Stable earnings and strong cash flow

• Rental revenue amounted to a total of SEK 7,006 million (7,040). For comparable property holdings, the decrease was 1% (increase 7). The pandemic has had a total negative impact on revenue of SEK 139 million in terms of rent discounts, rent relief, provisions for doubtful rent receivables and reduced parking revenue.
• New lettings corresponding to 119,000 square metres (220,000) and an annual rent of SEK 535 million (982) were contracted and net lettings amounted to negative SEK 18 million (positive: 426).
• The result of renegotiations amounted to 7.3% compared with 11.8% last year.
• The occupancy rate was 91.9% (94.1) at year end. Of total vacancies of 8.1%, 2.0 percentage points (1.6) were attributable to ongoing projects and development properties.
• Operating surplus amounted to a total of SEK 5,189 million (5,207). For comparable property holdings, the outcome was on a par with last year.
• Profit before value changes and tax decreased to SEK 3,577 million (4,921). The change was primarily due to lower earnings from joint ventures, loss of SEK 219 million (profit: 1,105) due to a lower expected volume for development rights.
• The change in the property value amounted to a decline of SEK 1,083 million (increase: 13,270), corresponding to a 0.8% (9.7) change in value.
• The portfolio value amounted to SEK 162,420 million (156,071) at the end of the period.
• The value change in derivatives amounted to SEK 167 million (negative: 881), primarily due to falling long market interest rates in Norway.
• Profit after tax amounted to SEK 3,714 million (13,909).

A dividend of SEK 2,000 million (3,000) for the 2020 financial year has been proposed to the Annual General Meeting.

Renegotiations and lease extensions during the year encompassed 315,000 sq. m. (306,000) and corresponded to annual rent of SEK 977 million (1,030). The result of renegotiations for leases related to offices amounted to 11.9% (14.9). Of all the contracts up for renegotiation over the period with add-ons for moving within the property portfolio, nearly 72% (73) of the tenants decided to remain a tenant of Vasakronan.
Collector has extended its lease of 4,600 square metres at Läppstiftet in Gothenburg for a period of seven years and the Riksdag Administration has signed a five-year extension to its lease at Jakob Större in Stockholm for 3,000 square metres.

“Covid-19 dominated 2020, a year unlike any other. To date, the pandemic has had limited impact on our operations and we continue to deliver stable earnings. It remains too early to draw any conclusions as to the long-term impact. However, we have a strong offering, interest rates remain low and our projects will boost rental revenue as they become occupied. All of the above will ensure stability and healthy earnings in the coming period,” says Johanna Skogestig, CEO of Vasakronan.

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