Report
Sarah Godfrey

AEW UK REIT | Initiation: Proven record of value creation

AEW UK REIT plc (AEWU) is a UK real estate investment trust (REIT) with a difference: it is highly focused on value investment, acquiring mispriced assets and then maximising income and unlocking capital upside through asset management initiatives. Launched in May 2015, AEWU has paid dividends of 2p per quarter – the highest gross dividend payment in its peer group, equating to a current dividend yield of 9.2% – for the last 34 consecutive quarters (many peers cut their dividends during the pandemic), and has a proven record of successful exits, with 18 properties sold to date at an average premium of 38% to their purchase price. It has a three-year annualised property total return of 8.9% as at 31 March 2024. Managers Laura Elkin and Henry Butt, supported by the resources of AEW, invest in smaller properties, almost wholly (95%+) outside London, in strong commercial locations but with low capital values versus peers. The result is a higher-than-average income (net initial yield of c 7-10%), with capital growth potential through active asset management and the exploration of alternative use values. AEWU's success has been recognised in a number of awards, including being named Citywire's best UK property fund (based on three-year NAV total returns) in each of the last four years (2020-23), with similar accolades from Shares Magazine (2022) and Investment Week (2023).
Underlying
AEW UK REIT

AEW UK REIT is a closed ended real estate investment trust company. Co. invests predominantly in a portfolio of smaller commercial properties in the U.K. Specifically, Co. invests in freehold and leasehold properties across the whole spectrum of the commercial property sector (office properties, retail warehouses, high street retail and industrial/warehouse properties). AEW UK Investment Management LLP is the investment manager of Co.

Provider
Capital Access Group
Capital Access Group

Capital Access Group advises companies on effective engagement with investors. Our experienced team offers market-leading access with hard-to-reach investors, including smaller institutions, pension funds and private client fund managers. These under-serviced investors are located not only in London but across the regions of the UK and Europe. We have an unrivalled knowledge of this extensive audience, to whom our published research is distributed, as well as to larger institutions. We offer this service as part of an integrated investor communications strategy to promote a company’s investment story.

Our clients, ranging from AIM to FTSE 100 companies, benefit from our professional, long-term relationships with investors. Not only do we identify and target investors, we contact them directly and relay their views back to clients with analysis, interpretation and advice. This ensures that our clients are in control of their investor engagement. The objective is to improve the reach and engagement with investors, which in turn strengthens the share price.

Analysts
Sarah Godfrey

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