30 September 2021
Custodian REIT plc
("Custodian REIT" or the "Company")
Disposal of Properties
Custodian REIT (LSE: CREI), the UK property investment company, is pleased to announce it has completed the disposal of a portfolio of seven properties ("the Portfolio") for £32.6 million.
The Portfolio comprises five industrial sites in Gateshead, Stockton-on-Tees, Warrington, Stone and Christchurch announced on 30 July 2021 as having unconditionally exchanged to sell, and two further industrial properties in Aberdeen and Bedford. The Portfolio has a current passing rent of £2.0 million, and a net initial yield1 of 5.9%. The properties within the Portfolio were acquired either in the seed portfolio at IPO or within subsequent portfolio acquisitions.
The agreed sale price of £32.6m is £5.1m (19%) above the Portfolio's 31 March 2021 valuation, when terms of the sale were agreed, and £2.9m (10%) above the Portfolio's 30 June 2021 valuation.
Commenting on the disposal, Richard Shepherd-Cross, Managing Director of Custodian Capital Limited (the Company's external fund manager), reiterated:
"Investment demand and pricing for industrial assets are both at record levels, so we believe now is the best time to sell to capitalise on the current, favourable market dynamics to secure a significant profit.
"While the short-term prospects for the each of the properties in the Portfolio remain robust, over the medium term we consider them as non-core.
"Due to a delayed completion we have already been able to re-deploy proceeds, whilst sustaining dividend cover, in higher quality assets with greater prospects for income and capital growth, better supporting the Board's objective of increasing dividends in a sustainable way."
1 Aggregate rent, which includes rental guarantees, divided by agreed disposal price plus estimated purchaser's costs.
- Ends -
For further information, please contact:
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Custodian Capital Limited
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Richard Shepherd-Cross / Ed Moore / Ian Mattioli MBE
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Tel: +44 (0)116 240 8740
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www.custodiancapital.com
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Numis Securities Limited
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Hugh Jonathan
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Tel: +44 (0)20 7260 1000
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www.numiscorp.com
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Camarco
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Ed Gascoigne-Pees
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Tel: +44 (0)20 3757 4984
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www.camarco.co.uk
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Notes to Editors
Custodian REIT is a UK real estate investment trust with a portfolio comprising properties predominantly let to institutional grade tenants throughout the UK, principally characterised by properties with individual values of less than £10m at acquisition.
The Company offers investors the opportunity to access a diversified portfolio of UK commercial real estate through a closed-ended fund. By principally targeting sub £10m lot size, regional properties, the Company intends to provide investors with an attractive level of income and the potential for capital growth, becoming the REIT of choice for private and institutional investors seeking high and stable dividends from well-diversified UK real estate.
Custodian Capital Limited is the discretionary investment manager of the Company.
For more information visit www.custodianreit.com and www.custodiancapital.com.
