Last checked at 28 Jan 2021 07:00
Picton Property Income Ltd - Dividend DeclarationPicton Property Income Ltd - Dividend Declaration
PR Newswire
London, January 27
28 January 2021
Picton Property Income Limited(āPictonā, the āCompanyā or the āGroupā)LEI: 213800RYE59K9CKR4497
Dividend Declaration and Increase
Picton today announces a 14% increase in its interim dividend to 0.8 pence per share in respect of the financial period fromĀ 1 October 2020Ā toĀ 31 December 2020.
Background
In April 2020, recognising the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the associated lockdown and the consequent potential impact to cash flow, the Company announced a 29% reduction in the quarterly dividend payment from 0.875 pence to 0.625 pence.
Having had time to assess the initial impact of the pandemic, the Board decided in November to increase the dividend by 12% to 0.7 pence per share, reflecting progress with rent collection, asset management projects and various leasing initiatives.
Rent collection data for 2020 is as follows:
Received 95% of the September and June quartersā rent and 90% of the March quarterās rent. Currently 87% of the December quarterās rent has been collected, when including 11% on agreed monthly payment plans. This figure is comparable to the corresponding rent collection during the previous two quarters.In respect of the remaining rent outstanding, ongoing discussions and active management opportunities are expected to further improve the income or capital position of the portfolio.
Picton maintains a strong balance sheet with the LTV currently at 21%.
Dividend Increase
Recognising the ongoing levels of rent collection and leasing progress, as well as the distribution requirements of the REIT regime, the Board has concluded that it is appropriate to further increase the level of distribution from the current position. At this revised level the Company will retain the flexibility to manage the property portfolio, support its occupiers through the ongoing crisis and help to create longer term value for shareholders.
Consequently, the quarterly dividend will be increased by 14% (3.2 pence from 2.8 pence annualised) with immediate effect.
The dividend timetable is set out below:Ā
Ex-Dividend Date ā 4 Feb 2021 Record Date āĀ 5 Feb 2021 Pay Date ā 26Ā Feb 2021The dividend ofĀ 0.8 penceĀ per share will be designated as a Property Income Distribution (āPIDā).
Nick Thompson, Chairman of Picton Property Income commented:
āWe are pleased to be in the position where we can take another positive step forward. This decision means our distributions are now at more than 91% of pre pandemic levels. Hopefully as the vaccine roll out gathers pace and this current lockdown ends, more normalised conditions will return, enabling further growth.ā
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014
For further information:
TavistockĀ
Jeremy Carey/James Verstringhe, 020 7920 3150, james.verstringhe@tavistock.co.uk
Picton
Michael Morris, 020 7011 9980, michael.morris@picton.co.ukĀ
Note to Editors
Picton, established in 2005, is a UK REIT. It owns and actively manages a Ā£675 million diversified UK commercial property portfolio, invested across 46 assets and with around 350 occupiers (as at 31 December 2020). Through an occupier focused, opportunity led approach to asset management, Picton aims to be one of the consistently best performing diversified UK focused property companies listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
For more information please visit: www.picton.co.uk
ENDS