Emira declares 52cps half-year dividend off robust portfolio structure, rental collections and liquidity
Emira Property Fund (JSE: EMI) reported a half-year dividend of 52 cents per share and distributable income of R333.7m for the six-month interim period to 31 December 2020.
Emira is invested in a quality, balanced portfolio of diverse office, retail, industrial and residential properties. It has 78 directly-held properties valued at R9.9bn in South Africa and equity investments in 10 grocery-anchored open-air convenience shopping centres in the USA. Its portfolio is diversified across property sectors and internationally in a combination of directly-held assets and co-investments with partners who are experts in their respective fields. The Emira portfolio is structured for adaptability to deliver stability and sustainability through different economic and property cycles.
Geoff Jennett, CEO of Emira Property Fund, comments, “In the context of the current uncertain and challenging operating environment, these results reflect the robustness of Emira’s business, portfolio and processes. A key feature of a REIT investment is its cash-backed income component and at Emira we believe that if we can reasonably pay dividends while still protecting our business’s longevity, we should. We are confident that our decision to pay an interim dividend, albeit at suitably conservative levels, is the right one for our shareholders.”
Emira also continued to look after the interests of its tenants, staff, service providers, portfolio of assets, co-investors, funders, communities, and environment. “It is our actions in all these areas that come together to form a sustainable business,” notes Jennett.
Continuing efforts to ensure as many of its tenants as possible survive the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns’ adverse effects, Emira provided support to 363 tenants with a further R17.8m in permanent rental remissions during the six months. This relief supported some high-risk tenants including gyms, restaurants and entertainment venues. Emira expects to consider further rental concessions in the second half of its financial year, on a limited case-by-case basis.
During the six months from July to December 2020, the effects of the pandemic and its various lockdowns in South Africa continued to batter the local economy, business confidence and household spending placing massive pressure on all key property metrics.
