Our opinion on the current state of HYPROP(HYP)Hyprop (HYP) is a leading property real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in high-quality shopping malls in South Africa, with some interests in Eastern Europe and Africa to the north. It owns some of South Africa's best-known shopping malls, including Rosebank, Canal Walk, Hyde Park, and Clearwater.
The company has been impacted to some extent by the fall-off in consumer spending, reflected in lower trading densities. Currently, the share is trading at close to half of its net asset value (NAV) of R63.39, which, in our view, makes it a good buy. The new CEO, Morne Wilken, is focused on innovative strategies such as building rooftop gardens and offering shared workspaces to attract customers back to its shopping malls.
In its results for the year to 31st December 2024, the company reported distributable income up 14.5% and a loan-to-value (LTV) of 36.3%. Headline earnings per share (HEPS) increased by 24.1%, and the company's net asset value (NAV) increased by 1.7% to 5967c per share. The company stated, "Cash collections from tenants in the SA and EE portfolios of 99.8% and 100.8% of net billings for the period, respectively. Strong liquidity position with R807 million of cash and R1.1 billion of available bank facilities as at 31 December 2024."
Technically, the share found support at 2562c in November 2023 and has been rising ever since. Hyprop is trading well below its NAV and on a P:E of 14.32. We still see it as a potential buying opportunity. We added it to the Winning Shares List (WSL) on 15th August 2024 at 3439c per share. It has since moved up to 4288c, reflecting a gain of 24.7% in just 7 months.
On 23rd September 2024, the company announced the sale of its interests in Nigeria and Ghana for a combined value of just over R1 billion. The cash from this sale will further strengthen its balance sheet.