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Operational performance

Spear REIT posts inflation-beating HY2026 growth

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Regional focus pays off as Spear REIT posts inflation-beating HY2026 growth

Spear REIT delivered a strong set of interim results for the six months ended 31 August 2025, supported by stable operational and financial performance, disciplined capital allocation, and continued portfolio growth. The results reflect a period of measured expansion and strategic investment, with Spear remaining the only regionally focused REIT on the JSE, operating exclusively within the Western Cape.

 Key Highlights – HY2026

  • HY26 DIPS growth vs prior period: 5.21%
  • HY26 DPS growth vs prior period: 5.21% (based on 95% payout ratio)
  • Interim distributable income per share: 43.78 cents
  • Interim distribution per share: 41.59 cents (95% payout)
  • Portfolio value: R5.7 billion
  • Portfolio GLA: 487 317 m²
  • YTD collection: 98.96%
  • Occupancy: 95.03%
  • LTV: 13.85%
  • TNAV: R12.10 per share

CEO Quintin Rossi said the first half of the 2026 financial year demonstrated Spear’s ability to balance growth and stability while delivering strategy-aligned outcome from the core portfolio.

“Our exclusive Western Cape focus is a deliberate strategy – it gives us deep local market insight, agility in execution, and the ability to be in close proximity to our assets and tenants,” Rossi said. “The region’s economic resilience, governance quality, and sustained demand for real estate solutions from drivers of economic activity across the board continue to underpin the performance of the core portfolio.”

During the period, Spear concluded R1.074 billion in strategic acquisitions — namely Berg River Business Park (Paarl), Consani Industrial Park (Elsies River), and Maynard Mall (Wynberg). The transactions add over 137 000 m² of additional GLA and will take Spear’s total portfolio to around 624 000 m² once transfers are finalised between October 2025 and January 2026. Acquired at an average yield of 9.54%, all three assets are accretive, meet Spear’s strict investment criteria, and will contribute immediately to distributable income once transferred.

Rossi added: “These acquisitions further strengthen our industrial and retail exposure – sectors where we continue to see consistent tenant demand and strong rental growth potential. Our focus remains on high-quality, cash-generative assets that align with Spear’s long-term distribution and value growth objectives which may also include further portfolio acquisition opportunities within the region.”

Spear’s occupancy rate remained firm at 95.03%, supported by collection rates of 98.96%. Portfolio valuations increased by R107 million, reflecting a 2% uplift over the period. Rental reversions were positive at 1.31%, signalling sustained tenant confidence across the portfolio.

By February 2026, 67% of Spear’s portfolio will be equipped with embedded PV solar infrastructure in line with Spear’s sustainability strategy as the business seeks to place less reliance on fossil-fuel-generated electricity supply whilst harnessing the attractive rate of returns its PV solar portfolio generates.

The company’s loan-to-value ratio of 13.85% and R749 million equity raise in June 2025 provides Spear with dealmaking capacity while maintaining a conservative balance sheet profile.

“Our prudent capital structure gives us flexibility to pursue growth opportunities while maintaining distribution sustainability,” Rossi said. “Liquidity and investor confidence have improved meaningfully, with Spear now trading at one of the narrowest discounts to Net Asset Value in the South African REIT sector.”

In the broader context, the South African REIT market has remained resilient through 2025, with the sector delivering a 14% total return year-to-date, supported by moderating inflation and stable interest rates.

Within this landscape, Spear’s focused Western Cape strategy and consistent DIPS growth position it ahead of sector averages, and it is well-placed to capture ongoing regional upside.

Spear’s long-term strategy remains secured in its Western Cape-only focus, with the REIT aiming to scale to R15 billion in assets under ownership and a market capitalisation of R9 billion over the next decade. Its potential inclusion in the FTSE/JSE All Property Index in March 2026 is expected to further enhance liquidity and institutional participation.

 Outlook

Looking ahead, Spear reaffirmed its FY2026 full-year DIPS growth guidance of 4% to 6%, with a payout ratio maintained at 95%.

“We will continue to prioritise high occupancy, disciplined cost management, and accretive capital deployment,” Rossi concluded. “Our focus is on consistent, predictable growth and delivering long-term value for shareholders through a well-managed, regionally focused portfolio.”

 

Spear REIT Provides HY2026 Pre-Close Update

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Spear REIT Provides HY2026 Pre-Close Update: Strong Operational Delivery, Portfolio Growth and Balance Sheet Resilience

 Spear REIT has issued its pre-close update for the half year ending 31 August 2025 (“HY2026”), highlighting steady performance across its portfolio, continued growth through acquisitions and further investment into sustainability initiatives. The company stated that despite a challenging operating environment, results remain firmly on track with guidance currently tracking slightly higher than the midpoint of its market guidance for FY2026, supported by consistent operational execution and disciplined financial management.

Highlights

  • Distributable Income Per Share (DIPS) Tracker: DIPS tracking at 36.77 cents year to July, with distribution per share (DPS) to shareholders at 34.93 cents per share (95% payout ratio).
  • Operations: rent reversions across the combined portfolio were just under flat as tenant retention and rental preservation are prioritised; escalation rates nudged higher to 7.31% (from 7.27%); portfolio occupancy stable at 95% and expected to improve to 96–97% by period-end; cash collections remain strong at 98.45%.
  • Acquisitions: R1.08 billion invested into prime Western Cape properties (137,090m²) at an initial yield of 9.54%, adding quality scale to the portfolio.
  • Balance sheet: loan-to-value ratio at 14.26% pre-acquisition; interest cover ratio at 3.84x; liquidity of R400 million after commitments, maintaining ample flexibility.
  • Sustainability: solar coverage to grow to 67% of the portfolio, with 11 more systems under construction and recent acquisitions expected to lift this to around 70%.
  • Current portfolio profile: asset base of R5.58 billion, 487,317m² of gross lettable area, and 39 high-quality Western Cape assets.

Sector performance for the year to July 2025 underlines the portfolio’s resilience. Retail centres delivered 91.7% occupancy and like-for-like income growth of 12.2%, with strong rental uplifts of 13.7% driven by demand in convenience and destination formats, while larger apparel retailers increased their presence. The Commercial portfolio recorded 92.2% occupancy, with solid income growth of 7.0% despite negative rental reversions, cushioned by over 16,000m² of space successfully renewed and re-let.

 Industrial assets continued to show strength with 96.6% occupancy and positive rental reversions, even as income was temporarily impacted by a sustainability-linked vacancy at Mega Park. Expansion plans in Blackheath and George are progressing toward final approvals.

Key milestones during the period included a R749 million equity raise in June 2025 to support Spear’s asset growth plans and PV solar rollout strategy. During the period, management has successfully reduced borrowing costs and driven strong leasing momentum, which has improved the weighted average lease expiry and escalation metrics of the core portfolio. The pending integration of three new acquisitions — Berg River Business Park in Paarl, Consani Industrial Park in Elsies River, and Maynard Mall in Wynberg — is set to add 137,000m² to the portfolio and lift asset valuations to approximately R6.65 billion.

During the pre-close presentation, CEO Quintin Rossi commented:
“The first half of FY2026 reflects our team’s consistent execution in driving rental cashflows, managing risk, and growing our Western Cape-focused portfolio. While trading conditions remain tough, our strong balance sheet, recent acquisitions, and ongoing solar rollout position us to capture further growth and deliver sustainable returns to our shareholders.”

Spear also anticipates its inclusion in the JSE All-Property Index in March 2026, subject to confirmation, which would broaden its investor universe within the listed property sector and result in improved liquidity and greater market visibility.

Looking ahead, Spear reaffirmed its guidance for the full year, with distributable income per share expected to grow between 4% and 6% compared to FY2025, underpinned by disciplined asset management, selective acquisitions and a resilient Western Cape-focused portfolio.

 

Redefine lifts earnings guidance

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Redefine lifts earnings guidance as operational momentum drives growth

Redefine Properties (JSE: RDF) announced in its pre-close update for the year ending 31 August 2025 that it has upgraded its distributable income per share (DIPS) guidance to between 51.5 and 52.5 cents for FY25. This upgrade is underpinned by improved operating margins, enhanced efficiencies, stronger occupancy levels, and disciplined capital management.

This marks a significant step forward for the Group, which has successfully navigated a volatile macroeconomic backdrop while emerging in a stronger position than at the start of the financial year.

Resilient through volatility

“Over the past year, each time we thought the skies were clearing, a new dark cloud appeared. But those clouds have dissipated and today Redefine is in better shape than at the start of the year,” said CEO Andrew König. “Despite volatility, our diversified platform has absorbed shocks with minimal disruption, underscoring the strength of our business.”

Macro tailwinds are now reinforcing the growth story. Load shedding has largely receded, supported by a surge in renewable energy projects and reforms under Operation Vulindlela. Improvements in logistics, from ports to rail, are easing bottlenecks in the movement of goods and underpinning broader economic activity.

Commercial real estate transactions are also recovering, with Redefine already completing R1.1 billion of local asset sales in 2025 compared to R386 million last year.

“We are encouraged by South Africa’s expected removal from the FATF greylist in October, and we remain hopeful for an S&P sovereign credit rating upgrade in 2026, while interest rates have settled at long-term averages, providing stability after a period of steep hikes,” König noted.

Operational performance drives earnings

CFO Ntobeko Nyawo highlighted that Redefine is on track to deliver a net operating profit margin of 77% by year-end, up from 75% in 2024. Recurring income now makes up 99.8% of total earnings, giving investors clearer visibility into future performance.

“The upgraded DIPS guidance reflects not only improved leasing and occupancy levels, but also the impact of cost efficiencies, lower funding costs, and proactive debt management,” said Nyawo. The group’s liquidity position remains robust with R7.6 billion in cash and undrawn facilities and a weighted average cost of debt reduced to 6.6% while its loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is improving to within the 38-41% target range.

Retail and industrial lead the charge in SA

COO Leon Kok emphasised that the local portfolio continues to deliver stable growth. Retail tenant turnover increased nearly 5%, supported by similar trading density growth, strengthening tenants’ ability to absorb rental escalations. Renewal reversions and occupancy levels continue to improve.

The industrial portfolio remains robust, with sustained demand for modern logistics facilities and strategic land holdings in Johannesburg South and the Western Cape positioning Redefine for further expansion.

The office sector, while still challenging, shows signs of recovery. Renewal activity has stabilised, particularly in P-grade buildings, giving confidence that positive income growth is on the horizon.

He also emphasised the Group’s sustainability achievements, noting that Redefine has increased its renewable energy capacity by 9.3MW to 52.5MW during the period, with a further 13MW of projects underway. This investment will add another 20% to the group’s renewable energy footprint.

“Sustainability is not a nice-to-have, it is a core operational imperative. By expanding our renewable energy portfolio and reducing reliance on municipal utilities, we are both enhancing tenant appeal and protecting margins against double-digit increases in administered costs,” Kok said.

Poland: strength in high-demand cities

Redefine’s Polish retail portfolio continues to perform strongly, reflecting the overall quality and positioning of its properties within key urban centres. “This just speaks to the strength of the properties within each of the cities where they are located,” König said. “Our Polish portfolio is robust because it is concentrated in cities with the strongest consumer growth and spending power.”

Occupancy remains high at 97.9%, with rent collection at 99%. While footfall was slightly down, like-for-like turnover increased 2%, reflecting stronger consumer spend per visit. Operational efficiencies, including rationalised property management and internalised accounting, have lifted margins.

The logistics platform (ELI) has also performed well since its split from Madison International Realty. Redefine’s portfolio has reduced vacancy from 6% to 3%, delivered 6.3% rental growth on renewals, and maintains a robust weighted average lease term of 5.1 years.

König noted: “This has been a significant focus for us because simplifying our offshore joint ventures is key to reducing our see-through loan-to-value ratio. Along with organic growth, these improvements are central to re-rating Redefine’s share price.”

Self-storage expansion continues, with a new development in Kraków and two more underway in Warsaw and Gdańsk, which will add nearly 28 000sqm of institutional-grade capacity and position Redefine to attract future equity partners into the platform.

Turning upside into results

König emphasised that Redefine is entering FY26 with strong momentum and a sharper growth focus. “What began as an internal call to embrace positivity and mindful optimism through our Upside Connect sessions is now being broadened: it’s not just our upside, but everyone’s upside that should be the rallying point – the Upside of Us.

Momentum is translating into tangible results. In real estate, progress can be slow, but once it builds, the benefits snowball – and that’s what we’re starting to see. With operational momentum, financial discipline, and supportive macro conditions, Redefine is well placed to continue delivering sustainable growth into the medium term,” he concluded.

Dipula reports strong interim results as it marks its 20th year

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Dipula Properties (JSE: DIB) has reported a strong set of interim results for the six months ended 29 February 2025, demonstrating continued strategic and operational momentum in a persistently challenging macroeconomic environment. The property portfolio increased in value by 5% to R10.3 billion, supporting a 6% rise in net asset value. Dipula’s distributable earnings per share (DPS) increased 4.2% for the half year, on track with full year guidance of 4.0% to 6.0%.

Dipula Properties (formerly Dipula Income Fund) is a prominent, diversified South Africa-focused REIT with a long-standing track record of sustainable value creation. As a black-managed property company celebrating two decades of operation this month, and nearly 15 of those as a listed entity, Dipula exemplifies a rare blend of resilience, transformation and consistent delivery that continues to contribute to the real estate sector and South Africa’s broader economic landscape.

The Dipula portfolio includes 161 retail, office, industrial and residential properties across South Africa, predominantly in Gauteng. The portfolio is defensively positioned with retail centres in townships, rural, and urban convenience locations contribute 67% of portfolio income.

Izak Petersen, CEO of Dipula Properties, comments, “Dipula’s operational performance reflects solid delivery and a strongly defensive position in persistently challenging conditions. However, we have felt the impact of higher prevailing interest rates and hedging costs relative to expiring hedge instruments. Encouragingly, we are seeing signs of recovery in the office sector and continued stability in our retail and industrial portfolios, with sustainability initiatives expected to support long-term performance.

Dipula’s revenue for the six months was similar to the prior period at R760 million. Net property income rose 3.0%, constrained by property related expenses, which grew 6.0%, mainly driven by municipal tariff increases. However, cost control remains a management priority, and the total cost-to-income ratio rose marginally to 43.5% (FY24: 42.6%), driven by improved recoveries and Dipula’s solar energy roll-out. The administrative cost-to-income was unchanged at 4%.

Operational highlights included significant leasing activity, contributing to a reduction in overall portfolio vacancies from 8% to 7% during the period. Dipula additionally achieved a weighted average positive renewal rental rate across the portfolio, underpinned by positive rates across the portfolio. The office portfolio recorded a renewal rate of 8.3% followed by industrial at 6.2% and retail at 2.4%. New and renewed leases concluded during the period amounted to R309 million, securing sustainable income streams.

Tenant retention of 79% is lower than in recent periods as Dipula has adopted stricter tenant criteria to improve tenant quality in its industrial portfolio, specifically for mini-units where there is high tenant turnover. Even with this change, Dipula’s industrial vacancies still decreased. Industrial and logistics assets deliver 13% of Dipula’s rental income and with a vacancy of just 4%, this segment remains stable and sought-after.

Dipula’s retail assets remain core to its performance, offering accessible and well-positioned spaces across diverse communities. The retail portfolio reported steady vacancies at 6%.

Offices comprise 16% of Dipula’s income, offering adaptable, well-situated workspace. The office vacancy rate ended the period at notably lower at 19%, down from 23% in the prior interim period, showing clearer signs of recovery starting. “The office improvement is refreshing, however there is still some way to go, and the Johannesburg office market remains oversupplied and highly competitive.”

Dipula has telegraphed to the market that it intends to sell its affordable and conveniently located residential rental units, which currently represent 4% of income. This is to re-allocate capital to the retail and industrial sectors that are core to its business. This portfolio showed a reduced vacancy rate from 10% to 9% over the six months.

Dipula continues to implement value-enhancing asset management strategies. It invested R117 million in refurbishments and redevelopments. Nearly R70 million of this was for income-generating projects, including solar PV, with the remainder allocated to defensive projects. A portion of the proceeds from R125 million in disposals, achieved at a 4% premium to book value, contributed to funding these projects together. While no acquisitions were completed during the period, Dipula has a strategic pipeline of growth opportunities.

“We’re firmly committed to future-proofing our portfolio,” says Petersen. “We are assessing some interesting opportunities which fall within our core focus, a few of which we hope to close in the short-term. Dipula’s installed solar capacity will more than double to approximately 16MW after the instillation of an additional 9MW of new solar projects to be rolled out during this calendar year.”

Dipula benefits from a strong balance sheet and has maintained prudent debt levels. Gearing was stable, at 36.3% compared to 36.1%, and a steady ICR of 2.8 times at the end of the period reflect a consistently well-managed balance sheet. R400 million in undrawn facilities provide additional liquidity.

Commenting of the operating environment in the second half of Dipula’s financial year, Petersen notes that global uncertainty has intensified amid shifting US trade policies and ongoing tariff disputes, which are expected to place upward pressure on inflation and interest rates. Domestically, South Africa faces persistent fiscal, economic and service delivery challenges, with subdued confidence and higher than anticipated interest rates.

“At Dipula, we remain focused on executing our strategic priorities: driving operational efficiency, optimising our tenant base and recycling capital to reinforce balance sheet resilience.” says Petersen.