SGX Market Strategist, Equity & Fixed Income, Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Geoff Howie

SGX Market Strategist, Equity & Fixed Income

Asia’s leading multi-asset exchange

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

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Equity Bottom-Up

Manulife US REIT (MUST) / Equity Bottom-Up

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 <div class='content-caption'>Trio of US office SREIT</div>
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With up to 75 per cent of employees now able to return to the workplace in Singapore, there has been a noticeable increase in crowds in office areas over the past week. 
This trend is also expected to be similar in the US as companies start to announce plans to bring more employees back to the office. 
According to the Microsoft Annual Work Trend Index Report 2022, 50 per cent of leaders say their company already requires, or plans to require, full-time in-person work in the year ahead. 
Companies such as Apple, JP Morgan, and Twitter are also said to welcome more staff back to office and consider hybrid models.

SGX lists 3 pure-play US office S-Reits - Manulife US Reit, Prime US Reit, and Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit. 
The trio have a combined market capitalisation of S$3.8 billion, average distribution yield of 8.7 per cent and trade at a price-to-book ratio of 0.9 times. 
Manulife US Reit (MUST) has a portfolio of 12 freehold office properties in Arizona, California, Georgia, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia and Washington DC with a combined asset value of US$2.2 billion as at Dec 31, 2021. 
As at end 2021, MUST recorded a 92.3 per cent occupancy rate against the US Class A average of about 83 per cent, according to JLL's Q4 2021 US Office Outlook. 
Must also noted that 2021 ended on a strong note for the US office segment as transaction volumes increased along with higher leasing activity and strong projections for 12-month rent growth in many markets. 
Over the first few months of 2022, MUST also observed higher numbers, signifying that return-to-office is gathering momentum, alongside H2 2021 portfolio valuations turning positive for the first time since the onset of Covid-19. 
It believes that office space will remain relevant, as firms are signing longer US office leases which averaged 7.1 years in Q1 2021 and lengthened to 7.8 years in Q4 2021 according to JLL. 
Prime US Reit (Prime) has a portfolio of 14 freehold office properties in 13 key US office markets with a total carrying value of US$1.65 billion as at Dec 31, 2021. 
It has a portfolio occupancy rate of 90.3 per cent (at end 2021), which is higher than the average US Class A. 
Prime anticipates an increase in leasing activity as employees cautiously plan for their return to office. 
Its leasing activity in H2 2021 more than doubled that in H1 2021 and rent collections have remained above 99 per cent throughout FY2020 and FY2021. 
Prime attributes its resilience to its industry sector diversification, where no single property contributes more than 11.4 per cent of its cash rental income. 
It continues to have a focus in growth and established STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and TAMI (technology, advertising, media and information) sectors. 
Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit (KORE) has a portfolio of 15 freehold office buildings and business campuses across 9 key growth markets in the US with a combined asset value of US$1.46 billion. 
KORE has a committed portfolio occupancy of 91.9 per cent. 
Close to 45 per cent of its portfolio by net lettable area comprises tenants from the growing TAMI, medical and healthcare sectors. 
The Reit has observed that the correlation between increasing Covid-19 cases and falling demand for office space has started to diminish. 
KORE quoted the CoStar Office National Report December 2021, where close to 100 million sq ft of office space was leased in Q3 2021, an indicator of stabilisation in the US office market.  REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times,<a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/singapore-office-s-reits-poised-to-benefit-from-positive-rental-momentum-0"> </a><a href="https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/us-office-s-reits-set-for-continued-growth-with-the-return-to-office-0">read </a>the original version.
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    Trio of US office SREIT


With up to 75 per cent of employees now able to return to the workplace in Singapore, there has been a noticeable increase in crowds in office areas over the past week.  
This trend is also expected to be similar in the US as companies start to announce plans to bring more employees back to the office.  
According to the Microsoft Annual Work Trend Index Report 2022, 50 per cent of leaders say their company already requires, or plans to require, full-time in-person work in the year ahead.  
Companies such as Apple, JP Morgan, and Twitter are also said to welcome more staff back to office and consider hybrid models.

SGX lists 3 pure-play US office S-Reits - Manulife US Reit, Prime US Reit, and Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit.  
The trio have a combined market capitalisation of S$3.8 billion, average distribution yield of 8.7 per cent and trade at a price-to-book ratio of 0.9 times.  
Manulife US Reit (MUST) has a portfolio of 12 freehold office properties in Arizona, California, Georgia, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia and Washington DC with a combined asset value of US$2.2 billion as at Dec 31, 2021.  
As at end 2021, MUST recorded a 92.3 per cent occupancy rate against the US Class A average of about 83 per cent, according to JLL's Q4 2021 US Office Outlook.  
Must also noted that 2021 ended on a strong note for the US office segment as transaction volumes increased along with higher leasing activity and strong projections for 12-month rent growth in many markets.  
Over the first few months of 2022, MUST also observed higher numbers, signifying that return-to-office is gathering momentum, alongside H2 2021 portfolio valuations turning positive for the first time since the onset of Covid-19.  
It believes that office space will remain relevant, as firms are signing longer US office leases which averaged 7.1 years in Q1 2021 and lengthened to 7.8 years in Q4 2021 according to JLL.  
Prime US Reit (Prime) has a portfolio of 14 freehold office properties in 13 key US office markets with a total carrying value of US$1.65 billion as at Dec 31, 2021.  
It has a portfolio occupancy rate of 90.3 per cent (at end 2021), which is higher than the average US Class A.  
Prime anticipates an increase in leasing activity as employees cautiously plan for their return to office.  
Its leasing activity in H2 2021 more than doubled that in H1 2021 and rent collections have remained above 99 per cent throughout FY2020 and FY2021.  
Prime attributes its resilience to its industry sector diversification, where no single property contributes more than 11.4 per cent of its cash rental income.  
It continues to have a focus in growth and established STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and TAMI (technology, advertising, media and information) sectors.  
Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit (KORE) has a portfolio of 15 freehold office buildings and business campuses across 9 key growth markets in the US with a combined asset value of US$1.46 billion.  
KORE has a committed portfolio occupancy of 91.9 per cent.  
Close to 45 per cent of its portfolio by net lettable area comprises tenants from the growing TAMI, medical and healthcare sectors.  
The Reit has observed that the correlation between increasing Covid-19 cases and falling demand for office space has started to diminish.  
KORE quoted the CoStar Office National Report December 2021, where close to 100 million sq ft of office space was leased in Q3 2021, an indicator of stabilisation in the US office market.   REIT Watch is a weekly column on The Business Times, read the original version.



REIT Watch - US office S-Reits set for continued growth with the return to office

Research from SooChow CSSD Capital Markets (Asia), SCCM Asia Research

SCCM Asia Research

Research from SooChow CSSD Capital Markets (Asia)

Headquartered in Singapore, SooChow CSSD Capital Markets (Asia) is an investment bank focusing on emerging growth companies across Asia, providing a full suite of investment banking services, including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions advisory, equity capital markets, institutional equities sales and trading and equities research.

SooChow CSSD Capital Markets (Asia)

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/manulife-us-reit" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:567" rel="noopener">Manulife US REIT (MUST) (MUST SP)</a> 2H21 DPU +1.5% YoY; 4Q21 -7.1% reversions a concern, further M&amp;As may hinge on fundraising efforts</li><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ascendas-real-estate-investment-trust" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:39" rel="noopener">Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust (AREIT SP)</a> 2H21 DPU +2.4% YoY; Improved occupancy while reversions remain relatively robust</li><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yanlord-land-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14152" rel="noopener">Yanlord Land (YLLG SP)</a> Jan22 contracted pre-sales rose 87.7% YoY</li></ul>

Manulife US REIT (MUST) (MUST SP) 2H21 DPU +1.5% YoY; 4Q21 -7.1% reversions a concern, further M&amp;As may hinge on fundraising effortsAscendas Real Estate Investment Trust (AREIT SP) 2H21 DPU +2.4% YoY; Improved occupancy while reversions remain relatively robustYanlord Land (YLLG SP) Jan22 contracted pre-sales rose 87.7% YoY

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (9Feb22) - MUST Weak 4Q21 Reversions a Concern

<ul><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lhn-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27234" rel="noopener">LHN Ltd (LHN SP)</a> acquires right-of-use Mount Elizabeth property; Further expansion of its Space Optimisation segment</li><li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/keppel-reit" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:192" rel="noopener">Keppel REIT (KREIT SP)</a> acquires a freehold Grade-A office building under development in North Sydney; DPU accretive by +3.0%</li><li>Supply chain issues bolstering demand for warehousing during holiday season</li></ul>

LHN Ltd (LHN SP) acquires right-of-use Mount Elizabeth property; Further expansion of its Space Optimisation segmentKeppel REIT (KREIT SP) acquires a freehold Grade-A office building under development in North Sydney; DPU accretive by +3.0%Supply chain issues bolstering demand for warehousing during holiday season

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (30Nov21) - LHN Adds Mount Elizabeth Prop into Co-Living Portfolio

<h2>Singapore</h2><h3><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/capitaland-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:55" rel="noopener">Capitaland (CAPL SP)</a> 3Q21 Business Updates – A good start with key metrics growing robustly</h3><ul><li>9M21 revenue came in at S$1.6bn with Fee income Related Business (FRB) making up 40% of total revenue and Real-estate investment business making up the remaining 60%. 9M21 FRB rose by 19% YoY to S$656m, with fund management rising by 35% YoY to S$292m, followed by property management rising by 2.6% YoY to S$236m and lodging management rising by 23% to S$128m, respectively     </li></ul>

SingaporeCapitaland (CAPL SP) 3Q21 Business Updates – A good start with key metrics growing robustly9M21 revenue came in at S$1.6bn with Fee income Related Business (FRB) making up 40% of total revenue and Real-estate investment business making up the remaining 60%. 9M21 FRB rose by 19% YoY to S$656m, with fund management rising by 35% YoY to S$292m, followed by property management rising by 2.6% YoY to S$236m and lodging management rising by 23% to S$128m, respectively     

External broker reports(aggregated public sources), KGI Securities Singapore

KGI Securities

External broker reports(aggregated public sources)

<ul><li>Upgrade to Outperform. US office properties are likely to see improving demand as more employees return, even if it is on a part time basis. Improving fundamentals may finally lift investor confidence in the sector.</li><li>MUST provides an excellent proxy to ride on the “return to office” theme in the US, while offering an attractive 7.4% forward dividend yield.</li></ul><div class="content-highlight">Content is external broker report sourced from online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. Refer full disclaimer below.</div>

Upgrade to Outperform. US office properties are likely to see improving demand as more employees return, even if it is on a part time basis. Improving fundamentals may finally lift investor confidence in the sector.MUST provides an excellent proxy to ride on the “return to office” theme in the US, while offering an attractive 7.4% forward dividend yield.Content is external broker report sourced from online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. Refer full disclaimer below.

Singapore

Manulife US REIT is a Singapore listed REIT established with the investment strategy principally to invest, directly or indirectly, in a portfolio of income-producing office real estate in key markets in the United States, as well as real estate-related assets.

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Manulife US REIT (MUST) (MUST SP)

REIT Watch - US office S-Reits set for continued growth with the return to office

With up to 75 per cent of employees now able to return to the workplace in Singapore, there has been a noticeable increase in...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (9Feb22) - MUST Weak 4Q21 Reversions a Concern

MUST weak 4Q21 reversions a concern; AREIT improved occupancy and steady reversions; SG may levy prop-related wealth tax; ASII/HKL/Logos Indo...

SCCM Asia Research

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (30Nov21) - LHN Adds Mount Elizabeth Prop into Co-Living Portfolio

LHN adds Mount Elizabeth prop into Co-living portfolio; KREIT buys Sydney office development; MUST enters high-growth cities; Warehouses in high...

SCCM Asia Research

ASEAN Builder's Scoop (3Nov21)

CLI 3Q21 results a good start; OUECT declining QoQ reversions; MUST green shoots of recovery; HOBEE buys Melbourne site; ALLHC expands Cavite...

SCCM Asia Research

Manulife US REIT (MUST SP)

Upgrade to Outperform. US office properties are likely to see improving demand as more employees return, even if it is on a part time basis....

KGI Securities

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