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TORONTO, Aug. 12, 2020 /CNW/ – Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust (the “REIT”) (TSX: INO.UN) today reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.
Inovalis REIT is in a stable and advantageous position following the COVID-19 crisis of Q2, 2020. Stéphane Amine, President of the REIT, commented ” Our strong operating platform together with a $58 million cash position at quarter end leaves management well-placed to focus on opportunistic growth in the latter half of 2020. Tenants of the REIT in both France and Germany are paying their rent in a timely way despite the onset of disruptions to business caused by the pandemic crisis since the end of Q1.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Net Rental Income
For the portfolio of properties wholly owned by the REIT (“IP Portfolio”), net rental income for Q2 2020, adjusted for IFRIC 21[1], was CAD$6.68 million (EUR4.38 million), an increase over the CAD$5.86 million (EUR3.90 million) adjusted net rental income for the same period in 2019. The gain of CAD$0.82 million (EUR0.48 million) in adjusted net rental income is mainly due to the income contribution following the acquisition of the Trio property and acquisition of the Arcueil property, partially offset by the sale of Vanves and the departure of the main tenant in Courbevoie. In Q2 2020, for the portfolio that includes the REIT’s proportionate share in joint ventures (“Total Portfolio”), net rental income of CAD$8.96 million (EUR5.88 million) adjusted for IFRIC 21 remained stable compared to the same period in the previous year (+CAD$0.06 million).
COVID-19 Related Business Update
Although the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 crisis is difficult to predict, the REIT remains in good financial standing and is currently well-positioned to withstand the economic impact of the pandemic. The REIT is thus reporting near-normal quarterly rent collection for Q2 2020 and will focus on providing support to tenants throughout the coming months as their employees re-enter the workplace. The REIT will continue to assess market conditions and adapt its strategy to address the economic, social and health care impact of the pandemic.
The REIT is confident in the strength of its portfolio, as indicated by its solid Q2 2020 results. However, the REIT’s second quarter results cannot be considered in isolation when formulating an outlook for the remainder of 2020. It is possible that downward pressure on rental revenue may occur in the short-term as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent economic disruption
Rent collection
Rent collection for the French assets is recorded on a quarterly basis and 92% of rent has been received for Q2 2020. This is generally in line with the speed and percentage of pre-COVID-19 rent collection levels with a few minor exceptions. As at July 31, 2020 the REIT has already received 77% of the Q3 rents on its French portfolio. Management expects to collect nearly 90% of the Q3 2020 rents in France by the end of September, the remaining 10% having been deferred after negotiation with tenants to Q4 2020. For the REIT’s German properties, where rents are collected on a monthly basis, 99% of rent was received in Q2 2020. Following quarter-end, 97% of July rent and 98% of August rent has been collected for German assets to date.
Management is actively monitoring rent payment deferral requests to maintain consistent rent collection while supporting tenants’ needs.
Leasing Operations
About 3,000 sq.ft of incremental space was leased during Q2. Efforts continue to lease unoccupied space (154,770 sq.ft) in the portfolio. Management will selectively complete capex improvements on vacant areas to attract tenants and maximize rent.
Funds from Operations (“FFO”), Adjusted Funds from Operations (“AFFO”)
In Q2 2020, the REIT reported Funds from Operations (“FFO”) and Adjusted Funds from Operations (“AFFO)” were $0.16 and $0.15 per unit respectively. Performance was affected by the decision to pause the 2020 investment strategy due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 30th, the REIT has CAD$58 million of cash on its balance sheet, of which CAD$12.2 million is the excess profit accrued from the disposition of the Vanves asset in 2019 at a higher price than the fair market recorded until Q2 2019. Management estimates that the opportunity cost of reserving CAD$55 million in cash, previously allocated for investment in 2020, has negative quarterly effect the FFO in the range of CAD$0.03 to $0.04 per unit. The CAD$55 million has been held in Euros since December 2019 and has shown an unrealized foreign exchange gain of CAD$1.8 million (which represents an equivalent of approximately $2.6 per unit of FFO) over the six months of 2020, a gain that we have chosen to exclude from the FFO determination given the volatility of the Canadian dollar against the Euro, despite the REALPAC guidance on this particular matter.
Financing Activity
The weighted average interest rate across the portfolio is 2.06% and the debt ratio is 40.3% (34.9% net of cash), comfortably within the REITs mandated threshold of 60%. The interest-only bullet loan against the Duisburg property, held in joint venture, has been successfully extended for another 3 years at an interest rate of 1.44%, and we are now working on an additional capex line for this asset with the same lender.
This refinancing proves the REIT’s ability to fund operations and acquisitions on a less costly basis than traditional financing in Canada, taking advantage of historically low interest rates in Europe.
In France, banks and financial lessors have been encouraged by the French Government’s measures to ease the debt service conditions of their clients from the start of the pandemic and this has positively benefited the REIT, which has obtained deferrals on Sabliere, Courbevoie, Metropolitain and Delizy properties representing a CAD$1.6 million (EUR1.05 million) positive impact on the Q2 available cash. Deferral on the Arcueil lease liability is still under discussion while the quarterly payment of CAD$1.3 million (EUR0.86 million) due on April 1, 2020 has been suspended.
For the total year 2020, the positive impact on cash of senior debt deferrals represents CAD$4.3 million, including Arcueil pending agreement.
Rueil acquisition loan
The delivery of the Rueil property development project is well under way and our budgetary assumptions related to the valuation of the REIT’s profit participation component in the Rueil development loan have been confirmed. The property development is now in its final three months of completion and, subsequent to the quarter, on July 30, 2020, EUR12.4 million out of the initial EUR17.2 million loan has been returned to the REIT by the borrowing entity. Management forecasts that the 2020 fund inflows should be in line as per the initial loan plan. An additional gain of CAD$0.15 million in fair value was recognized in relation to the profit participation component of the loan for Q2 2020 in addition to the CAD$9.6 million accrued since the inception of the loan in December 2016.
Bad Homburg
Subsequent to the quarter, an agreement has been reached between management of the REIT and its JV co-owner of the Bad Homburg asset for the REIT to acquire full ownership of the asset by end of Q3 2020, for a total purchase price of EUR5,873(CAD$8,957). The asset has been jointly held since 2015.
Stuttgart
Subsequent to the quarter, the REIT and its JV partner have taken steps to sell the Stuttgart asset which has been jointly held by the parties since 2017. A top-tier international broker has been engaged for the sale and a marketing plan is underway. The disposition of this asset will contribute to the REIT’s positioning for future opportunistic investments and further simplify its asset ownership structure.
Normal Course Issuer Bid
On April 20, 2020, the TSX approved the REIT’s Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) which was undertaken in response to the extreme volatility that affected the trading price of the REIT in Q2. Management believes that the purchase by the REIT of a portion of its outstanding Units may be an appropriate use of available resources and in the best interests of the REIT and its unitholders. Between April 22 and June 30, 2020, the REIT bought back 510,500 Units at Unit prices ranging between $6.41 and $8.00 for a total $3.9 million buyback of Units. On June 29, 2020, the REIT entered into an automatic purchase plan with a broker to repurchase a daily limit of 20,890 units at a maximum price of $8.00 per unit, for the period of June 30 to August 14, 2020.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan Suspension
Until further notice, in response to the market disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the REIT has suspended its DRIP effective May 15, 2020 to unitholders of record as at April 30, 2020.
ABOUT INOVALIS REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST
Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established pursuant to a declaration of trust under the laws of the Province of Ontario. The REIT has been created for the purpose of acquiring and owning office properties primarily located in France and Germany but also opportunistically in other European countries where assets meet the REIT’s investment criteria.
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1 Net rental Income adjusted for IFRIC 21 is non-IFRS information. (Refer to the “Non-IFRS financial measures” section for further details.)
SOURCE Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust
For further information: David Giraud, Chief Executive Officer, Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust, Tel: +33 1 5643 3323, [email protected]; Khalil Hankach, Chief Financial Officer, Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust, Tel:+33 1 5643 3313, [email protected]
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
The crypto market has recently experienced a significant downturn, mirroring broader risk asset sell-offs. Over the past week, Bitcoin’s price dropped by 24%, reaching $53,000, while Ethereum plummeted nearly a third to $2,340. Major altcoins also suffered, with Cardano down 27.7%, Solana 36.2%, Dogecoin 34.6%, XRP 23.1%, Shiba Inu 30.1%, and BNB 25.7%.
The severe downturn in the crypto market appears to be part of a broader flight to safety, triggered by disappointing economic data. A worse-than-expected unemployment report on Friday marked the beginning of a technical recession, as defined by the Sahm Rule. This rule identifies a recession when the three-month average unemployment rate rises by at least half a percentage point from its lowest point in the past year.
Friday’s figures met this threshold, signaling an abrupt economic downshift. Consequently, investors sought safer assets, leading to declines in major stock indices: the S&P 500 dropped 2%, the Nasdaq 2.5%, and the Dow 1.5%. This trend continued into Monday with further sell-offs overseas.
The crypto market’s rapid decline raises questions about its role as either a speculative asset or a hedge against inflation and recession. Despite hopes that crypto could act as a risk hedge, the recent crash suggests it remains a speculative investment.
Since the downturn, the crypto market has seen its largest three-day sell-off in nearly a year, losing over $500 billion in market value. According to CoinGlass data, this bloodbath wiped out more than $1 billion in leveraged positions within the last 24 hours, including $365 million in Bitcoin and $348 million in Ether.
Khushboo Khullar of Lightning Ventures, speaking to Bloomberg, argued that the crypto sell-off is part of a broader liquidity panic as traders rush to cover margin calls. Khullar views this as a temporary sell-off, presenting a potential buying opportunity.
Josh Gilbert, an eToro market analyst, supports Khullar’s perspective, suggesting that the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could benefit crypto assets. “Crypto assets have sold off, but many investors will see an opportunity. We see Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are now likely to come sharper than expected, as hugely positive for crypto assets,” Gilbert told Coindesk.
Despite the recent volatility, crypto continues to make strides toward mainstream acceptance. Notably, Morgan Stanley will allow its advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs starting Wednesday. This follows more than half a year after the introduction of the first Bitcoin ETF. The investment bank will enable over 15,000 of its financial advisors to sell BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. This move is seen as a significant step toward the “mainstreamization” of crypto, given the lengthy regulatory and company processes in major investment banks.
The recent crypto market downturn highlights its volatility and the broader economic concerns affecting all risk assets. While some analysts see the current situation as a temporary sell-off and a buying opportunity, others caution against the speculative nature of crypto. As the market evolves, its role as a mainstream alternative asset continues to grow, marked by increasing institutional acceptance and new investment opportunities.
