2016-11-04 07:30:01 CET

2016-11-04 07:30:01 CET


REGLAMENTUOJAMA INFORMACIJA

Anglų Suomių
Sponda - Interim report (Q1 and Q3)

Sponda Plc’s interim report January–September 2016: Strong result supported by the Forum acquisition


Sponda Plc                   Interim report 4 November 2016 at 8:30 a.m.


Sponda Plc’s interim report January–September 2016: Strong result supported by
the Forum acquisition 


JANUARY–SEPTEMBER 2016 IN BRIEF (compared with 1 January – 30 September 2015)

  -- Total revenue increased to EUR 193.2 (173.3) million, primarily due to a
     property transaction completed in February 2016.
  -- Net operating income increased by more than 15% and totalled EUR 143.8
     (124.4) million.
  -- Operating profit was EUR 132.8 (130.3) million. This includes a fair value
     change of EUR -7.0 (12.9) million.
  -- Cash flow from operations per share was EUR 0.31 (0.29). 
  -- The fair value of the investment properties amounted to EUR 3,692.7
     (3,161.4) million.
  -- Net assets (NAV) per share totalled EUR 5.05 (4.71).
  -- The economic occupancy rate was 89.3% (86.2%).
  -- The prospects were revised.

JULY–SEPTEMBER 2016 IN BRIEF (compared with 1 July – 30 September 2015)

  -- Total revenue was EUR 66.3 (56.7) million.
  -- Net operating income was EUR 51.5 (42.2) million. 
  -- Operating profit was EUR 37.2 (38.3) million. This includes a fair value
     change of EUR -10.0 (0.5) million.
  -- Cash flow from operations per share was EUR 0.10 (0.10).



KEY FIGURES



                                 7-9/2016  7-9/2015  1-9/2016  1-9/201  1-12/201
                                                                     5         5
Total revenue, M€                    66.3      56.7     193.2    173.3     230.5
Net operating income, M€             51.5      42.2     143.8    124.4     165.7
Operating profit, M€                 37.2      38.3     132.8    130.3     178.1
Earnings per share, €                0.05      0.06      0.23     0.23      0.78
Cash flow from operations per        0.10      0.10      0.31     0.29      0.36
 share, €                                                                       
Equity per share, €                                      5.05     4.71      5.26
Equity ratio, %                                          47.2     41.4      46.2



KEY FIGURES ACCORDING TO EPRA BEST PRACTICES RECOMMENDATIONS



                                     7-9/201  7-9/201  1-9/201  1-9/201  1-12/20
                                           6        5        6        5       15
EPRA Earnings, M€                       31.0     27.4     84.9     78.7    232.0
EPRA Earnings per share, €              0.09     0.10     0.26     0.28     0.82
Company adjusted EPRA Earnings, M€      32.2     29.1     87.1     82.5     98.6
Company adjusted EPRA Earnings per      0.09     0.10     0.27     0.29     0.35
 share, €                                                                       
EPRA NAV/share, €                                         5.38     5.58     5.60
EPRA NNNAV/share, €                                       4.97     4.57     5.15
EPRA Net Initial Yield (NIY), %                           5.53     5.39     5.62
EPRA “topped-up” NIY, %                                   5.55     5.40     5.63
EPRA Vacancy rate, %                                     10.73    13.76    12.26
EPRA Cost Ratio (including direct                                          17.68
 vacancy costs), %                                                              
EPRA Cost Ratio (excluding direct                                          12.90
 vacancy costs), %                                                              



PRESIDENT AND CEO KARI INKINEN

Sponda’s result for January–September 2016 was strong. The Group’s economic
occupancy rate continued to increase and was higher compared to both the end of
September 2015 and the end of June 2016. The economic occupancy rate rose
particularly in office properties in Russia and Finland. 

The development of like-for-like net rental income was positive across all
segments. The Shopping Centres segment’s increase of 4.7% was particularly
significant, highlighting the expertise of Sponda’s organisation and the
importance of the location of shopping centres. Furthermore, after the end of
the review period, the Forum shopping centre was awarded the title The Best
Finnish Shopping Centre by the Nordic Council of Shopping Centres (NCSC). 

The fair value of the Group’s investment properties declined by EUR 10 million
in the third quarter of 2016. This decrease was mainly attributable to the
Shopping Centres unit and specifically a tenant changes in Citycenter. No
changes were made to yield requirements. 

The construction of the Ratina shopping centre in Tampere is moving ahead on
schedule, and pre-letting has progressed to the point where the pre-let rate
for the property now stands at approximately 40%. The property will be
completed in spring 2018. 

BUSINESS CONDITIONS – FINLAND

According to the latest preliminary data from Statistics Finland, Finland’s GDP
in the second quarter was unchanged from the first quarter. The year-on-year
increase was 0.4%. 

 According to the Ministry of Finance’s forecast, Finland’s GDP will grow by
1.1% this year. The growth is largely based on the favourable development of
private consumption and investments. Economic growth will remain slow in the
coming years. The forecast for GDP growth in 2017 is 0.9%. 

The property transaction market continued to be active in the third quarter.
According to KTI Property Information, the transaction volume was EUR 1.59
billion. The volume for the first three quarters of the year was EUR 5.32
billion. International buyers accounted for approximately 25% of the total.
According to KTI’s estimate, the transaction volume for the full year 2016 will
substantially exceed the previous year’s level of EUR 5.51 billion. 

According to a market review published by Catella in September, the vacancy
rate of office properties in the Helsinki metropolitan area has risen to the
record-high level of 13.5% this year. With some 100,000 m2 of new office space
already under construction, there is upward pressure on the vacancy rate.
Vacancy rates in Helsinki’s central business district and Ruoholahti decreased
slightly in the first half of the year. At the end of June, the vacancy rate
was 12.4% in the central business district and 11.2% in Ruoholahti. 

Activity is high in the construction of retail space. The amount of new space
under construction in the Helsinki metropolitan area was approximately 150,000
m² at the end of June. Construction is also likely to begin on the Tripla
project in Pasila and the Kivistö shopping centre before the end of the year. 

PROPERTY ASSETS 1 JANUARY – 30 SEPTEMBER 2016

At the end of September 2016, the fair value of Sponda's investment properties
was assessed internally for both Finland and Russia. The change in the fair
value of the investment properties in January–September 2016 was EUR -7.0
(12.9) million and in July–September EUR -10.0 (0.5) million. The value of
Sponda’s properties in Finland developed negatively mainly due to tenant
changes in the Citycenter shopping centre. No changes were made to the yield
requirements for properties. 

Valuation gains/losses on fair value assessment



M€                                        7-9/16  7-9/15  1-9/16  1-9/15  1-12/1
                                                                               5
Changes in yield requirements (Finland)      0.0     0.0    17.1    32.2    39.2
Changes in yield requirements (Russia)       0.0     0.0    -4.1    -7.4    -7.4
Development gains on property                1.5     6.7     5.4     9.7    25.4
 development projects                                                           
Modernisation investments                   -7.4    -6.8   -19.9   -27.5   -37.8
Change in market rents and maintenance      -3.6     1.9    10.0    20.4    30.2
 costs (Finland)                                                                
Change in market rents and maintenance      -0.4     1.0   -11.1   -14.3   -26.8
 costs (Russia)                                                                 
Change in currency exchange rates           -0.1    -2.4    -2.5    -0.2     0.3
Investment properties, total               -10.0     0.5    -5.0    12.9    23.2
Real estate funds                            0.0     0.0    -2.0     0.0     0.0
Realised share of fund profits               0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0     0.0
Group, total                               -10.0     0.5    -7.0    12.9    23.2



RENTAL OPERATIONS

Sponda calculates the growth in net rental income for its properties during the
review period according to EPRA Best Practices Recommendations by using a
like-for-like net rental growth formula based on a comparable property
portfolio owned by the company for two years. For January-September,
like-for-like net rental growth was 0.6% (3.7%) for office properties, 4.7%
(1.7%) for shopping centres, 12.0% (16.2%) for logistics properties and 0.1%
(-6.9%) for properties in Russia. All of Sponda’s lease agreements in Finland
are tied to the cost of living index. 

The economic occupancy rates by type of property and geographical area were as
follows: 



Type of property          30.9.2016  30.6.2016  31.3.2016  31.12.2015  30.9.2015
Office properties, %           88.8       88.3       88.1        88.2       88.0
Shopping centres*              93.2       94.2       93.8        91.3       90.6
Logistics properties, %        72.8       73.4       68.9        68.3       67.8
Russia, %                      85.3       81.9       82.9        84.6       82.3
Total property                 89.3       89.1       88.7        87.7       86.2
 portfolio, %                                                                   
                                                                                
*) The economic occupancy rate of shopping centres on 30 September 2016 was     
 reduced by the bankruptcy of Anttila, which had an effect of 1.5 percentage    
 points in the third quarter.                                                   
                                                                                
Geographical area         30.9.2016  30.6.2016  31.3.2016  31.12.2015  30.9.2015
Helsinki business              91.9       92.6       92.4        90.1       89.3
 district, %                                                                    
Helsinki Metropolitan          86.5       86.1       85.3        85.7       83.5
 Area, %                                                                        
Tampere, Oulu, %*              91.0       89.9       89.4        90.8       91.1
Russia, %                      85.3       81.9       82.9        84.6       82.3
Total property                 89.3       89.1       88.7        87.7       86.2
 portfolio, %                                                                   
                                                                                
*) The comparison figures also include properties in Turku                      

DIVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENTS

Sponda is continuing to actively manage its property portfolio and sell
non-strategic properties. New investments and property development projects
will be centralised in office and shopping centre properties in identified
growth areas. Investment properties were sold for EUR 27.6 million during the
review period, with EUR 19.3 million of this total divested in July–September. 

Divestments

M€        1.7.-30.9.2016  1.7.-30.9.2015  1.1.-30.9.2016  1.1.-30.9.2015  1.1.–3
                                                                           1.12.
                                                                            2015
Disposal                                                                        
s of                                                                            
 investm                                                                        
ent                                                                             
 propert                                                                        
ies                                                                             
Selling             19.3               -            27.6            56.4   157.6
 price                                                                          
Profit/l             0.9               -             0.9            -1.4    -4.3
oss on                                                                          
 sale,                                                                          
 incl.                                                                          
 costs                                                                          
Balance             18.4               -            26.7            57.8   161.9
 sheet                                                                          
 value                                                                          



In addition, trading properties were sold for EUR 26.0 million during the
review period, with EUR 0.8 million of this total divested in July–September. 

Investments

M€      1.7.-30.9.2016  1.7.-30.9.2015  1.1.-30.9.2016  1.1.-30.9.2015 
1.1.-31.12.2015 
Proper               -               -          -589.5               -         
   -4.7 
ties 
 acqui 
red 
Modern            -7.4            -6.8           -19.9           -27.5         
  -37.8 
isatio 
n 
 inves 
tments 
Proper           -16.8           -14.2           -41.1           -39.8         
  -65.2 
ty 
 devel 
opment 
 inves 
tments 
Invest           -24.2           -21.0          -650.5           -67.3         
 -107.7 
ments, 
 total 



Property development investments were mainly directed to the construction of
the Ratina shopping centre and an office and retail complex in Vantaa’s
Tikkurila district. 

RISKS AND UNCERTAINTY FACTORS IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Sponda estimates that the risks and uncertainty factors in the current
financial year are related to the development of the Finnish and Russian
economies. 

In Russia, these risks are related to the depreciation of the Russian rouble,
which may cause tenant insolvency and a decrease in property values. The
operations in Russia present a foreign exchange risk to Sponda. Changes in
exchange rates may cause exchange rate losses that have a negative impact on
the company’s financial result. The uncertain situation in the Russian market
may slow down the sale of Sponda’s properties in Russia in 2016. 

The slow positive development of the Finnish economy may cause a decline in net
operating income and tenant insolvency. 

For Sponda’s property development projects, the key risk is related to the
degree of success in leasing premises. 

PROSPECTS FOR 2016

Sponda provides prospects for 2016 with regard to the development of the
company’s net operating income and adjusted EPRA Earnings. Sponda is revising
its prospects for 2016. 

Net operating income

Sponda estimates that the net operating income for 2016 will amount to EUR
189-194 million (previously EUR 182-192 million). The change is primarily due
to the timing of property sales in 2016. 

Adjusted EPRA Earnings

Sponda estimates that company adjusted EPRA Earnings in 2016 will amount to EUR
111-116 million (previously EUR 102-114 million). The change is primarily due
to the timing of property sales in 2016. 



4 November 2016
Sponda Plc
Board of Directors



Additional information:
Kari Inkinen, President and CEO, tel. +358 20 431 3311 or +358 400 402 653,
Pia Arrhenius, SVP, Corporate Planning and IR, tel. +358 20 431 3454 or +358 40
527 4462, 
Niklas Nylander, CFO, tel. +358 20 431 3480 or +358 40 754 5961.





Distribution:
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki
Media
www.sponda.fi