Donate to Remove ads

Got a credit card? use our Credit Card & Finance Calculators

Thanks to gvonge,Shelford,GrahamPlatt,gpadsa,Steffers0, for Donating to support the site

API wind-down?

ukmtk
2 Lemon pips
Posts: 184
Joined: November 7th, 2022, 6:09 pm
Has thanked: 52 times
Been thanked: 54 times

API wind-down?

#659067

Postby ukmtk » April 12th, 2024, 8:12 am

How will abrdn property (API) be wound down?
I assume that they'll have a meeting which will have a predictable outcome given the recent vote.
Do they then sell off their properties and eventually pay off the shareholders?
I assume that this will be a protracted process? :(

The last wind down I had was simply the HDIV to HHI conversion.

Many thanks in advance for enlightenment.

SKYSHIP
Lemon Slice
Posts: 482
Joined: November 6th, 2016, 12:24 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 559 times

Re: API wind-down?

#660492

Postby SKYSHIP » April 20th, 2024, 8:48 am

I’m assuming a positive vote for a wind-down, which in my mind is pretty near certaint, especially as only a 50% vote required.

Accordingly been running some numbers:
# Q4'23 NAV = 78.5p
# Disc. by, say, 2% for Q1'24 NAV = 76.9p
# Disc by, say, 7% for portfolio liquidation = 71.5p
Add back reducing EPRA earnings over the liquidation timetable, say, 3.5p (pretty conservative figure that!)
# That would deliver 75p in, say 2yrs; and that would deliver a GRY from the current 49.3p of 23.33% pa

IMO the worst possible outcome might be 70p in 2.5yrs for a GRY of a still acceptable 15% pa

Now, one has to note what the BoD stated c1month ago when trying to persuade shareholders to accept the CREI bid:
"The API Board expects that the net disposal values that would be realised in a Managed Wind-Down would be lower than those achievable on carefully selected individual assets marketed by API in the ordinary course of business - such as API's current programme of disposals to reduce floating rate debt. The API Board's expectations have the benefit of input from API's investment manager and API's independent advisers."
But IMO that was a load of fluff. Perhaps some truth in it; but my 7% discount, ie c£20m write off from accelerated sales, should be quite enough for the highly competent investment manager Jason Baggaley to improve upon!

As to the effect of early pay-outs from likely compulsory redemptions; say:

# 35% 31/03/25
# 25% 30/09/25
# 37% 30/06/26
# 3% 30/09/26

That would deliver an average of cOct'25. EPS slightly less, so say total pay-out 74p rather than 75p. GRY would be a startling 29.2%!

All guesswork; but there is certainly considerable upside to play for; which makes a vote for a wind-down an obvious choice.

Makes API a very attractive proposition down at these levels.

Interested to read others' sliderule/back-of-envelope meanderings over the weekend...

RockRabbit
Lemon Slice
Posts: 453
Joined: December 31st, 2019, 9:10 am
Has thanked: 1350 times
Been thanked: 404 times

Re: API wind-down?

#660527

Postby RockRabbit » April 20th, 2024, 12:28 pm

SKYSHIP wrote:
Makes API a very attractive proposition down at these levels.

Interested to read others' sliderule/back-of-envelope meanderings over the weekend...

I simply went 'worse case scenario' and lopped 20% of 31 Dec NAV and still got a return of over 11% per annum plus rental income net of expenses. Given that the majority of API's property is industrial or retail warehouse, I think the return will be much better than that. :D

Therefore I have started to accumulate on the basis that the winding up vote will go through.

SKYSHIP
Lemon Slice
Posts: 482
Joined: November 6th, 2016, 12:24 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 559 times

Re: API wind-down?

#660553

Postby SKYSHIP » April 20th, 2024, 2:03 pm

Agreed - even worst case scenarios post a very rosy outcome. Also Jason Baggeley has been thinking in wind-down mode for quite some time; and the many recent disposals evidence a pretty convincing start to the process.

flyer61
Lemon Slice
Posts: 579
Joined: November 11th, 2016, 12:53 pm
Has thanked: 130 times
Been thanked: 216 times

Re: API wind-down?

#660676

Postby flyer61 » April 21st, 2024, 11:55 am

It is possible of course that the wind down process goes quicker as both CREI and SHED saw assets they would like to get their sticky mits on. There will surely be others......

ukmtk
2 Lemon pips
Posts: 184
Joined: November 7th, 2022, 6:09 pm
Has thanked: 52 times
Been thanked: 54 times

Re: API wind-down?

#660908

Postby ukmtk » April 23rd, 2024, 3:49 am

Will the payouts happen as special dividends (i.e. piecemeal)?
Or will it happen at the end as a final payout per share (slow and drawn out)?
Many thanks for all the answers.

RockRabbit
Lemon Slice
Posts: 453
Joined: December 31st, 2019, 9:10 am
Has thanked: 1350 times
Been thanked: 404 times

Re: API wind-down?

#660919

Postby RockRabbit » April 23rd, 2024, 8:38 am

ukmtk wrote:Will the payouts happen as special dividends (i.e. piecemeal)?
Or will it happen at the end as a final payout per share (slow and drawn out)?
Many thanks for all the answers.

I assume it would comprise a combination of special dividends followed by a final payout. However, the first step is shareholder approval for a wind-down to begin and that may not happen.

ukmtk
2 Lemon pips
Posts: 184
Joined: November 7th, 2022, 6:09 pm
Has thanked: 52 times
Been thanked: 54 times

Re: API wind-down?

#661043

Postby ukmtk » April 23rd, 2024, 6:11 pm

I suspect that the big investors will force the wind down.
Much as they did voting against the merger.

Seasider
Lemon Pip
Posts: 68
Joined: May 4th, 2022, 8:18 pm
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 20 times

Re: API wind-down?

#661050

Postby Seasider » April 23rd, 2024, 6:46 pm

ukmtk wrote:Will the payouts happen as special dividends (i.e. piecemeal)?
Or will it happen at the end as a final payout per share (slow and drawn out)?
Many thanks for all the answers.

I hope they do not do special dividends. Perhaps they could take a leaf out of DNE's book and do B share schemes or tender offers (assuming REITS can do those sort of thing).

SKYSHIP
Lemon Slice
Posts: 482
Joined: November 6th, 2016, 12:24 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 559 times

Re: API wind-down?

#662294

Postby SKYSHIP » May 1st, 2024, 2:24 pm

Yes, wind-down will be piecemeal with periodic B share redemptions.

Fallen back slightly, so now on offer at 50.8p. GRY likely range return of 17%-25%pa but
likely higher if an early redemption within the first 12months.

Very good value; so added today.

RockRabbit
Lemon Slice
Posts: 453
Joined: December 31st, 2019, 9:10 am
Has thanked: 1350 times
Been thanked: 404 times

Re: API wind-down?

#663259

Postby RockRabbit » May 7th, 2024, 10:44 am

API RNS update

Some highlights
- NAV 76.4p, down 2.2% from 31 Dec (ie at 52.4p today, shares are trading at 31.5% discount). Some of this reduction is due to 'takeover' costs
- vacancies steady at 7.9%
- exposure to office sector down to 15%
- wind down (if agreed) expected to take 18-36 months

https://www.londonstockexchange.com/new ... 4/16451345

SKYSHIP
Lemon Slice
Posts: 482
Joined: November 6th, 2016, 12:24 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 559 times

Re: API wind-down?

#664888

Postby SKYSHIP » Today, 10:07 am

John Baron in the IC this week stated he would be rejecting the proposal for the wind-down; whilst totally ignoring the background stats for acceptance. Surprisingly amateur and misleading IMO.

Herewith 2 paras from his article:

---------------------

API is held in several portfolios including the Income portfolio. The company presently stands on a c33 per cent discount, maintains a dividend that currently equates to a yield of 7.8 per cent and manages a quality portfolio of mostly industrial assets across the UK under its long-serving and respected manager, Jason Baggaley. With interest rates set to fall, inflation helping to ensure progress on rents, the outlook for its key asset continuing to look encouraging, and poor sector sentiment, I suggest now is not the time to desert the sector.

---------------------

The investment house, Abrdn (ABDN), would certainly be supportive of API continuing and would support the board in activities to narrow the discount – as it has demonstrated with other investment companies in its stable. Meanwhile, management believes company and sector prospects look set to improve: “We expect the UK real estate market to bottom out in 2024 and start to improve in the latter part of the year and into 2025.” As such, I will be voting against the board’s recommendation to wind up the company.


As to the missing stats, the wind-down will most certainly deliver 30% upside in / within 2yrs - possibly even 40%. To reject that because of the wider issue of protecting the coterie of small ITs, is frankly bizarre. JB has got it wrong; and I hope no-one here makes the same mistake.

VOTE for the proposal ahead of the 26th May cut-off and the 28th May EGM.

Would love to hear reasoning for any contrary view.

NeilOne
Posts: 37
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 10:59 am
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: API wind-down?

#664906

Postby NeilOne » Today, 1:03 pm

I have not had any notification of a vote to wind down - has it started yet ?

SKYSHIP
Lemon Slice
Posts: 482
Joined: November 6th, 2016, 12:24 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 559 times

Re: API wind-down?

#664912

Postby SKYSHIP » Today, 1:34 pm



Return to “REITs & Property Companies”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests