Last week’s article was the first in a series of articles covering the important financial metrics of bond issuers listed on the Malta Stock Exchange.
In this second article, I am providing an overview of the property sector. There are various bonds exposed to the real estate sector (two of which invest outside Malta) that have bonds listed on the MSE. It is important to distinguish between the different categories of issuers within the property sector. Some companies are predominantly property development companies. Others own commercial developments and generate regular income from the leasing of properties.
Given the erratic financial performances of property development companies from one year to the next as a result of their dependence on the timing of sales of their properties, the interest cover and the net debt to Ebitda multiple are not ideal indicators for gauging the relative creditworthiness of such companies. Instead, the gearing ratio showing the relationship between the level of indebtedness and shareholders’ funds is a better indicator of the extent of leverage.
Midi plc has been warning that its financial performance in 2017 will be weak in view of the fact that the final deeds of sale of the apartments within the Q2 development will take place in 2018. Meanwhile, Midi recently announced that The Centre, in which it has a 50 per cent shareholding, has recently opened its doors and most of the rentable area has been leased out. In recent weeks, Midi also announced that it submitted a revised master plan for the development of Manoel Island. Midi’s interest cover is expected to be negative in 2017 but should rise to 9.4 times in 2018 following the final deeds of sale of the Q2 residences. Midi is expected to have a gearing ratio of 50 per cent as at December 31, 2017.
Pendergardens Developments had launched two secured bonds in 2014 that are due to mature in 2020 and 2022. In recent years, the company consistently reported that most of the new properties that had been launched were subject to promise of sale agreements and therefore the performance of the company should improve substantially once the final deeds of sale are entered into in the years ahead. Investors should be comforted by the strong demand for property in the St Julian’s area and should the company continue to dispose of all its available properties, it should raise sufficient funds to repay bondholders in full.
In September 2016, Gap Group plc issued a €40 million bond maturing in 2023. In May 2007 the same shareholders had issued a bond under GAP Developments plc to fund the purchase of the Fort Cambridge site in Sliema. Meanwhile, Gap Group plc has five property projects located in Mellieħa, Għargħur, Qawra, Żebbuġ and Luqa and the bonds are secured by hypothecs over various pieces of property and land. Similar to the other property development companies, the financial performance of Gap Group plc is very volatile from one year to the next as its financial results depend on the timing and accounting treatment of property sales. Meanwhile, the gearing ratio is projected to be 89 per cent by the end of 2017 and improve to 80 per cent in 2018.
Von der Heyden Group Finance plc launched a bond issue in January 2017. It acts as the finance arm of the Von der Heyden Group which in turn has interests in various property projects located in Germany, Poland, Spain and Malta. Furthermore, the group owns four hotels and manages a further 10 hotel properties (some of which are still in development stage) under its IBB Hotel Collection brand. Despite the considerable expansion in business over the years, Von der Heyden Group is anticipating a loss of €0.53 million in 2017. However, as various projects gather momentum, its performance is expected to improve in the years ahead with Ebitda expected to reach €1.51 million in 2018 compared to a forecasted Ebitda of just €0.54 million during 2017. The gearing level as at December 31, 2017, is estimated to be 48.2 per cent.
Investors having exposure to such bonds need to keep track of updates
Hili Properties has a portfolio of 25 properties which had a carrying value of €98.7 million as at June 30, 2017. The Hili Properties group generates over €7 million in rental income annually which equates to a gross rental yield of 7.4 per cent across five jurisdictions: Malta, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Hili Properties conducted an acquisition in Romania in May 2017 for a total consideration of just under €30.6 million and given that this property is already fully leased out, the performance in 2017 will be boosted by the initial contribution from this large property. In fact, the financial forecasts published in June reveal that the group is expecting revenues to increase by nearly 35 per cent to €6.53 million and Ebitda to surge by almost 52 per cent to €4.76 million.
However, the forecasts also include the contribution from a potential additional property acquisition for a value of €8 million which still has not yet materialised to date. The gearing ratio is anticipated to increase to 76.2 per cent from 68.6 per cent as at the end of 2016. At this level of gearing, the ability of Hili Properties to take on additional debt might be limited in view of the negative pledge obligations. However, the company held an extraordinary general meeting recently during which shareholders approved the capitalisation of a €7 million shareholder loan.
Plaza Centres plc is the only issuer within the property sector without an obligation to publish a financial analysis summary (and hence financial forecasts) due to the fact that when it launched its bond issue last year, it was structured with a minimum investment of €50,000. This is one of the exemptions within the listing policies enacted by the MFSA in March 2013. Plaza’s financial performance in 2017 should benefit from a full year’s contribution of the Tigné Place business centre acquired towards the end of last year.
Stivala Group Finance plc is a new entrant to the bond market this year. It is the finance arm of the Stivala Group and is also the holding company of Carmelo Stivala Group Ltd, which is the guarantor of the bonds and the principal property-holding company of the Stivala Group.
Over the years, the group acquired a significant portfolio of real estate valued at over €140 million as at August 28 (mainly in the Gżira, Sliema and St Julian’s areas) that incorporates commercial and residential properties for leasing as well as hotels and hostels for long-term investment purposes and for generating regular rental income. The 2018 projections show that the group is expecting to generate an Ebitda of just over €7 million in 2018 which translates into an interest cover of three times. On the other hand, the net debt to Ebitda multiple is estimated to be 8.4 times for 2018. The Stivala Group possibly has the lowest gearing ratio of all property-related companies at a projected ratio of 31.5 per cent for 2017 and this is only expected to deteriorate slightly to 32 per cent in 2018. Furthermore, the bonds are secured mainly through a first-ranking special hypothec on a number of properties.
Similarly, Central Business Centres plc (owned by the same shareholders of the Cortis Group) invests in commercial property with the aim of generating rental income. Currently the company has three properties including one in Żebbuġ (fully leased out) and another in Gudja (approaching full occupancy). Meanwhile, the St Julian’s property was scheduled for completion in the third quarter of this year with rental income starting with effect from the current quarter. Furthermore, CBC is now developing another site in Żebbuġ which has recently been leased out to Lidl Immobiliare Malta Ltd. The interest cover in 2017 is expected to be 2.8 times and should improve to 4.9 times in 2018. The company’s gearing ratio is forecasted to be 40.5 per cent in 2017 and 46.5 per cent in 2018.
The financial performance of Mediterranean Investments Holding plc has been rather weak in recent years as a result of the very difficult conditions in Libya. Two of the three bonds in issue of MIH are now guaranteed by Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Ltd. Bondholders should continue to monitor announcements being issued by MIH to gauge the progress being achieved in the level of occupancy (which improved to nearly 35 per cent as at June 30 from 11 per cent as at the end of 2016) and the resultant impact on the financial performance of the company.
The property sector is by far the most dominant when it comes to bond issuers. As explained earlier on, while some companies own commercial properties and receive a relatively stable income stream on a yearly basis, many others are pure development companies that are dependent on the success in marketing the developments and concluding the sales of properties.
While most companies have reported that a large amount of their stock is subject to promise of sale agreements, it is of utmost importance that the large majority are translated into final deeds of sales which will enable these issuers to repay bondholders. As such, investors having exposure to such bonds need to keep track of updates to ensure that the sale of properties have materialised.
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