Interim report January - June 2023

• Income increased to SEK 2,221 million (2,192).
• Operating surplus increased to SEK 1,543 million (1,482).
• Net financial income increased to SEK –741 million (–488).
• Profit from property management amounted to SEK 710 million (900).
• Changes in value of properties amounted to SEK –2,911 million (741).
• Changes in value of derivatives amounted to SEK –95 million (1,335).
• Profit shares in associated companies amounted to SEK –1,075 million (–30).
• Net profit for the period amounted to SEK –2,729 million (1,823), corresponding to –SEK 2.75 (1.43) per ordinary share of class A and B.
• Net letting was positive, and amounted to SEK 50 million for the period.
• The value of investment properties amounted to SEK 69,906 million (78,387).
• Net asset value (NAV) per ordinary share of class A and B amounted to SEK 22.95 (26.42).

 

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING THE SECOND QUARTER

• During the quarter, 58 properties were divested at an underlying property value SEK 5,597 million. During the six-month period, a total of 92 properties were divested at an underlying property value of SEK 8,085 million. The effect on profit in the period, including dissolved tax, amounts to approximately SEK 450 million.
• In July, Corem signed, after the end of the quarter, together with ALM Equity and Broskeppet Bostad, an agreement with the property investor Nrep on the sale of 51 percent of the shares in Klövern for approximately SEK 2.5 billion. The deal entails a positive liquidity effect amounting to SEK 1.4 SEK billion. The transfer is planned for August 2023. The deal also entails a negative effect on profit, of approximately SEK 1 billion, which is reported in the quarter.
• In May, Corem made an early redemption of a bond loan of SEK 700 million through its subsidiary Corem Kelly.
• In June, Corem obtained an updated credit rating from Scope Ratings. The update confirms the credit rating BBB-, with a revision of the outlook from previously stable outlook to negative outlook, with reference to the prevailing market conditions.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AFTER THE END OF THE PERIOD

• Agreements have been signed for the sale of a total of seven properties, where transfer of posession falls after the end of the period. The properties have a total underlying property value of SEK 1,044 million.

Comment by the CEO

A strengthened financial position through intensive transaction activities, and a strong core business

We have carried out a number of transactions during the first six-month period and are now in a stronger position financially. The divestments made, to date this year, include assets with total underlying market values of almost SEK 12 billion. At the same time, our core business is progressing well with several good lettings and a number of our bigger projects nearing completion.

 

Four weeks in after returning as CEO of Corem, it is a gratifying to be able to deliver a report on the intense quarter like the one recently concluded. For Corem, the past six months have been characterised by a high level of transaction intensity, with completion of a number of previously agreed, larger transactions, as well as new agreements signed.

 

Adjusting our size

Since the year-end to date we have carried out, or agreed on, divestment of assets with a total underlying market value of SEK 11.7 billion. They consist mainly of properties, but also divestment of our holding in Castellum and part of our holding in Klövern.

 

For a number of years with a generous bond market, we and other real estate companies have rapidly expanded. In the coming period, we will focus on reducing leverage; and have made good progress in

adjusting the portfolio. With these divestments, we reduce our debt and gradually adjust our size to market conditions. We will continue on this path, and plan for further divestments during the remainder of the year, in order to further reduce debt and ensure bond redemption.

 

Klövern accelerates

The transaction where we reduce our ownership stake in our associated company, the housing development company Klövern, to 17 per cent has many positive aspects. For Klövern, it is crucial to now have financing allowing construction to start, and be able to offer housing to the market without too much delay. That is positive for us in the long term, as a major owner. The transaction entails that the buyer,

real estate investor Nrep, has undertaken to invest a total of SEK 6.5 billion in Klövern over a period of time, through the initial acquisition of shares and future directed new issues of shares. For Corem, the transaction brings an essential impact on liquidity, amounting to SEK 1.4 billion during 2023.

 

Real estate operations

With the challenging market situation we are in it is particularly gratifying to see the high level of activity in letting work, with positive net letting in the quarter amounting to SEK 17 million, and SEK 50 million for the six-month period. Our core business is strong. We see that demand is generally strong and have also signed a number of new lettings both during and after the end of the quarter.

 

Net operating income has decreased in volume due to the divestments but increased for a comparable portfolio by just over 12 percent. Profit from property management is restrained by higher financial expenses and amounts to SEK 710 million for the period.

 

We see a continued negative trend in the development of value of our properties. During the quarter it amounted to near two percent, and around four percent since the beginning of the year, which reflects market factors such as interest rates and inflation. The changes in value is mainly driven by changes in yield requirements connected to higher cost of financing, but a positive net letting and strong development

in net operating income slows down the negative development in value somewhat. The average yield requirement has increased by 0.2 percentage points and as of today amounts to 5.4 per cent.

 

Financial position

We continue in strengthening our balance sheet through reduction of debt and by redemption of bond maturities. In total, our transaction activities during the past year mean we have been able to ensure redemption of all bond maturities this year. We continue our work toward ensuring maturities also during 2024. We are gradually increasing our share of bank financing and have strong focus on our loan portfolio and limiting both interest rate risk and liquidity risk.

 

High level of demand

Demand on the letting market continues to be strong, and we have recently reached agreements on a number of lettings, in, among other places, the Globen area, Malmö, New York and Kista/Stockholm North. It is also nice to see that our most recent letting in Kista further strengthens the area as a "Tech hub”. We also keep working to meet demand for climate-smart sustainable offices, for example tenant adaptations using recycled materials.

 

It is particularly gratifying to see a stedy increase in occupancy rate of our two office properties in Manhattan, which challenges the general picture of the office segment in the US. It also indicates the differences between modern, high-quality offices in attractive locations compared with the market in general.

 

In regard to projects activities, we are giving priority to completing ongoing projects and being very restrictive about starting new projects. As ongoing projects are completed, investment costs will decrease

and we instead start seeing rental income.

 

It it truly stimulating to be back at Corem, among both old colleagues and new ones. These are challenging times but we are dealing with it well. We continue to focus on property management and on strengthening our finances. We have a well diversified and attractive portfolio and a strong organisation with a high level of commitment. That inspires confidence.

 

Rutger Arnhult, CEO
Stockholm 14 July 2023

Corem Property Group AB (publ)


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Rutger Arnhult, CEO, +46 70 458 24 70, [email protected]
Eva Landén, Deputy CEO, +46 10 482 76 50, [email protected]

Corem Property Group AB (publ)
Address: P.O. Box 56085, SE-102 17 Stockholm
Visitors: Riddargatan 13 C
Reg.no: 556463-9440
www.corem.se
 

This information is information that Corem Property Group AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Market Act (2007:528). This information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 08.00 CEST on 14 July 2023.
 
This interim report is in all respects a translation of the Swedish original. In the event of any discrepancies between this translation and the Swedish original, the latter shall prevail.