led to the continued onboarding of companies from the electronics, healthcare, data centre, and logistics sectors in FY2021. Sabana's overall occupancy rate as at Dec 31, 2021 was 85.4 per cent, up from 76.5 per cent as at Dec 31, 2020 and the highest since 2018. During the year, Sabana announced the removal of its syariah compliance requirement to provide the Reit with access to more diversified funding sources and to enable it to appeal to a wider pool of tenants for its next phase of growth.  REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times, <a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/full-steam-ahead-for-s-reits-earnings-season">read </a>the original version.
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    Schedule of expected S-Reits earnings or business updates


SPH REIT kicked off the current financial reporting season for S-REITs on 7 Jan 2022 with the release of its first quarter (ended 30 Nov 2021) business update. This was followed by Sabana Industrial Trust, which reported its second half and full year (ended 31 Dec 2021) financial results on 20 Jan 2022.  
Another 25 S-Reits have also confirmed that they will unveil results or business updates between Jan 24 and Feb 23 for their respective period ended Dec 31, 2021. Among them, 16 S-Reits would be reporting full-year financial results, 4 would be reporting first-half or third-quarter financial results, and another 5 would be providing quarterly business updates.

SPH Reit, in its Q1 FY2022 business update, reiterated its strategy to remain focused on maintaining high occupancy and generating sustainable cash flow while working in partnership with tenants. The Reit's portfolio occupancy rates maintained at 98.8 per cent for the quarter while portfolio weighted average lease expiry (WALE) improved to 5.5 years by net lettable area (NLA) and 2.9 years by gross rental income (GRI) from FY2021's WALE of 5.4 years by NLA and 2.7 years by GRI.  
The Reit remains cautiously optimistic despite the developments surrounding the Omicron variant. It noted resilient tenants' sales in Q1 FY2022 for its Singapore portfolio despite restrictions on dining-in. Occupancy rates for its Singapore portfolio also improved to 99.8 per cent from 98.9 per cent in Q4 FY2021, in line with its strategy of maintaining high occupancy and stabilised cashflow.

Sabana Industrial Reit (Sabana) reported a 14.4 per cent year-on-year increase in gross revenue for H2 FY2021, mainly due to higher occupancy rates from several properties across the portfolio. Net property income (NPI) also rose 10.4 per cent year on year on the higher revenue.

For the full year, the Reit's revenue and NPI increased 14.2 per cent and 16.4 per cent year on year respectively, compared to FY2020. This translated to a full year distribution per unit (DPU) of 3.05 cents, a 10.5 per cent year-on-year increase.  
The Reit manager noted that its focus on attracting tenants in expansionary sectors has led to the continued onboarding of companies from the electronics, healthcare, data centre, and logistics sectors in FY2021. Sabana's overall occupancy rate as at Dec 31, 2021 was 85.4 per cent, up from 76.5 per cent as at Dec 31, 2020 and the highest since 2018. During the year, Sabana announced the removal of its syariah compliance requirement to provide the Reit with access to more diversified funding sources and to enable it to appeal to a wider pool of tenants for its next phase of growth.   REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times, read the original version.



REIT Watch - Full steam ahead for S-Reits' earnings season

<ul><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sph-reit" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5994" rel="noopener">SPH REIT (SPHREIT SP)</a> 1QFY22 Business Updates – Prioritizing high occupancies</li><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ec-world-reit" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22842" rel="noopener">EC World Reit (ECWREIT SP)</a> receives compulsory expropriation of Fu Zhuo Industrial</li><li>Ascott Limited achieves record growth in 2021 amidst pandemic; China and Vietnam in focus</li></ul>

SPH REIT (SPHREIT SP) 1QFY22 Business Updates – Prioritizing high occupanciesEC World Reit (ECWREIT SP) receives compulsory expropriation of Fu Zhuo IndustrialAscott Limited achieves record growth in 2021 amidst pandemic; China and Vietnam in focus

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (10Jan22) - SPHREIT Prioritizing High Occupancies

Singapore

PARAGON REIT is a Singapore-based REIT established principally to invest, directly or indirectly, in a portfolio of income-producing real estate which is used primarily for retail purposes in Asia-Pacific, as well as real estate-related assets.

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Paragon REIT (PGNREIT SP)

REIT Watch - Upcoming S-Reits' earnings releases schedule

SPH Reit kicked off the current financial reporting season for S-Reits on Apr 1, 2022 with the release of its H1 FY2022 (ended...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (4Apr22) - SPHREIT's Tenant Sales Recovery

Private home prices +0.4% QoQ; IndoSpace seeks US$700m IPO in SGX; TACL sells 12 on Shan for S$86.5m; MREIT acquires 4 more Megaworld Corp. buildings

SCCM Asia Research

REIT Watch - S-Reits hedge against rising interest rates

The iEdge S-Reit Index declined 3 per cent in total returns in 2022 year to date (YTD), amid geopolitical escalations, macro...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

REIT Watch - Full steam ahead for S-Reits' earnings season

SPH REIT kicked off the current financial reporting season for S-REITs on 7 Jan 2022 with the release of its first quarter...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (10Jan22) - SPHREIT Prioritizing High Occupancies

SPHREIT prioritizing high occupancies; ECWREIT compulsory expropriation of Fuzhou Industrial; Ascott 2021 record growth; MSGB +50% YoY sales target

SCCM Asia Research

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