2024-07-17 18:15:00 CEST

2024-07-17 18:15:15 CEST


REGULATED INFORMATION

English
Citycon Oyj - Half Year financial report

Citycon H1/2024: Strong operational performance combined with continued actions to improve credit profile


CITYCON OYJ    Half-Year Financial Report    17 July 2024 at 19:15 hrs

Strong operational performance in Q1-Q2/2024

  · Total net rental income increased by 9.3% compared to the previous year.
    · In comparable FX rates, total net rental income increased by 9.9%.

  · Like-for-like net rental income increased by 5.9%.
  · The weakening NOK and SEK FX-rates impacted on our results; the impact on
total net rental income was EUR -0.6 million.
  · Average rent per sq.m. increased by 4.8% with comparable FX to EUR 25.0 per
sq.m (vs. Q2/2023).
  · Retail occupancy 95.2% vs. 94.5% in Q2/2023, including Kista.
  · Like-for-like footfall increased 0.8%.
  · Like-for-like tenant sales increased 2.6%.
  · Fair value change of investment properties in Q1-Q2/2024 EUR 69.3 million,
including Kista.
    · In Q2/2024 fair value change of investment properties was EUR 23.1 million

The strengthening of the balance sheet as a priority

Q1/2024

  · Citycon continued to improve its balance sheet by EUR 48.2 million share
issue which was 4-times oversubscribed.
  · Citycon placed a EUR 300 million green bond with an orderbook approximately
seven times oversubscribed.
  · Citycon executed approx. EUR 213 million tender of its bond maturing in
October 2024.

Q2/2024

  · Citycon successfully executed an EUR 266 million exchange for its 2024
hybrid for a new hybrid and cash amount.
  · Citycon executed a make-whole for the remaining amount (EUR 97 million) of
its bond maturing in October 2024
  · Citycon signed and closed the transaction to sell Kongssenteret in
Kongsvinger, Norway. The sales price is close to the latest IFRS fair value of
the asset.
  · Citycon improved its credit maturity profile by extending its EUR 400
million revolving credit facility and EUR 250 million term loan by one year
until 2027 and SEK 2,060 million term loan until 2029.

KEY FIGURES

                   Q2/202  Q2/202      %  FX Adjusted        FX
                        4       3             Q2/2023  Adjusted
                                                           % 1)
Net rental   MEUR    54.7    48.9   11.9         49.0    11.6 %
income                                 %
Like-for     %      5.6 %   4.5 %      -            -         -
-like net
rental
income
development
Direct       MEUR    49.0    42.2   16.1         42.3    15.9 %
operating                              %
profit 2)
IFRS         EUR     0.11    0.18  -37.3         0.18   -37.0 %
Earnings                               %
per
share
(basic) 3)
Fair value   MEUR  3 867.  3 979.   -2.8            -         -
of                      5       0      %
investment
properties
Loan to      %       47.6    43.0   10.7            -         -
Value (LTV)                            %
2)

EPRA based
key
figures 2)
EPRA         MEUR    29.6    26.6   11.4         26.6    11.4 %
Earnings                               %
Adjusted     MEUR    24.6    19.4   26.4         19.4    26.5 %
EPRA                                   %
Earnings 4)
EPRA         EUR    0.161   0.158    1.7        0.158     1.8 %
Earnings                               %
per
share
(basic)
Adjusted     EUR    0.134   0.116   15.5        0.116    15.5 %
EPRA                                   %
Earnings
per share
(basic) 4)
EPRA NRV     EUR     9.21   10.71  -14.0            -         -
per share                              %
5)
                       Q1      Q1      %  FX Adjusted        FX      Q1
                   -Q2/20  -Q2/20          Q1-Q2/2023  Adjusted  -Q4/20
                       24      23                          % 1)      23
Net rental   MEUR   105.7    96.7    9.3         96.2     9.9 %   195.7
income                                 %
Like-for     %      5.9 %   6.9 %      -            -         -   6.5 %
-like net
rental
income
development
Direct       MEUR    88.6    80.4   10.2         79.9    10.9 %   164.8
operating                              %
profit 3)
IFRS         EUR     0.44    0.50  -11.9         0.49   -11.0 %   -0.70
Earnings                               %
per
share
(basic) 3)
Fair value   MEUR  3 867.  3 979.   -2.8            -         -  3 858.
of                      5       0      %                              2
investment
properties
Loan to      %       47.6    43.0   10.7            -         -    46.3
Value (LTV)                            %
2)

EPRA based
key
figures 2)
EPRA         MEUR    54.1    51.9    4.4         51.4     5.4 %   109.6
Earnings                               %
Adjusted     MEUR    46.7    37.3   25.2         36.8    26.9 %    80.6
EPRA                                   %
Earnings 4)
EPRA         EUR    0.300   0.309   -2.8        0.306    -1.9 %   0.651
Earnings                               %
per
share
(basic)
Adjusted     EUR    0.259   0.222   16.6        0.219    18.2 %   0.479
EPRA                                   %
Earnings
per share
(basic) 4)
EPRA NRV     EUR     9.21   10.71  -14.0            -         -    9.30
per share                              %
5)

1) Change from previous year (comparable exchange rates). Change-% is calculated
from exact figures.
2) Citycon presents alternative performance measures according to the European
Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) guidelines. More information is
presented in Basis of Preparation and Accounting Policies in the notes to the
accounts.
3) The key figure includes hybrid bond coupons, amortized fees and gains/losses
and expenses on hybrid bond repayments.
4) Starting from the beginning of 2024, Citycon excludes reorganisation and one
-time costs (Q1-Q2/2024: EUR 6.8 million) from Adjusted EPRA Earnings. Due to
this, Adjusted EPRA Earnings is not fully comparable with the previous year. The
adjusted key figure includes hybrid bond coupons and amortized fees.
5) The effect of currency rates to EPRA NRV/share was EUR -0.08.
CEO HENRICA GINSTRÖM:
Citycon's operational performance remained strong and in line with our
expectations as total net rental income increased by 9.9% with comparable FX
-rates and like-for-like net rental income by 5.9 % during the first half of the
year. At the same time, we saw like-for-like sales growth of 2.6% compared to Q1
-Q2/2023. It is notable that consumer spending across our centres has remained
to be very robust reflecting the strength of our strategy to focus on everyday
convenience with grocery and public service anchors. All our main retail
segments continued to show strong sales growth.
Retail occupancy increased by 70 bps compared to Q2/2023, reaching 95.2% and
reflecting the attractiveness of our locations. Collection rate remained high at
98% for Q1-Q2/2024 demonstrating again a full pass-through of indexations. Our
tenants continue to benefit from increasing sales, and despite the higher rent
levels, the occupancy cost ratio remains at a modest 9.4%. Strong operational
performance is also supporting the development of the fair values of our
properties. There were small upward yield revisions in a few of our prime
assets, but these changes were more than offset by positive cash flow growth
driven by rent indexations. We see a stabilization in the valuations in the
market in general.
In the second quarter, we continued to take actions to strengthen our balance
sheet. We extended our revolving credit facility and two term loans and executed
an early redemption of our 2024 bond. These were important actions to improve
our credit maturity profile and to secure a sufficient liquidity buffer for
several years ahead. Most importantly, we successfully executed an exchange of
our 2024 hybrid against a new hybrid and cash amount. This transaction
underscores our commitment to maintaining an investment-grade credit rating and
confirms Citycon's access to capital markets.

During the quarter, we also completed the divestment of Kongssenteret at a price
close to book value. Furthermore, we are currently working on multiple
transactions with three signed LOIs of which two are in advanced negotiations
and one in early stages. Further strengthening our balance sheet remains a key
priority for us and we are committed to our EUR 350 million divestment target by
the end of this year.

OUTLOOK (specified)

                                                Current outlook  Previously
Direct operating profit                   MEUR  185-195          185-203
EPRA Earnings per share (basic)           EUR   0.62-0.68        0.62-0.74
Adjusted EPRA Earnings per share (basic)  EUR   0.46-0.52        0.46-0.58

The outlook assumes that there are no major changes in macroeconomic factors and
no major disruptions from the war in Ukraine. These estimates are based on the
existing property portfolio, including Kista 100%, as well as year-end 2023
estimates of inflation, EUR-SEK and EUR-NOK exchange rates, and interest rates.
WEBCAST
Citycon's investor, analyst and press conference call and live webcasting will
be held on Thursday, 18 July 2024 at 10 am EEST. The webcast can be participated
by calling in and following live at this website:
https://citycon.videosync.fi/q2-2024
Questions for the management can be presented by phone. To ask questions, join
the teleconference by registering on the following link:
https://palvelu.flik.fi/teleconference/?id=50048751
After the registration you will be provided with phone number and a conference
ID to access the conference. To ask a question, press *5 on your telephone
keypad to enter the queue.
The webcast will be recorded and it will be available afterwards on Citycon's
website.
CITYCON OYJ
For further information, please contact:
Sakari Järvelä
Chief Financial Officer
Tel. +358 50 387 8180
sakari.jarvela@citycon.com
Citycon is a leading owner, manager and developer of mixed-use real estate
featuring modern, necessity-based retail with residential, office and municipal
service spaces that enhance the communities in which they operate. Citycon is
committed to sustainable property management in the Nordic region with assets
that total approximately EUR 4.2 billion. Our centres are located in urban hubs
in the heart of vibrant communities with direct connections to public transport
and anchored by grocery, healthcare and other services that cater to the
everyday needs of customers.
Citycon has investment-grade credit rating from Standard & Poor's (BBB-).
Citycon Oyj's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.citycon.com



07176752.pdf