Keppel DC REIT – Record high DPU

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Positives
+ Stable occupancy at 95.8% with strong rental reversion of +45% for FY25. 4Q25 rental
reversion was +2% due to no major contract renewals. With a large portion of the 6.4% of
leases due for renewal in FY26 by rental income coming from Singapore colocation leases,
we expect the positive reversion momentum to continue into FY26.

+ Lower finance costs. The average cost of debt for the quarter declined further to 2.8% in
4Q25 (3Q25: 2.9%), with the FY25 average cost of debt at 3%. Aggregate leverage stands at
35.3%, providing S$530mn of debt headroom against the internal cap of 40%, supporting
future acquisitions. We expect FY26e cost of debt to decline to c.2.7%, reflecting the full
year impact of lower borrowing costs and the 28.8% of loans on floating rates.

+ Higher portfolio valuations. Portfolio valuations rose 3.7% YoY on a same-store basis and
25.6% including acquisitions, led by Singapore (+6%) and Ireland (+13%) driven by strong
operating performance. This offset declines by 3.5% in Australia, 16% in China, and 7% in the
UK.

 

Keppel DC REIT – DPU growth despite the preferential offering

Keppel DC REIT – Yet another quarter of exceptional rental reversion

Keppel DC REIT – Accretive acquisitions power growth

Keppel DC REIT – Strong rental growth expected in 2025

 

 

Keppel DC REIT – Acquisition of KDC SGP 7 and 8

 

 

Keppel DC REIT – Rental reversions remain robust in 3Q24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keppel DC REIT – Stronger-than-expected positive rent reversion in 1H24

§ 1H24 DPU of 4.549 Singapore cents (-9.9% YoY) slightly exceeded our expectations, reaching 53% of our FY24e forecast. This was due to stronger-than-expected positive portfolio rental reversions, with a major contract renewal in Singapore securing over 40% positive reversion. 1H24 DPU was down 9.9% YoY mainly due to the loss allowance for doubtful receivables from the Guangdong DCs, which amounted to S$10.5mn in 1H24, and higher finance costs.

§ S$11.2mn from the settlement with DXC will be distributed in two equal tranches on a half-yearly basis for FY24. This will partially offset the loss from the non-collection of income at the Guangdong DCs.

§ Maintain ACCUMULATE with a higher DDM-derived target price of S$1.93 from S$1.86. We raise our FY24e/25e DPU estimates 5%/2% after factoring in the Japan acquisition and higher positive rental reversions for the portfolio. Organic growth will stem from renewals in FY24e (20.2% of leases by rental income expire in 2H24). Our FY24e forecast already assumes no rental contribution from the Guangdong DCs, so further bad debts will not affect our forecasts. Potential catalysts include accretive acquisitions and the collection of rentals in arrears from Bluesea. The current share price implies FY24e/25e DPU yields of 4.7%/5.1%.  

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Keppel DC REIT – DXC settlement offers partial relief from uncollected rents

 

 

The Positives

+ Maintained high portfolio occupancy of 98.3% (unchanged QoQ), with a portfolio WALE of 7.4 years. 26.7% of leases by rental income will expire in 2024. Leases signed in 1Q24 were at positive rental reversions.

 

+ Steady capital management, with 1Q24 average cost of debt declining 0.1ppts QoQ to 3.5% and a healthy ICR at 4.7x. 73% of debt is on a fixed rate, and only 4% of debt is up for refinancing in 2024, with most of the debt expiring from 2026 and beyond. Gearing increased 20bps QoQ to 37.6%, still below KDCREIT’s internal cap of 40%. The majority of foreign-sourced income is also hedged until December 2024.

 

The Negative

- Rentals are owed by the master lessee at Guangdong DCs. Currently, Bluesea owes c.8.5 months of rents totalling c.S$15.8mn.We are waiting to see how long before management decides to pull the plug and take over the property. KDCREIT reserves its rights to terminate the acquisition of GDC 3; there is currently a RMB100mn deposit on GDC 3. Additionally, there might be a risk of asset devaluations for the Guangdong DCs if KDCREIT cannot recover the overdue rent.

Keppel DC REIT – Uncollected rents impact DPU

 

The Positives

+ Maintained high portfolio occupancy of 98.3% (unchanged QoQ), with a portfolio WALE of 7.6 years. 27.5% of leases by rental income will expire in 2024. Leases signed in FY23 were at positive rental reversions. Additionally, some of the leases signed were restructured into power pass-through leases, which should improve NPI margins.

 

+ Prudent capital management, with 74% of debt on a fixed rate. The average cost of debt increased 0.1ppts QoQ to 3.6% in 4Q23, and ICR remains healthy at 4.7x. Only 4% of debt is up for refinancing in 2024 with the majority of debt expiring from 2026 and beyond. Gearing increased 20bps QoQ to 37.4%, still below KDCREIT’s internal cap of 40%. Forecast foreign-sourced income is also substantially hedged till Dec 2024.

 

+ Stable portfolio valuations (+0.4% yoy), with no write-down for China assets yet. In local currency terms, higher valuations were achieved in Singapore, Australia, Ireland, Italy, and the Netherlands. KDCREIT has not written-down valuations for the China assets, but we see a risk of impairment should they be unable to recover the rental arrears.

 

 

+ Positive outcome for DXC litigation, as the high court ruled in favour of KDCREIT on its intepretation of contractual rights. KDCREIT is claiming S$3mn from DXC as the sum outstanding from Apr 21 to Dec 21, as well as loss suffered as a result of DXC’s refusal to pay for the space it unilaterally gave up from Apr 21 to Mar 25. The dispute is set for trial in February 24 to determine the actual quantum to be paid by DXC to KDCREIT.

 

 

The Negatives

- Rentals owed by master lessee at Guangdong DCs. To date, Bluesea has only settled RMB0.5mn of the RMB48.3mn in arrears, and that excludes the top-up of RMB32.2mn of security deposits that KDCREIT requested. We therefore expect further loss provisions in FY24e. Management is working with Bluesea on a recovery roadmap and is also reserving its rights to terminate the acquisition of GDC 3. There is currently a RMB100mn deposit on GDC 3.

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