Dexus Group has warned competitive leasing markets and high vacancies may continue as it announced a sharp fall in full-year profit, but says it is targeting increased dividend payments in fiscal 2015.
At 10.15am (AEST) Dexus shares were unchanged at $1.155, against a benchmark index lift of 0.24 per cent.
In the year to June 30, the property group posted a net profit attributable members after tax of $406.6 million, a 21 per cent fall from the $514.5m recorded in the previous corresponding period.
Revenue for the period was $699.8m, a 7.2 per cent increase on the $652.8m given in the prior year.
The group will pay a partially franked final dividend of 3.19c per share on August 29 to shareholders on the register at June 30.
Combined with an interim dividend of 3.07c per share, the total dividend for fiscal 2014 is 6.26c per share, which represents a payout ratio of 75.1 per cent and 4.3 per cent increase on last year’s distribution.
The result came after the company took over Commonwealth Property Office Fund during the year with transaction costs related to the acquisition pulling down its net profit.
Also weighing on net profit was lower growth in the value of its properties compared with the prior year and the mark to market movements on interest rate swaps.
Despite the drop in net profit, the company’s funds from operations (an underlying earnings metric used by property companies) jumped 7.6 per cent to $410.6m or 8.34 cents per share, beating analyst forecasts.
Much of that growth came from the sale of assets through the year, with its core business growing by 1 per cent and the earnings flow through from CPA contributing 2 per cent to earnings growth.
The company has flagged a bumper 2015 with it forecasting FFO per share of 9.84c, representing an 8.5 per cent increase in comparable earnings post the acquisition of CPA.
Again, much of that increase will be due to the sale of assets, with the company close to offloading its office tower at 201 Elizabeth Street in Sydney to an offshore group which plans to convert it into a residential tower overlooking Hyde Park.