TU: Supply can't meet student demand12 Apr 2023 12:35
Highly positive Q1 trading update today:
Richard Smith, Unite Students Chief Executive Officer, commented:
" We continue to make strong progress with bookings for the 2023/24 academic year with 90% of rooms already sold, demonstrating the strength of student demand and the attractiveness of our fixed-priced all-inclusive offer. Reservations are significantly ahead of recent sales cycles, reflecting strong demand from both new and existing students as well as new nomination agreements with universities. This progress reinforces our confidence in delivering rental growth of 6-7% for the 2023/24 academic year. Rental growth also continues to support our property valuations as the market adjusts to a higher funding cost environment.
The supply of purpose-built student accommodation cannot keep pace with growing student demand at the same time as HMO landlords are leaving the sector. We are therefore tracking a number of new development opportunities at attractive returns, which we are uniquely positioned to deliver through our university relationships and development capability. "
Picking-out the key points:
>> Demand is out-stripping supply: the implication is full-utilisation can be anticipated looking at the forward bookings.
>> Pricing power: UTG is able to increase rents to mitigate inflation and interest rate rises. Despite the rises UTG is very competitively priced due to wider market rental price acceleration. Pricing power is extremely important for investors in an inflationary economic environment.
>> Development Pipeline: IMHO the pressure is mounting on Unis to resolve the growing accommodation crisis. This will provide the long-anticipated partnership opportunities for UTG. Something to keep an eye on.
Hopefully, with the development cost-pressures ameliorating we will see a further acceleration in the development pipeline - to meet the evident demand. Whilst pressures on yield cause property valuations to pause - new development and partnership deals are the likely pathway to growth.