UAI.L Regulatory News (UAI)

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ("MAR"). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service ("RIS"), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

24 October 2018

U and I Group PLC

Interim Results for the six months ended 31 August 2018

U+I on track to deliver development and trading gains in line with full year target

U+I (LSE:UAI), the specialist regeneration developer and investor, announces its interim results for the six months ended 31 August 2018.

On track to deliver target of £45-50 million of development and trading gains in FY19

· £12.8 million of gains delivered in H1, in line with target

· Further progress post period end, including resolution to grant planning at Kensington Church Street

· Good visibility on the projects that will deliver gains in H2, including Preston Barracks, Harwell, Curzon Park and Hendy Wind Farm

Continued progress against our stated FY19 key objectives

· Growing pipeline with Cambridge Northern Fringe East win, exclusive negotiations on a new PPP project in London City Region, and three new trading opportunities under offer

· Investment portfolio repositioning continues with £11.3 million acquisition; £0.7 million secured and £2.8 million under offer towards our target of £5 million added value through asset management initiatives. Capital values in H1 down 2.6% on a like for like basis, including joint ventures, mainly due to negative sentiment in the retail sector

· Advisors appointed to identify capital partner(s) to fund three major pipeline projects

Interim dividend of 2.4 pence per share declared (H1 2018: 2.4 pence per share) - consistent with the Board's previously stated policy

Matthew Weiner, Chief Executive, said:

"We have made good progress in the first six months of the year, realising £12.8 million of development and trading gains in the period to 31 August 2018, in line with our H1 target. We are confident that we have the strategy, team and pipeline to meet our £45-50 million development and trading target for the full year and we remain well placed to benefit from the shortfall of quality mixed-use schemes, which continue to drive strong demand in our key, high-growth, geographies of London City Region, Manchester and Dublin.

We are seeing a growing number of opportunities to deliver value through our public private partnerships, trading and investment activities, as evidenced by our Cambridge win, exclusive negotiations for a new PPP project, three new trading projects under offer, and our acquisition in Bournemouth. We are committed to delivering value for both our investors and the communities in which we work through our purpose driven performance and look forward to demonstrating this over the next six months and beyond."

Financial summary (unaudited for the six months ended 31 August 2018 and 31 August 2017)

*non-GAAP measure (refer to note 19)

Conference call for analysts and investors

The Company will hold an audiocast for sell-side analysts and investors at 9am today hosted by: Matthew Weiner, CEO and Marcus Shepherd, CFO.

The audiocast details are below and the interims presentation will be posted on the corporate website: http://www.uandiplc.com/investors/financial-calendar.

Audiocast link:

https://www.investis-live.com/uandi/5b97eaca7fa26e1000f5ce18/uiui

Participant dial-in numbers

Forthcoming announcement dates:

As previously announced, the Company will report its full year results for the thirteen months to 31 March 2019 in May 2019.

For further information, please contact: 

U+I

Nicola Krafft

+44 (0)20 7828 4777

ir@uandiplc.com

Camarco (Financial PR Adviser)

Geoffrey Pelham-Lane / Hazel Stevenson / Tom Huddart

+44 (0)20 3757 4985 / 4989 / 4991

uandi@camarco.co.uk 

LEI number: 213800HTEQQEIOGR5A58

About U+I

U+I is a specialist regeneration developer and investor.

With a c.£9.5 billion portfolio of complex, mixed-use, community-focused regeneration projects including a £145.7 million investment portfolio, we are unlocking urban sites bristling with potential in the London City Region (within one hour's commute from Central London), Manchester and Dublin. We exist to create long-term socio-economic benefit for the communities in which we work, delivering sustainable returns to our shareholders.

To find out more, visit www.uandiplc.com or follow us @uandiplc  

Chief Executive's Statement

I am pleased to report positive progress in the first half of the year, such that we remain on track to achieve our £45-50 million development and trading gains target for the full year, whilst extending our pipeline visibility.

Consistent with our previously stated policy, the Board has declared an unchanged interim dividend of 2.4 pence per share, which will be payable on 30 November 2018 to Shareholders on the register on 2 November 2018.

Development and trading portfolio - delivering gains in line with H1 target

Our development and trading portfolio comprises both long-term, large scale public private partnership ("PPP") projects and shorter-term trading opportunities and is founded on our ability to secure land well and add value, primarily through the planning process. In the year to date we have realised a total of £12.8 million of gains from a number of development and trading opportunities and we see strong momentum going into the second half of the year.

In June, we completed the sale of our retail-led, mixed-use scheme in Bicester (previously identified as Mixed-Use Scheme A) to Value Retail, delivering development and trading gains towards the top end of guidance. The decision to sell instead of obtaining planning and developing out the scheme was taken as part of our focus on fewer, larger mixed-use projects.

Also in June, we exchanged contracts for the sale of Bryn Blaen Wind Farm and expect to complete the sale in January 2019; this has enabled us to book £5.0 million of gains in the period. We are hopeful of achieving planning consent for Hendy Wind Farm imminently and are ready to commence construction of the project to realise £5-7 million of gains in this financial year. Delays in securing planning consent at Rhoscrowther, our remaining wind farm project, mean we have missed the subsidy window and we now expect to deliver a lower than previously identified level of gains in FY20. This delay will not impact achieving our overall FY19 £45-50 million development and trading gains target. 

Post period end, we have secured a resolution to grant planning for our joint venture mixed-use scheme in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (announced on 25 September). We have also exchanged on the sale of our share of the joint venture of the residential units at Circus Street in Brighton.

At our retail project in Lichfield we have taken a £3.4 million write off as we were unable to deliver a viable project prior to the longstop date in the PPP agreement; we will not incur any other costs.

We made further progress at St Mark's Square in Bromley, with practical completion of the retail and leisure elements as well as two of the five residential blocks occurring since the period end. The remaining three residential blocks will complete by the end of January, following which we will launch the residential sales campaign, where we have, to date, already pre-sold 129 of the 200 units. Post the opening of the leisure element of the scheme in January, we have agreed with our funding partners Hermes Investment Management ("Hermes") to market the leisure asset for sale. Present indications are that the asset, which is 92% pre-let and comprises a nine screen Vue cinema, a 130 bed Premier Inn hotel and nine restaurant units, together with an underground car park, is worth in excess of £39 million. Under the arrangement, U+I will participate in sale proceeds received in excess of this figure. Whilst we do not anticipate such circumstances arising, in the event that the asset is not sold, Hermes can elect for U+I to acquire the asset for £39 million.

Growing GDV and increased pipeline visibility

Our focus on the three core geographies of London City Region, Manchester and Dublin, where there is a significant shortfall in quality mixed-use schemes, is opening up new opportunities for us as the public sector looks to improve the socio-economic productivity of its land holdings. Our creative approach and trusted reputation for delivery has led to us being awarded a major PPP project in Cambridge in July. In our role as masterplanner and promoter of the Cambridge Northern Fringe East site, we will transform the current water recycling centre into a major, residential-led, mixed-use urban quarter.

We have also entered into exclusive negotiations for a new PPP project in the London City Region and remain shortlisted for a major PPP opportunity in Dublin, where we believe a final selection decision will be reached in H2. These two projects would add over £2.0 billion to our pipeline gross development value.

Supporting our strategic objective to continue to grow our pipeline, we were pleased to be selected onto the GLA's London Development Panel ("LDP") in August. We are part of a small group of housing associations, developers and contractors with whom public bodies in London can work to transform underused public land into the mixed-use accommodation so urgently needed. We believe the LDP will be used to procure and bring forward up to £20 billion worth of development land over the next four years, creating exciting new business opportunities for us.

Investment portfolio - future proofing through income sustainability

Capital value in the investment portfolio was down £4.5 million, representing a 2.6% decline on a like for like basis in the first six months, when including our share of joint ventures. The overall negative performance mainly reflects current market sentiment towards UK secondary retail which is putting upward pressure on cap rates, irrespective of the quality or functionality of the asset. Positively, rents in our investment portfolio have remained largely unchanged (down 1%) and we have 98% occupancy by lettable space at our six shopping centres. The convenience and community nature of our schemes should allow us to deliver sustainable income returns (7.6% after expiry of rent free periods) from these assets, which provide the right retail experience, to the relevant customer, while at the same time being affordable to occupiers.

As we target £50 million of new acquisitions for the full year, we were pleased to acquire a 98,000 sq. ft. mixed-use scheme in Bournemouth for £11.3 million in the period. Part of the thriving St Peter's Quarter, the asset has the right occupier mix to cater for the town's population of students and retirees, both of whom are above averagely represented. We see potential in the asset and believe it will achieve a >10% total return, through a solid and growing income return, with 56% of the rent subject to fixed or RPI uplifts.

This new acquisition is in line with our focus on income sustainable assets with asset management potential and optionality for change of use. Bournemouth is expected to continue to see above average population growth over the next ten years, with retail footfall up 13.9% year on year, and there is an undersupply of student accommodation. Post the period end, we have agreed terms to acquire a further convenience asset aligned to its local catchment area in the London City Region. The asset has a strong income return and potential to add value through lease restructurings.

We are also making progress in meeting our disposals target. Subject to planning, we expect to exchange for the sale of our vacant Belsize Park asset in excess of £5.0 million. We expect the planning consent to be secured on or around the financial year end. We have identified other potential sales within the portfolio where we believe it is the right time to sell and aim to deliver on our £25 million sales objective - albeit we will only sell assets at the right price and to minimise any interest drag from the Aviva debt facility.

Asset management initiatives remain key to enhancing and capturing value in our portfolio. At Caxton Works, we are making strong progress in securing lettings, achieving a £0.7 million valuation uplift (c.30% increase) in the half year period. We have already identified c.£4 million for the full year - putting us on track for our £5 million target. In addition to the expected Belsize Park disposal, we are in legals to re-gear the occupational lease at Gemini Building at Harwell to deliver further capital value uplift. As we continue to retain assets where we see long-term potential from our development and trading portfolio, we expect to transfer three units at The Old Vinyl Factory into our investment portfolio in the second half of the year - two of these units are pre-let.

Specialist platforms - developing our capital partner relationships

In line with our key objective outlined in our Report and Accounts, we see a clear opportunity to bring about transformational change by extending our strategic platforms and capital partner relationships. This would provide a number of benefits and efficiencies to the business and allow our partners to share in the success of our major PPP schemes. Our significant £9.5 billion pipeline and scale compared to when we were formed in 2014, along with the relationships, trust and reputation we have developed within the public sector, will allow us to target additional capital partners with an attractive long-term proposition. We have appointed advisors to identify capital partner(s) to fund three of our major pipeline PPP projects; we will provide an update on progress at the full year.

During the first half, we have been very active in Dublin. In August, we completed the refurbishment of Donnybrook House, increasing the net lettable office area by 37%, and launched this landmark six-level office development, to the occupational market. Construction is also underway at The Hive (rebranded in October from Ballymoss House) in Sandyford where we are fully refurbishing and extending this building, to meet the shortfall of quality office space in the area. Furthermore, we aim to achieve full planning approval and commence construction at Carrisbrook House in H2. All these assets are held in joint venture with Colony Capital.

In the London City Region, we completed the sale of Charlton Riverside securing further profit of £3.3 million from that previously reported. The asset was held in joint venture with Proprium Capital Partners.

Creating opportunity through operational improvements

One of our objectives for this financial year was to implement further business efficiencies to drive greater consistency across the business. I am pleased with the progress we have made putting new processes in place to improve our finance and management systems. We have revised the structure of our Acquisitions team, to put an even greater focus on trading opportunities. This has led to us securing three new trading projects since the half year, which have the potential to deliver substantial gains within our five-year guidance period. We have created a Development Director role in Dublin to support our growth in this important region. We are also reviewing all aspects of our cost base and will provide greater detail on the progress within our efficiencies programme at the full year.

Outlook - good momentum going into H2

We look forward to delivering further development and trading gains in the second half through Kensington Church Street, Preston Barracks, Harwell, Curzon Park and our Hendy Wind Farm project, in line with our guidance. Important milestone planning applications (eight projects) will also be a strong feature of the second half of the year, helping to improve visibility of future gains (albeit none will contribute to FY19 gains), as we continue to target 12% average post tax total return. These will include our major PPP projects at 8 Albert Embankment and Landmark Court.

As a business we are at the heart of the major market trends. There is cross-party support and demand for quality mixed-use spaces, incorporating offices and housing in high-growth regions where access to talent, tolerance, transport and tourism is strong. We have great visibility over our pipeline for the next ten years and continue to target new business opportunities to develop this further, supported by our role on the LDP and TfL panels which give us privileged access to exciting new public sector opportunities. Notwithstanding Brexit and wider market uncertainty, I remain confident in our outlook for the second half of the year as we continue to realise value through successful urban regeneration.

Matthew Weiner, Chief Executive

23 October 2018

Financial review

Net assets attributable to shareholders decreased by £23.1 million to £356.2 million (28 February 2018: £379.3 million) reflecting the result for the period and the payment of £19.4 million of dividends declared in respect of the previous financial year (£15.0 million supplemental dividend and £4.4 million final dividend).

The result for the six months to 31 August 2018 was a loss before tax of £4.2 million (31 August 2017: £3.3 million loss).

Our guidance for development and trading gains for the financial year has been reconfirmed as a range of £45-50 million, following the delivery of £12.8 million of gains in the first half of the year.

As at 31 August 2018 our net debt stood at £118.7 million representing gearing of 33.3% (28 February 2018: £119.1 million and 31.4%). Since 31 August, the Group has fully repaid £26.9 million of debt following the completion of sales of residential units at our Ilford scheme, giving a current gearing level of 25.8%.

Overall, the weighted average maturity of our debt is 6.0 years with a weighted average interest rate of 4.8%, excluding joint ventures.

The Group continues to monitor its risk profile on a regular basis. The main business risks continue to be construction and planning risk with an increasing element of market/political risk as the Government continues its Brexit related negotiations. The Risk Management Committee continually reviews the Group's risk profile, reporting to the Audit and Risk Committee and the Board. Principal risks are categorised either as external risks, whose occurrence is beyond the control of the Group, or business risks which the Board manage as part of the Group's operations. Further details can be found in the U and I Group PLC 2018 Annual Report.

Portfolio analysis

Income generating properties as at 31 August 2018

Investment property - key statistics

* Based on the core investment property assets only.

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income

unaudited for the six months ended 31 August 2018

All amounts in the Consolidated statement of comprehensive income relate to continuing operations.

Notes 1 to 19 form an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements

Consolidated balance sheet

unaudited as at 31 August 2018

Notes 1 to 19 form an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements.

Consolidated statement of changes in equity

unaudited as at 31 August 2018

Notes 1 to 19 form an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements.

Consolidated cash flow statement

unaudited for the six months ended 31 August 2018

Notes 1 to 19 form an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements.

Notes to the interim financial information

unaudited for the six months ended 31 August 2018

1. BASIS OF PREPARATION AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES

a) General information

The principal activity of U and I Group PLC and its subsidiaries is property investment and development in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the six months ended 31 August 2018 comprise the results of the Company and its subsidiaries and were authorised by the Board for issue on 24 October 2018.

The Company is a public limited company which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The address of its registered office is 7A Howick Place, London, SW1P 1DZ.

The condensed consolidated interim financial statements do not comprise statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434 of the Companies Act 2006. Statutory accounts for the year ended 28 February 2018, which were prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), as adopted by the European Union, were approved by the Board of Directors on 26 April 2018 and delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The report of the auditors on those accounts was unqualified, did not contain an emphasis of matter paragraph and did not contain any statement under section 498 of the Companies Act 2006.

These condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been reviewed, not audited.

b) Basis of preparation of half-year report

These condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the six months ended 31 August 2018 have been prepared in accordance with the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the Financial Conduct Authority and with IAS 34, 'Interim financial reporting', as adopted by the European Union. The condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Group's annual financial statements for the year ended 28 February 2018, which have been prepared in accordance with IFRS, as adopted by the European Union.

Going concern basis

The Group has considerable financial resources. Rental income continues to be robust, with the risk of significant default assessed by the Directors as low. Development and trading activities are well diversified across regions and sectors. Debt finance is secured for appropriate periods and the Group is comfortable with its covenant positions. As a result, the Directors believe that the Group is well placed to manage its business risks successfully. The Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for at least twelve months from the date of approval of the financial statements. Having assessed the principal risks facing the Group, the Directors considered it appropriate to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the interim financial statements.

c) Significant events and transaction

The key events for the Group during the interim period were:

· The Group acquired an investment property asset for £11.3 million, net of costs, during the period (note 7).

· Development and trading activity continued to be strong with a high level of construction work (£31.5 million) and disposals (£35.3 million) in the period (note 9).

· The Group disposed of its interest in Bicester via a corporate disposal in the period, realising a gain of £4.5 million.

· The Group has written down two trading and development projects to net realisable value in the period. This has resulted in a net write down of £3.9 million.

d) Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

The preparation of financial statements requires management to make judgements, assumptions and estimates that affect the application of accounting policies and reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expense. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

In preparing the condensed consolidated interim financial statements, the significant judgements made by management in applying the Group's accounting policies and the key sources of estimation uncertainty were the same as those that applied to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 28 February 2018.

e) Accounting policies

The accounting policies applied in these condensed consolidated interim financial statements are consistent with those of the Group's financial statements for the year ended 28 February 2018, as described in those financial statements other than stated below (refer note 17).

A number of new standards and amendments to standards have been issued and from 1 March 2018. The most significant of these are set out below:

- IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers

- IFRS 9 Financial Instruments

The impact of adoption of these standards and the new accounting policies have been assessed and details are disclosed in note 17.

In addition, the following standards were also issued, effective from 1 March 2018. These standards did not have any impact on the Groups accounting policies.

- IFRS 2 Share based payments

- IAS 40 Investment Property

The following new standards has been issued and is effective from 1 April 2019:

- IFRS 16 Leases

The Group is in the process of assessing the impact of the standard on the Group's results and a complete assessment of the impact of the pronouncements referred to above which are effective from 1 April 2019 will be disclosed in the 2019 Annual Report.

f) Financial risk management

Financial risk factors

The Group's activities expose it to a variety of financial risks: market risk (including currency risk, fair value interest rate risk, cash flow interest rate risk and price risk), credit risk and liquidity risk.

The condensed consolidated interim financial statements do not include all financial risk management information and disclosures required in the annual financial statements, and should be read in conjunction with the Group's financial statements as at 28 February 2018.

Uncertainty surrounding the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union continues to be an area of risk for the Group, especially as the exit deadline moves closer. The Group continues to monitor the Brexit negotiations and their potential impact. Otherwise, there have been no changes in risk management or in any risk management policies since the year end.

Liquidity risk

Compared to the year end, there was no material change in the contractual undiscounted cash out flows for financial liabilities.

Currency risk

The Directors closely monitor the Group's exposure to Euro denominated assets and liabilities. During the period, the Group has maintained investments in the Republic of Ireland and has increased it Euro denominated cash deposits, as property assets have been disposed of, in order to limit exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. The Board will enter into foreign currency hedging instruments to limit exposure if deemed appropriate.

Fair value estimation

 The table below analyses financial instruments carried at fair value, by valuation method. The different levels have been defined as follows:

· Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1).

· Inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (that is, as prices) or indirectly (that is, derived from prices) (level 2).

· Inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (that is, unobservable inputs) (level 3).

The following table presents the Group's assets that are measured at fair value at 31 August 2018:

The following table presents the Group's assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value at 31 August 2017:

Derivative financial instruments at fair value through profit or loss of £nil million loss (31 August 2017: loss of £0.1 million and 28 February 2018: loss of £0.2 million) are recorded in Finance income or Finance costs as appropriate in the condensed consolidated interim financial statements.

There have been no reclassifications of financial assets during the period.

Fair value measurement using significant unobservable inputs (level 3)

A review of the fair value of financial assets is performed at each reporting date with any significant changes in value reported to the Board and Audit and Risk Committee. Level 3 assets consist of loans to associates or joint ventures. Each receivable is reviewed as to its recoverability. If recoverability is in doubt an appropriate provision for impairment would be made based on the best estimate of the loan recoverable. The Board have concluded that there are no financial assets which are recognised at FVPL where the loan amount is not the best evidence of fair value. For those assets valued at FVOCI, the Board takes in to account future cashflows and risk adjusted discount rates.

Contingent consideration in a business combination

The Group had no contingent consideration liabilities at 31 August 2018, 31 August 2017 or 28 February 2018.

Group's valuation processes

The Group engages external, independent and qualified valuers to determine the fair value of Level 3 investment property assets (refer note 7). The valuation process involves the Investment Team, our asset service provider and valuers. Every six months, prior to the valuation date, full tenancy information, verified by both the Investment Team and asset service provider is provided to the valuers. New lettings, completed and pending lease events and asset management proposals are provided by the Investment Team on an asset by asset basis. The valuers assimilated income information is checked by the Investment Team before the valuers report numbers.

The fair value of Level 3 assets is also determined by utilising the valuers own internal databases and propriety/external resources for both rental and capital evidence/yield evidence. In addition, they will review local sales data or, where the assets are held for the purpose of extending an existing retail asset, by reviewing appraisals relating to the proposed scheme.

The key unobservable assumptions used in the valuations are:

More information relating to valuation methodology is contained within the Group's financial statements as at 28 February 2018.

The carrying value of the following financial assets and liabilities approximate to their fair value:

· Trade and other receivables

· Other current financial assets

· Cash and cash equivalents

· Trade and other payables

· Borrowing costs

g) Related parties

Related party disclosures are given in note 16.

h) Capital commitments

As at 31 August 2018, the Group had no contracted capital expenditure or commitments for loans to its associates (31 August 2017 and 28 February 2018: £nil).

2. SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS

Following the decision to scale down its serviced office business the Group has reassessed its operating divisions. From 1 March 2018, for management purposes, the Group is now organised into two operating divisions, whose principal activities are as follows:

The remaining elements of the service office operation will now be reported under the investment division. Operating segmental information for the period ending 31 August 2017 and 28 February 2018 are reported below. Operating revenue was received from serviced office operations and was principally received from short-term licence agreements. During the period, the operating segments would have reported a break even result.

These divisions are the basis on which the Group reports its primary segmental information. All operations occur and all assets are located in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. All revenue arises from continuing operations.

Unallocated amounts relate to general corporate assets and liabilities which cannot be allocated to specific segments.

3. FINANCE INCOME AND COSTS

4. INCOME TAX

Income tax charge is recognised based on management's estimate of the weighted average annual income tax rate expected for the full financial year. The estimated average annual tax rate used for the period to 31 March 2019 is 19.0% (the estimated tax rate for 28 February 2018 was 19.1%).

5. DIVIDENDS

The £15.0 million supplemental dividend, approved on 25 April 2018, was paid on 15 June 2018. The final dividend of £4.4 million for the year to 28 February 2018 was paid on 17 August 2018.

An interim dividend was declared by the Board on 23 October 2018 and has not been included as a liability or deducted from retained earnings as at 31 August 2018. The interim dividend is payable on 30 November 2018 to Ordinary shareholders on the register at the close of business on 2 November 2018. The interim dividend in respect of the six-month period to 31 August 2018 will be recorded in the financial statements for the year ending 28 February 2019.

6. (LOSS)/EARNINGS PER SHARE AND NET ASSETS PER SHARE

Management has chosen to disclose the European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA) adjusted net assets per share and earnings per share from continuing activities in order to provide an indication of the Group's underlying business performance and to assist comparison between European property companies.

The calculation of basic and diluted (loss)/earnings per share and EPRA adjusted earnings/(loss) per share is based on the following data:

The Directors consider the acquisition and disposal of trading assets to be part of the core business of the Group and therefore have not adjusted profit for the gain on disposal when calculating EPRA adjusted earnings per share.

Basic and diluted net assets per share and EPRA adjusted basic, diluted and triple net assets per share have been calculated as follows:

7. INVESTMENT PROPERTIES