• 3QFY16 DPU flat YoY
• Occupancy stable at 96.9%
• FY17F yield of 8.5%

3QFY16 results within expectations

Mapletree Logistics Trust (MLT) reported 3QFY16 gross revenue of S$88.9m, which translates into YoY growth of 7.3%. This was underpinned by contribution from acquisitions, coupled with higher revenue from existing assets in China and Hong Kong, but partially offset by lower revenue from several converted multi-tenanted buildings in Singapore.

Consequently, NPI grew 6.7% YoY to S$74.1m, but DPU was flat at 1.87 S cents, largely due to higher management fees and borrowing costs, as well as a larger unit base. Results were within our expectations. For 9MFY16, MLT’s gross revenue rose 6.5% to S$261.5m, forming 73.3% of our FY16 forecast; DPU of 5.58 S cents represented a slight decline of 1.2%, and constituted 73.2% of our full-year projection.

Positive rental reversions; occupancy stable

Although MLT continued to face headwinds from a subdued macroeconomic environment, it managed to deliver positive rental reversions averaging 5% in 3QFY16, driven mainly by Hong Kong, Singapore and China. Overall portfolio occupancy was kept unchanged at 96.9% on a QoQ basis. YTD, MLT has already renewed/replaced 93% of its leases due for expiry in FY16.

Upgrade to BUY on valuation grounds

We trim our FY16 and FY17 DPU forecasts slightly by 2.2% and 2.1%, respectively, on lower gross revenue assumptions. However, our DDM-derived fair value estimate remains intact at S$1.04. MLT’s share price has fallen 8.1% since the start of the year, in-line with the broad market weakness. Despite our reduced forecasts, MLT still offers a projected distribution yield of 8.2% for FY16 and 8.5% for FY17.

We believe valuations are now attractive, as its blended FY16/17F yield of 8.3% is more than two standard deviations above its 5-year mean of 6.9%. MLT’s FY16F P/B ratio of 0.89x is also close to two standard deviations below its 5-year average of 1.07x. Hence, we upgrade MLT from ‘Hold’ to BUY, on valuation grounds.

Source: OCBC Research - 26 Jan 2016