LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE
ANNOUNCEMENT
JPMORGAN GLOBAL CORE REAL
ASSETS LIMITED
QUARTERLY NET ASSET VALUE AND
PORTFOLIO UPDATE
Legal Entity Identifier:
549300D8JHZTH6GI8F97
JPMorgan Global Core Real Assets
Limited ("JARA" or the "Company") announces an unaudited Net Asset
Value ("NAV") as at 29th February 2024 of 93.92 pence per share
(30th November 2023: NAV 94.06 pence per share). During the
quarter, the Company paid a dividend of 1.05 pence per share on
23rd February 2024, bringing the NAV total return for the quarter
to +1.0% and to -3.9% for the preceding 12 months, while the total
share price return for the 12 months to 29th February 2024 was
-20.9%.
The Company repurchased 1,850,000
shares in the quarter to 29th February 2024. The shares were
repurchased at a weighted average discount of c. 28% and these
repurchases added approximately 0.2 pence per share to NAV
performance. The programme is ongoing.
An analysis of the components to
this NAV and the relevant dates for their valuation is provided
below. The Company currently has redemption requests in US Real
Estate which, if exercised, would reduce the allocation from the
current 19.1% to a target of 15%.
Strategies
Name
|
Date of
price for Strategy
|
% of
JARA's NAV as at 29th February 2024
|
Infrastructure
|
31st
December 2023
|
20.3%
|
Transportation
|
30th
September 2023
|
20.0%
|
US Real Estate
|
31st
December 2023
|
19.1%
|
Asia-Pacific Real Estate
Equity
|
31st
December 2023
|
16.3%
|
US Real Estate Debt
|
31st
December 2023
|
7.4%
|
Liquid Strategy
|
29th
February 2024
|
16.9%
|
Private infrastructure and
transportation were significant contributors during the period,
adding 0.8%, with private real estate debt
contributing -0.2% in local currency. The private
real estate equity sleeve was the most significant detractor,
contributing -1.6% to performance, while liquid strategies
contributed +0.5% in local currency. The
underlying currencies in the portfolio weakened against the USD,
resulting in a net positive currency impact. In addition,
a slightly stronger US dollar versus sterling*
marginally helped performance over the Company's quarter to 29th
February 2024.
*The GBP/USD exchange rate was 1.26495 as at 29th February
2024, versus 1.26595 as at 30th November 2023
Dividends
The most recent quarterly dividend
of 1.05 pence per share was paid to
shareholders on 23rd February 2024. The
Board continues to expect the yield to be within the target range
of 4 - 6% on issue price, as set out in the Company's IPO
prospectus. The current year's expected total dividends for the
financial year ending 29th February 2024 of 4.20 pence per share
represents a yield of 6.5% on the current market price*.
* Based on JARA's closing share price as at 29th February
2024.
Issued Share Capital
As at 29th February 2024, there were
210,445,138 shares in issue, excluding 8,962,814 shares held in
treasury.
Valuations
The Board notes that one of the
broader market concerns is in relation to the accuracy of private
market NAVs. To this end, the portfolio management team has
reviewed historical transactional data in relation to the appraisal
(carrying) NAVs for JARA's indirect investments in private real
assets. This review was conducted on 15 transactions since the
second quarter of 2022 across U.S. real estate, APAC real estate,
and global infrastructure. It showed that exit valuations were
largely in line with the appraisal values at the time of disposal -
with the deals observed on average transacting at a 1% premium over
appraisal value.
Both the Board and the investment
manager believe this affirms the quality and resilience of JARA's
NAV. This is an indication of the rigour of the valuation process
which is undertaken for each of JARA's strategies and their
underlying assets. It is important to highlight that this has
occurred during a period of significant market uncertainty, most
notably in the real estate sector. The Board receives regular
reporting on realised gains/losses of any underlying asset disposal
against its carrying value as part of its work to oversee and
validate the Company's reported NAV.
Portfolio Construction
As at 29th February 2024, the
Company's portfolio was valued at £194.5million.
Sector exposure Percentage of
NAV
|
Total
Exposure
|
Private Asset
Exposure
|
Public Asset
Exposure
|
Real Estate Equity
|
42%
|
35%
|
7%
|
Transportation
|
23%
|
21%
|
3%
|
Infrastructure
|
24%
|
20%
|
4%
|
Real Estate Debt
|
10%
|
7%
|
2%
|
Total
|
100%
|
83%
|
17%
|
As at 29th February 2024. Numbers
may not sum due to rounding. Cash level at quarter end was
<2%
Geographical exposure percentage of NAV
|
31.08.23
|
30.11.23
|
29.02.24
|
North America
|
56%
|
56%
|
55%
|
Asia Pacific
|
28%
|
26%
|
26%
|
Europe
|
15%
|
16%
|
16%
|
UK
|
3%
|
2%
|
2%
|
Other
|
~0%
|
~0%
|
~0%
|
Total
|
100%
|
100%
|
100%
|
|
|
|
| |
As at 29th February 2024. Numbers
may not sum due to rounding.
Private Asset Portfolio Metrics
Please see below for the metrics of
JARA's private investments. As at 29th February 2024, private asset
exposure represented 83% of JARA's NAV, stable compared to the
previous quarter.
Investments
·
352 private investments and, at a more granular
individual asset level, look through exposure to 1,414 individual
assets (30th November 2023: 348 private investments and 1,402
individual assets).
|
31.08.23
|
30.11.23
|
29.02.24
|
Investments
|
344
|
348
|
352
|
Assets
|
1,409
|
1,402
|
1,414
|
Private Portfolio Operating Metrics
Discount Rates
The blended average discount rate is
8.1%. The asset level discount rate will vary by strategy as
detailed below. The average discount rate has risen marginally from
8.0% for the previous quarter. This was primarily driven by an
increase in the real estate discount rate.
|
31.08.23
|
30.11.23
|
29.02.24
|
Portfolio discount rate
|
7.9%
|
8.0%
|
8.1%
|
Property
|
6.5%
|
6.6%
|
6.8%
|
Infrastructure & Transport
|
9.3%
|
9.4%
|
9.5%
|
Lease Duration
·
5.0 years average lease duration in real estate
and transportation, with approximately 15% expected to expire in
2024.
|
31.08.23
|
30.11.23
|
29.02.24
|
Weighted Lease Duration (years)
|
4.7
|
5.4
|
5.0
|
Occupancy
·
96% occupancy of leased assets in real estate and
transportation, with Q4 2023 collections being in line with
expectations. At an overall portfolio level, occupancy and income
receipts are in line with what the Manager expects.
|
31.08.23
|
30.11.23
|
29.02.24
|
Occupancy
|
96%
|
96%
|
96%
|
Loan To Value (LTV)
·
39% portfolio weighted average loan to value
across private assets. Asset level LTVs will vary
by strategy, with the real estate average LTV of 35% and
Infrastructure and Transport blended LTV of 49%. The underlying
strategies continue to take a conservative view on overall leverage
use.
|
31.08.23
|
30.11.23
|
29.02.24
|
LTV
|
38%
|
38%
|
39%
|
Debt
·
4.4% blended average cost of debt across the
strategies, with 65.6% being fixed and 34.4% floating and a
weighted average maturity of 5.2 years.
|
31.08.23
|
30.11.23
|
29.02.24
|
Debt Cost
|
4.3%
|
4.5%1
|
4.4%
|
Fixed
|
78.6%
|
65.7%
|
65.6%
|
Floating
|
21.4%
|
34.3%
|
34.4%
|
Average Maturity (years)
|
5.6
|
5.3
|
5.2
|
1 The cost of debt for mezzanine debt as at 30th Nov 2023 has
been restated from 4.6% to 4.5%.
Development Profile
A number of the underlying private
strategies have the capacity to engage in a small degree of
development, with the private asset portfolio having a relatively
minimal exposure to development assets. This small allocation
allows the Manager, where appropriate, to capitalise on areas where
construction is a more effective way to gain access to assets or
sectors less accessible in the secondary market. The development
pipeline has moderated more recently, especially in real estate. We
would expect construction exposure across JARA's portfolio to
remain relatively low on an aggregate basis.
Currency
The main currency exposures of the
portfolio (including liquidity funds) are as follows:
Currency
|
|
|
31.08.23
|
30.11.23
|
29.02.24
|
USD
|
|
|
58%
|
60%
|
58%
|
GBP
|
|
|
20%
|
20%
|
21%
|
JPY
|
|
|
6%
|
6%
|
6%
|
AUD
|
|
|
4%
|
4%
|
4%
|
SGD
|
|
|
3%
|
3%
|
3%
|
RMB
|
|
|
2%
|
2%
|
2%
|
EUR
|
|
|
2%
|
2%
|
2%
|
Other currencies represent
approximately 4% in aggregate. Numbers may not sum to 100% due to
rounding.
The above reflects the changes in
currency exposure following the allocation to the hedged vehicle of
the Infrastructure strategy on 3rd July 2023.
21st March 2024
For
Further Information
JPMorgan Funds Limited - Company Secretary
Emma Lamb
Telephone 0800 20 40 20 or +44 1268
44 44 70
Buchanan Communications - Financial PR
JARA@buchanancomms.co.uk
0207 466 5000
Notes
The Company aims to provide holders
of the Ordinary Shares with a stable income and capital
appreciation, measured on a constant currency basis, through
exposure to a globally diversified portfolio of Core Real Assets in
accordance with the Company's investment policy. The Company
obtains exposure to Core Real Assets through various real asset
strategies, namely: Global Infrastructure, Global Real Estate,
Global Transport and Global Liquid Real Assets. J.P. Morgan's
Alternative Solutions Group has the primary responsibility for
managing the Company's portfolio.