ADVERTISEMENT

Asia’s Best REITs May Lose Appeal as Rally Trims Thai Yields

Asia’s Best REITs May Lose Appeal as Rally Trims Thai Yields

(Bloomberg) -- Follow Bloomberg on LINE messenger for all the business news and analysis you need.

Thailand’s real estate investment trusts have outperformed their Asian peers amid lower borrowing costs. The stellar performance, however, also reduced the allure of the much-loved sector as their surging prices trump yields.

A measure of REITs and property funds on the Thai exchange has rallied 30% this year, beating a 27.5% gain in the Bloomberg Asia Real Estate Investment Trust Index. The rally, which has propelled the Thailand measure to a record level, has trimmed its average dividend yield to about 4.7%, near the lowest level in two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

“The dividend yield of Thai REITs is too low following the rally in their prices,” said Win Phromphaet, the Bangkok-based chief investment officer at Principal Asset Management Co., which oversees about $4.8 billion of assets in Thailand. “The stretched prices puts that at risk of a possible big correction as their earnings fundamentals and outlook are not too rosy.”

Asia’s Best REITs May Lose Appeal as Rally Trims Thai Yields

Yield-hungry investors worldwide have been piling into REITs as central banks across the globe cut interest rates amid economic growth concerns. Thai REITs have thrived this year even as many developers of residential properties, commercial estates and industrial land struggle with oversupply amid a decelerating economy.

WHA Premium Growth Freehold & Leasehold REIT is the top gainer among Thai REITs with a 69% rally this year. Its net income in the first half rose 38% from a year earlier. Frasers Property Thailand Industrial Freehold & Leasehold REIT has risen 58%. Hemaraj Leasehold REIT and Impact Growth REIT have each gained 49% this year, while an index of property developers has slid 4.6%.

“Most REITs have risen too fast relative to their earnings performance,” said Chanpen Sirithanarattanakul, an analyst at DBS Vickers Securities (Thailand) Co. in Bangkok. “Still, some investors are satisfied with the 4% dividend yield amid the tough economic conditions and market volatility.”

Asia’s Best REITs May Lose Appeal as Rally Trims Thai Yields

Singapore’s benchmark index for REITs, which has gained 20% this year, offers a dividend yield of 4.1% based on the actual payout, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A similar gauge in Hong Kong has a yield of 5.5%, while one in Japan offers 3.4%.

The rally in REITs has been this year’s main bright spot for Thai equities even as foreign funds are poised for a third year of outflows following their record withdrawal of $8.9 billion in 2018. The benchmark SET Index has gained 3.4% this year, with the measure of REITs the top gainer among the bourse’s 28 industry groups.

“The outlook of REITs remains positive as the markets will still be volatile and interest rates will remain low,” said Sumetha Lewchalermwong, chief investment officer at MFC Asset Management Pcl in Bangkok, which oversees about $15 billion of assets. “Some equity investors are switching out of equity funds into REITs as they seek yields and lower volatility.”

Sumetha’s MFC Property Wealth Fund, which mainly invests in domestic REITS, has rallied 34% this year, the best performer among 302 equity funds domiciled in Thailand, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

--With assistance from Ishika Mookerjee and Lee Miller.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anuchit Nguyen in Bangkok at anguyen@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sunil Jagtiani at sjagtiani@bloomberg.net, Margo Towie, Lianting Tu

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.