Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation

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Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
A Publication of Keppel Corporation
     ISSUE

    03
      2021

               www.kepcorp.com/ekeppelite

               Accelerating                          Interview with
                                                     Chairman
                                                                      Celebrating
                                                                      Singapore
               Vision 2030
     MCI (P)
031/01/2021    20                                    34               41
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
Contents
1    Editor’s Note                                GETTING TO KNOW YOU                         Editorial Advisor
2    Keppel Corporation Financial Results                                                     Ho Tong Yen
        Financial highlights                      34 Spotlight on: Mr Danny Teoh
        In conversation
11   Keppel REIT Financial Results                                                            Editor
                                                  37 Building climate resilience
                                                                                              Sue-Ann Huang
12   Keppel DC REIT Financial Results             38 Major FPSO contract secured
14   Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT                   39 Harnessing technology
     Financial Results                            40 Smart and sustainable showcase
                                                                                              Copy Editors
15   Expanding portfolio                             Investor outreach
                                                                                              Lee Wan Jun, Elizabeth Widjaja
16   Sharpening focus in line with Vision         41 Celebrating Singapore’s
     2030                                            56th birthday
20   Accelerating Vision 2030 with strategic      42 Meeting of minds                         Editorial Team
     acquisition of Singapore Press                                                           Ang Lai Lee, Brian Lee, Casey Chiang,
     Holdings ex-Media                            HSE MATTERS                                 Dorothy Lim, Frances Teh, Fiona Aw,
25   M1 launches the True 5G network                                                          Grace Chia, Guo Xiao Rong, Ianna Chia,
26   Supporting Singapore’s LNG                   44 Commitment to safety                     Ivana Chua, Loh Jing Ting, Nikki Lam, Roy Tan,
     Ecosystem                                                                                Serena Toh, Tang Yi Bing, Victor Heng,
27   Model of innovation and energy               45   Leadership appointment                 Woon Pek Yong, Yolanda Guo
     efficiency                                   46   NTUC May Day Awards
                                                                                              Email: keppelgroup@kepcorp.com
28   Keppel Land inks maiden                      47   Global mindset
                                                                                              Website: kepcorp.com/ekeppelite
     sustainability-linked loan with DBS          48   People development
     New landed housing project in                49   Upskilling opportunities
                                                                                               linkedin.com/company/keppel
                                                                                                 youtube.com/KeppelCorporationLtd
     Ho Chi Minh City                                  Stepping up to a healthy lifestyle
29   World Cities Summit                          50   Keppel marks the start of its pledge   Keppelite is a publication of Keppel
30   Keppel and Converge enter into                    to plant 10,000 trees                  Corporation, and is published quarterly
     definitive agreements for Bifrost            52   Supporting digital learning            by the Group Corporate Communications
     Cable System                                 53   Doing good                             Division. All rights reserved. Permission from
     Collaborating for a better built                  Tackling plastic pollution             the publisher is required for reproduction by
     environment                                  54   Supporting communities in China        any means in whole or in part.
31   Liquefied hydrogen supply                    56   Serving meals to the
     infrastructure for Keppel’s data                  underprivileged
     centres in Singapore
32   Building a sustainable future

Cover image: As a homegrown multi-business company, Keppel joins Singapore in commemorating
its 56th year of independence.
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
1                                                                                                                       EDITOR'S NOTE

Editor’s Note
It has been a very busy first half of the   More recently, on 2 August 2021, Keppel        While Keppel reshapes itself for the
year for Keppel as the Group pushed         announced the proposed acquisition             future, it remains steadfast in its
ahead to execute Vision 2030.               of SPH’s non-media portfolio, which            commitment to its community and the
                                            comprises businesses and assets that           environment.
Despite the continuing challenges           complement Keppel’s business in the
posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,             focus areas of Asset Management, Urban         During the year, Keppel donated new
Keppel turned around from a loss of         Development and Connectivity. The              laptops worth $160,000 to the Ministry
$537 million in 1H 2020 to a profit of      accretive acquisition, which is in line with   of Social and Family Development’s
$300 million in 1H 2021, with all           the Group’s asset-light model, will expand     Community Link initiative to support the
key business units profitable. More         Keppel’s growth engines, grow Keppel           home-based learning needs of students
importantly, the Group’s performance        Capital’s assets under management and          from lower-income families (page 52) as
did not just improve compared to            improve the Group’s recurring income on        well as contributed $120,000 to Willing
1H 2020, which was impacted by              a pro forma basis. Given Keppel’s business     Hearts, a volunteer-run soup kitchen that
COVID-19, but also improved when            model and capabilities, the Company is         provides meals to underprivileged and
compared to the Group’s pre-COVID           uniquely placed to enhance and unlock          needy communities in Singapore
performance in 1H 2019, if we exclude       value from SPH’s portfolio (pages 20 to 24).   (page 56). The donations are part of
revaluations, impairments and                                                              Keppel’s $4.2 million care package,
divestments as well as COVID-19 related     At the same time, Keppel is continuing         announced in 2020, to support
government grants (pages 2 to 10).          to grow its businesses in line with Vision     communities affected by COVID-19.
                                            2030. Recent initiatives announced
In line with Keppel’s Vision 2030 plans     include Keppel Infrastructure’s Front End      The Group also marked the start of its
to be more focused and disciplined,         Engineering Design study with Singapore        pledge to plant 10,000 trees in Singapore
Keppel announced on 24 June 2021            LNG Corporation on a Natural Gas Liquids       over five years with a tree-planting event
that it had signed non-binding              Extraction Facility on Jurong Island (page     at Labrador Nature Reserve (pages
Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)            26), M1’s launch of the True 5G network        50 and 51). The initiative supports the
for the proposed combination of             (page 25), as well as exploration of new       National Parks Board’s OneMillionTrees
Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel            energy solutions, among others.                movement and will help mitigate the
O&M) and Sembcorp Marine, as well                                                          effects of climate change.
as the resolution of Keppel O&M’s           In this issue, Keppelite also speaks to
legacy rigs. If completed, the proposed     Mr Danny Teoh, who was appointed               Do enjoy this read of Keppelite on
transactions, together with Keppel’s        Chairman of Keppel Corporation on              Keppel’s strides towards Vision 2030
increasing focus on renewables, would       23 April 2021, to seek his views on            and its efforts to make a positive impact
accelerate the Group’s pivot towards        Keppel’s journey over the past decade,         wherever it operates.
new energy and decarbonisation              where it is today and his priorities for the
solutions (pages 16 to 19).                 Company going forward (pages 34 to 36).        Keppelite Editor
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
2

    Keppel Corporation Financial Results

Strong performance

Keppelite reproduces the speech by Mr Loh Chin Hua, CEO of Keppel Corporation,
at the Company’s 1H 2021 results webcast.

The operating environment remained           unveiled in September 2020. About half              Vision 2030 focus areas, to grow the
challenging in 1H 2021. Despite the          of the transactions have been completed             Group’s business and improve the quality
progressive roll-out of COVID-19             so far. We expect to surpass $3 billion in          of our earnings more quickly.
vaccines around the world, the pandemic      asset monetisation ahead of schedule,
continues to spread in many countries.       and will aim to achieve the higher end of           Financial Performance
Following the emergence of new and           our $3-5 billion target by end-2023.                For 1H 2021, the Group achieved net profit
more contagious strains of the virus,                                                            of $300 million, a marked improvement
many countries and cities have escalated     At the same time, we are continuing                 from 1H 2020 and reversing last year’s
their pandemic-related restrictions and      to grow our businesses in line with                 loss of $537 million. All key business units
border controls, thus further impacting      Vision 2030. Our new initiatives include            were profitable. All four segments also
supply chains and the movement of            the Bifrost Cable System, Keppel                    saw improved performance, excluding the
people, and slowing down economic            Infrastructure’s (KI) collaboration with            gains from the reclassification of Keppel
recovery.                                    StarCharge to explore opportunities in              Infrastructure Trust (KIT) and sale of
                                             electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, M1’s          Keppel DC REIT units in 1H 2020.
Against a difficult backdrop, Keppel         rolling out of its 5G standalone network,
continued to push ahead to accelerate        as well as exploration of new energy                The Group’s operating performance has
the execution of Vision 2030. It has been    solutions, among others.                            improved, not just compared to last year,
a very busy and active first half for the                                                        but even when compared with 1H 2019.
Group. We announced in January the           Beyond organic growth, we are also                  Excluding revaluations, impairments and
organic transformation of Keppel Offshore    actively exploring M&A opportunities,               divestments (RIDs) across all three years
& Marine (Keppel O&M) to enhance its         whether in renewables, urban                        and COVID-19-related government grants
competitiveness and relevance amidst         development, asset management or other              in 2020 and 2021, the Group achieved
the global energy transition, and more
recently the signing of non-binding
Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
on the proposed combination of Keppel           Net Profit
O&M and Sembcorp Marine, and                    (Excl. RIDsi & COVID-19-related government grants)
resolution of Keppel O&M’s legacy rigs.
We also announced plans to divest our
logistics business. We have received bids
for the logistics business, which we are
currently evaluating. I have explained the
strategic rationale for the two proposed
transactions involving Keppel O&M and
Keppel Logistics at earlier briefings, and                                                                              The Group’s operating
will not repeat the arguments.                                                                                          performance has
                                                                                                                        improved, not just
                                                                                                                        compared to last
We continue to execute our asset                                                                                        year, but even when
monetisation programme. To date, we                                                                                     compared with 1H
                                                                                                                        2019 excluding RIDs
have announced over $2.3 billion of asset
                                                i RID stands for revaluations, impairments and divestments.             and COVID-19-related
monetisation since the programme was                                                                                    government grants.
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
3

                                                                                                                                    Keppel’s management
                                                                                                                                    engaging media
                                                                                                                                    and the investment
                                                                                                                                    community at the
                                                                                                                                    Company’s 1H 2021
                                                                                                                                    results webcast.

a net profit of $280 million in 1H 2021,            dividend of 12.0 cents per share for                 an improvement from the net loss of
compared to a net loss of $72 million in            1H 2021, after ringfencing the impairments           $958 million for 1H 2020. The key reason
1H 2020 and net profit of $149 million in           related to KrisEnergy’s liquidation. This            for the loss in this segment was the
1H 2019. With Vision 2030, we believe               interim dividend, which will be paid                 impairments of $318 million related to
the Group can emerge post-pandemic                  to shareholders on 19 August 2021, is                KrisEnergy’s liquidation.
stronger and on a new growth trajectory.            significantly higher than last year’s interim
                                                    dividend of 3.0 cents and also higher                Keppel O&M recorded a net profit of
In 1H 2021, we received cash of                     than the interim dividend of 8.0 cents               $107 million for 1H 2021, reversing the
$854 million from our asset monetisation            declared in 2019, reflecting the Board and           net loss of $959 million for 1H 2020.
programme. Free cash inflow was                     management’s confidence in our vision                This includes the recognition of gains of
$499 million in 1H 2021, compared to                and strategy.                                        $269 million from our share of Floatel’s
the outflow of $664 million in 1H 2020;                                                                  restructuring gain. Despite increased
while net gearing improved to 0.85x as              Multiple Income Streams                              manpower costs and COVID-19-related
at end-June 2021, compared to 0.91x as              We remain focused on growing recurring               manpower constraints at our Singapore
at end-2020, mainly due to the proceeds             income. For 1H 2021, recurring income                yards, Keppel O&M was EBITDA positive
from asset monetisation.                            contributed $152 million or 51% of                   in 1H 2021.
                                                    earnings, an increase from $119 million in
We recognise that dividends are important           1H 2020.                                             When we announced the restructuring of
to our shareholders. I mentioned earlier                                                                 Keppel O&M into Rig Co, Dev Co and Op
that some of the funds unlocked from                I will now discuss the Group’s                       Co in January, we said that we expected
our asset monetisation programme                    performance by segments.                             Op Co to be self-sustaining, financially
could be returned to shareholders over                                                                   independent and profitable over time.
time. In appreciation of the support and            Energy & Environment                                 I am pleased to share that Op Co1 was
confidence of our shareholders, the Board           In 1H 2021, Energy & Environment                     profitable in 1H 2021 on the back of our
of Directors has approved an interim cash           generated a net loss of $179 million,                cost management efforts.

Footnote:
1. Op Co comprises Keppel O&M excluding the legacy completed and uncompleted rigs and associated receivables, as well as interests in Floatel and
   Dyna-Mac.
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
4

Keppel O&M started its right sizing and        transportation solutions with ammonia           storage, distributed energy generation
overheads reduction in 2015 when we            and hydrogen as marine fuels.                   and alternative energy value-chain.
recognised the structural downturn in
the oil market. To date, Keppel O&M has        KI’s net profit of $60 million in 1H 2021       Urban Development
shaved off over $525 million per annum         was stable year-on-year.                        Urban Development recorded a net
from its cost structure. Without these cost                                                    profit of $279 million for 1H 2021, a 30%
savings, Keppel O&M would not have             KI is focused on strengthening the              increase from $215 million year-on-year
been EBITDA positive.                          resilience of its Power & Gas business in       mainly due to stronger earnings from
                                               response to the global energy transition.       Keppel Land, which remains the highest
Oil prices have risen in recent months, but    In Singapore, KI will diversify its energy      contributor to the Group.
this has yet to translate into a significant   mix into renewable sources and zero-
improvement in the offshore rig market,        carbon electricity import, and also             The significant discount to Keppel
which remains oversupplied. Nevertheless,      enhance the reliability and efficiency of its   Land’s revalued net asset value (RNAV)
utilisation rates and day rates are slowly     generation fleet.                               that some analysts continue to ascribe
improving, and we expect to see improved                                                       suggests that the market has yet to fully
demand in the longer term for Keppel           The waste-to-energy projects in Hong            appreciate the value and significance
O&M’s new generation, stranded rigs which      Kong and Singapore continue to make             of our 100% ownership of Keppel Land.
are completed or close to completion, as oil   steady progress. While COVID-19 has             Since the privatisation of Keppel Land
companies increase E&P expenditure after       affected supply chains and productivity,        in 2015 at a cost of $3.1 billion, Keppel
years of underinvestment.                      KI will continue to intensify efforts to        Land has to date upstreamed $5.1 billion
                                               execute these projects on time and safely.      in dividends to Keppel Corporation,
In the meantime, Keppel O&M continues                                                          including $700 million in 1H 2021. Over
to see significant opportunities in gas        The increasing global focus on                  this period, Keppel Land’s total assets
and renewables, in line with the energy        sustainability will create new                  have only fallen by about $400 million,
transition. There is also continuing           opportunities for KI. In July, KI,              from $14.5 billion as at end-June 2015 to
demand for production assets. In the           together with its partner, was selected         $14.1 billion as at end-June 2021. With our
year to date, Keppel O&M has secured           by Singapore LNG for a Front End                ongoing asset monetisation programme,
total new orders of about $3.1 billion,        Engineering Design study to co-develop a        we expect to unlock even more value
including a U$2.3 billion newbuild P-78        Natural Gas Liquids Extraction Project on       from Keppel Land going forward, which
FPSO project for Petrobras and an FPSO         Jurong Island, Singapore. The project is        we will re-invest in new opportunities that
topside fabrication project. As at end-June    part of the Singapore Green Plan 2030 to        can yield higher returns.
2021, Keppel O&M’s net orderbook was           transform Jurong Island into a sustainable
approximately $5.7 billion, significantly      energy and chemicals park, and would            For 1H 2021, Keppel Land’s performance
higher than the $3.3 billion at the end of     allow downstream off-takers to adopt            improved 25% year-on-year to $252 million.
2020. Of the current orderbook, about          cleaner feedstock for their processes.          This was mainly due to higher contribution
95% of the projects are cashflow neutral                                                       from China and Vietnam property trading
or positive. About 40% of the orderbook        The global waste management market is           projects, and gain from divestment of the
comprises gas and renewables solutions.        also expected to grow rapidly, presenting       30% stake in Dong Nai Waterfront City,
                                               opportunities for KI’s Environment              partially offset by impairment provision for
Despite the challenging environment,           business to not only scale up but also          Sedona Hotel Yangon.
Keppel O&M continued to execute                expand into new and adjacent markets
its orderbook and delivered 3 LNG              related to resource circularity.                In the year to date, Keppel Land has
projects in 1H 2021. Keppel O&M is                                                             announced $420 million of asset
also progressing well on its offshore          KI is also developing New Energy                monetisation, including the divestment
wind projects, and is on track to deliver      solutions that can contribute to different      of Serenity Villas in Chengdu announced
two offshore wind farm substations to          decarbonisation pathways. KI is working         on 29 July 2021, which will yield gains of
Ørsted for Taiwan later this year. Keppel      towards expanding its district cooling          $139 million for the Group.
O&M is also accelerating the use of            footprint in Singapore and the region.
cleaner fuels, and has signed MOUs with        Beyond EV charging infrastructure, KI           Beyond asset monetisation, Keppel Land
industry leading companies to develop          is also exploring opportunities in energy       also announced new partnerships to
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
5

develop projects in Tianjin, China and Ho          Residences was sold out in the second           lightening its balance sheet and growing
Chi Minh City, Vietnam.                            quarter.                                        recurring income. At the same time,
                                                                                                   Keppel Land is leveraging the diverse
Keppel Land’s home sales more than                 Home sales in Vietnam have been                 capabilities of the Keppel Group to
doubled to 2,650 homes in 1H 2021                  impacted by COVID-19 related                    explore innovative new solutions
compared to the same period last year,             lockdowns, but we have nevertheless             such as climate resilient nearshore
with improved performance across all               seen improved home sales year-on-year.          developments, or “floating cities”, which
key markets.                                                                                       can address both land scarcity and
                                                   As at end-June 2021, Keppel Land’s              rising sea levels in coastal cities.
In China, Keppel Land sold 1,550 homes,            residential landbank stood at about
a 50% increase from 1H 2020 mainly due             46,000 homes, while its commercial              Separately, SSTEC contributed a
to home sales in Shanghai and Wuxi.                portfolio stands at about 1.6 million           net profit of $12 million for 1H 2021,
At the recent launch of a new phase                square metres of GFA, following the             mainly due to sale of a commercial
of Upview (a joint venture project with            divestment of Keppel Bay Tower and              & residential land plot in the Tianjin
Gemdale) in Shanghai in July, all 503              75 King William Street.                         Eco-City in China​. SSTEC will continue
launched units were sold out within a day.                                                         to drive the development of the Eco-
                                                   Looking ahead, Keppel Land will continue        City, in line with our commitment to
In Singapore, The Reef at King’s Dock              to evolve from a developer model into an        sustainable urbanisation.
saw strong demand with 86% of the                  innovative real estate solutions provider. It
project sold in 1H 2021, while The Garden          will focus on accelerating capital recycling,   Connectivity
                                                                                                   Connectivity’s net profit grew to
                                                                                                   $27 million for 1H 2021, compared to
                                                                                                   breaking even for 1H 2020.
Keppel Land’s home sales more than doubled yoy to 2,650 units in 1H 2021, bolstered by stronger
performance across all key markets. (In picture: Upview residential development, Shanghai)         Keppel Data Centres generated a net
                                                                                                   loss of $2 million, smaller than the loss
                                                                                                   of $12 million for 1H 2020. To be clear,
                                                                                                   data centres are an important growth
                                                                                                   engine for the Group. Earnings from our
                                                                                                   data centres business are reflected not
                                                                                                   just in this segment, but include about
                                                                                                   $15 million in earnings for 1H 2021 from
                                                                                                   Keppel’s data centre REIT and private
                                                                                                   funds, which are recorded under Asset
                                                                                                   Management.

                                                                                                   In Singapore, we have commenced
                                                                                                   construction of the data centre
                                                                                                   at Genting Lane. Meanwhile, the
                                                                                                   development of our data centres in
                                                                                                   Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia are
                                                                                                   progressing well, despite the impact of
                                                                                                   COVID-19.

                                                                                                   Following our entry into the Chinese
                                                                                                   market last year with the development of
                                                                                                   a data centre in Huizhou, we continued
                                                                                                   to expand our footprint with the
                                                                                                   acquisition by Keppel Data Centre Fund
                                                                                                   II of a site to develop a greenfield data
                                                                                                   centre in Shanghai. When the two data
                                                                                                   centres are service-ready in 2022, they
                                                                                                   will add to the Group’s recurring income.
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
6

We are also actively exploring ways to        new platform are showing early signs of         funds and separate account mandates,
make our data centres greener and more        improving postpaid customer average             reflecting continued strong interest
sustainable. In May, Keppel Data Centres      revenue per user (ARPU), while driving          from investors in cashflow generating
signed an MOU with industry partners          higher digital adoption.                        real assets, including logistics and core
to jointly explore the development of                                                         infrastructure. Keppel Capital has also
supply infrastructure to bring green liquid   We have announced the                           completed over $2 billion in acquisitions
hydrogen into Singapore to decarbonise        commencement of M1’s 5G standalone              and divestments in the year-to-date.
our data centres, and potentially power       network trial in July. M1 and Samsung
our floating data centre park project.        also recently launched the Voice over           Keppel Capital will continue to harness
In line with Keppel’s commitment to           5G New Radio service on M1’s 5G                 synergies of the Group in the co-
sustainability, we will continue to work      standalone network. This is a first             creation of quality real assets, while
towards reducing the carbon footprint of      in the world and will provide higher            tapping third-party funds to drive the
our data centres.                             quality calls and better 5G experiences         Group’s growth.
                                              for M1’s customers. Looking ahead,
Following the announcement in March           M1 will continue to collaborate with            Conclusion
this year of the Bifrost Cable System, we     industry leaders to conduct trials of           In conclusion, I would like to leave you
are close to finalising the design of the     5G use-cases that will help to advance          with some key takeaways from our
cable system and expect to commence           Singapore’s Smart Nation ambition.              1H 2021 results briefing. We have made
manufacturing in 2022. We continue to                                                         a good start in executing our Vision 2030
explore opportunities for M1 and Keppel       Asset Management                                to transform the Group and put us on a
Data Centres to work with Bifrost to grow     Net profit from the Asset Management            new growth trajectory. The Group has
the Group’s connectivity solutions.           segment was $117 million for 1H 2021,           returned to profitability compared to
                                              compared to $258 million for 1H 2020.           1H 2020, but more importantly, we have
In 1H 2021, M1’s contribution was lower       1H 2020 had benefitted from $177 million        also done better than pre-COVID 1H 2019,
year-on-year at $21 million, as COVID-19      in gains from the reclassification of KIT       excluding RIDs and COVID-19-related
continued to impact roaming and               and sale of Keppel DC REIT units.               government grants. As we execute Vision
prepaid revenue. The pandemic’s impact                                                        2030, we believe Keppel will emerge at a
on M1 was smaller in the equivalent           Keppel Capital’s net profit of $64 million      new place post-pandemic, stronger, more
period last year, as the full impact of       grew 23% year-on-year, mainly due to            relevant, and on a faster growth path.
COVID-19 was only felt in 2Q 2020.            stronger operating results as well as gains     The monetisation programme has gone
1H 2020 had also benefitted from the          from mark-to-market of investments.             very well and we expect to hit the lower
Job Support Scheme, which was                                                                 end of the $3-5 billion monetisation
reduced this year.                            Excluding the gains mentioned                   target earlier than the three years we had
                                              previously, contributions from our listed       initially envisaged. We will now aim to
Despite COVID-19, M1’s postpaid               REITs and Trust were relatively stable,         deliver closer to the higher end of the
customer base grew 5% year-on-                while private funds’ contributions were         $3-5 billion range by end-2023. The
year to over 1.6 million as at end-June       higher year-on-year due to gains from           significant balance sheet space released
2021, entrenching M1’s position as the        disposal of investments.                        from the monetisation programme will
telco with the second largest postpaid                                                        allow us to undertake inorganic options to
customer base.                                Keppel Capital’s asset management fees          re-position our portfolio for new growth.
                                              grew 35% to $111 million for 1H 2021,
Earlier this year, we announced plans         compared to the $82 million for 1H 2020.        Lastly, and most critically, we will continue
to realise the value of M1’s current          This was due mainly to more acquisitions        to work with all our stakeholders to
network assets with a net book value          and divestments completed in 1H 2021,           ensure that the varied interests that the
of $580 million. This is in line with the     as well as Keppel Capital’s larger assets       Group serves will not only be fulfilled, but
Group’s asset-light business model            under management and new funds                  hopefully exceeded. For our supportive
under Vision 2030, and will free up           launched in 2020 and 2021.                      shareholders, rest assured that we will,
capital that can be used to help M1                                                           as we have always done, look at how
invest in new capabilities and fund           In the year-to-date, Keppel Capital has         we can improve shareholder returns in a
other growth initiatives. Meanwhile,          raised total equity of over $2 billion from     sustainable way as Vision 2030 begins to
M1’s transformation and adoption of a         global institutional investors across various   bear fruit.
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
7

    Keppel Corporation Financial Results

Financial highlights

Keppelite reproduces excerpts of the presentation
by Mr Chan Hon Chew, CFO of Keppel Corporation,
on the Company’s financial performance at the
1H 2021 results webcast.

1H 2021 financial highlights

$m                                                                                                 1H 2021       1H 2020     % Change
Revenue                                                                                               3,677          3,182            16
EBITDA                                                                                                 385             52          >500
Operating Profit /(Loss)                                                                                188          (149)         n.m.f.
Profit/(Loss) Before Tax                                                                                516          (357)         n.m.f.
Net Profit/(Loss)                                                                                      300           (537)         n.m.f.
Earnings per Share (cents)                                                                             16.5         (29.5)         n.m.f.

n.m.f. denotes No Meaningful Figure

In the first half of 2021, the Group          higher dividend income, as well as lower      due to lower impairments at Energy &
recorded a net profit of $300 million, as     investments and capital expenditure.          Environment and stronger operating
compared to net loss of $537 million in                                                     performance from Urban Development.
the same period last year.                    Net gearing decreased from 0.91x at the
                                              end of 2020 to 0.85x at the end June of       Profit before tax was $516 million, as
Earnings per share for the half year was      2021. This was mainly due to cash proceeds    compared to loss before tax of $357 million
16.5 cents, as compared to loss per share     from asset monetisation completed during      for the same period in 2020, mainly due
of 29.5 cents in the same period last year.   the six months, partly offset by payment of   to higher investment income and share
Annualised ROE was 5.5%.                      the final dividend for FY 2020.               of profits from associated companies, as
                                                                                            compared to share of loss from associated
Free cash inflow of $499 million was an       The Group’s revenue of $3.7 billion for the   companies in first half of 2020, partly offset
improvement over the free cash outflow        first half was 16% or $495 million higher     by higher net interest expense.
of $664 million in first half of 2020. This   than the same period last year. Urban
was mainly due to lower working capital       Development, Asset Management and             After tax and non-controlling interests,
requirements, proceeds from divestments       Energy & Environment recorded higher          net profit was $300 million, translating to
of Keppel Bay Tower Pte Ltd, First King       revenues.                                     earnings per share of 16.5 cents.
Properties Limited, Chengdu Hilltop
Development Co Ltd and interests in           Operating profit was $188 million, as         Our interim cash dividend to our
Dong Nai Waterfront City as part of           compared to operating loss of $149 million    shareholders for this period will be
our asset monetisation programme,             in the same period last year, largely         12.0 cents per share.
Accelerating Vision 2030 - Keppel Corporation
8

    Keppel Corporation Financial Results

In conversation

Keppelite features highlights of management’s responses to questions from the
media and investment community at the Company’s 1H 2021 results webcast.

Q: Which of Keppel’s focus areas could          impairments and divestments (RIDs),          on time and installed in Taiwan, and we
possibly see the earliest Merger &              meaning excluding impairments and the        are on schedule to deliver our topside
Acquisition (M&A) activity?                     share of Floatel restructuring gain, is      from Singapore. By working together with
                                                $85 million.                                 the client, we are able to mitigate certain
LCH: Renewable energy is one of the                                                          manpower restrictions. On top of that,
growth engines that we are looking to get       Q: Keppel O&M’s industry peer Sembcorp       we have also participated in the “bubble
a head start on. Besides normal organic         Marine lists severe manpower crunch and      wrapping” of the import of some foreign
greenfield building, we are also looking at     risks of project delays among its woes.      workers. (Note: “Bubble-wrapping” refers
numerous platforms.                             However, the pain appears to be less acute   to a pilot programme to quarantine
                                                for Keppel O&M. Are you able to explain      workers at the source countries and in
The different segments that I have              the disparity? Is that also due to Keppel    Singapore before they are allowed to join
mentioned, whether it is Connectivity,          O&M’s significant rightsizing?               the workforce after stringent tests.)
Urban Development, or Asset
Management – those would also be areas          LCH: I would tell you that the pain is       Q: Could you share more details on
that we will be looking at.                     shared by all in the industry. I have        targeted markets or geographies for
                                                explained earlier in my speech the           Keppel to grow its renewables portfolio
Q: How much would you spend in M&A in           significance of the rightsizing, and how     and achieve its 2030 7GW target?
the coming years for the Group? How will        that has helped to keep Keppel O&M’s
the breakdown by business units be like?        EBITDA positive.                             CO: The target of 7GW by 2030 is a
                                                                                             Group-wide target. We target to grow our
LCH: We know that we want to grow,              CO: We cannot comment on our peer as         renewable energy assets, both organically
and we want to pivot into some of the           we do not know the details. As for the       and inorganically, so that we can grow
growth engines, so M&A will become              manpower crunch and project delays           our portfolio and generate recurring
quite important to the Group. But we do         due to COVID-19-related reasons, this is     income. Keppel Renewable Energy (KRE),
not really have a budget. I think it is a bit   commonly felt throughout the industry.       together with the rest of the Group, looks
risky to have budgets because it might          The way that we have approached it is        at offshore wind, solar and also some
encourage our business units to be less         this: the streamlining of our operations     specific run-of-river hydro space in the
disciplined. It is more important that we       and our rightsizing started since 2015.      Asia-Pacific region. We are focused on
have an idea that M&A is one possibility,       Since 2015 till now, we have shaved off      markets in Australia, India, Philippines,
alongside our organic growth. It is quite       $525 million of overhead costs. With the     Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam. We have
opportunistic.                                  COVID-19 restrictions, we do have the        new solar and wind projects that have
                                                same manpower restrictions, but we           been added to the pursuit pipeline, all of
Q: Excluding the share of Floatel’s             manage it with our clients very closely,     which are targeted to achieve commercial
restructuring gain, what would have been        to make sure that we prioritise the right    operations by end-2025.
Keppel Offshore & Marine’s (Keppel O&M)         work with the right skillsets.
loss? Are there other items that should                                                      LCH: To supplement that, besides looking
be excluded to get a better sense of yard       Take for example our client Ørsted.          at greenfield development, the Group
operating performance?                          We worked with them on the delivery          is also looking at acquiring platforms,
                                                schedule. With the limited manpower,         i.e. inorganic options. Some of these
CHC: Keppel O&M’s net loss after                what we did was to subcontract the           platforms could be in Europe and the
excluding all the revaluations,                 jacket out to Korea, and it was completed    US. We are looking at all the options.
9

                                                                                                           upstream to downstream resource
                                                                                                           management. For our New Energy
                                                                                                           business, we see very promising
                                                                                                           tailwinds, particularly in the demand for
                                                                                                           energy efficiency in district cooling, as
                                                                                                           well as distributed energy generation,
                                                                                                           energy storage, and alternative clean
                                                                                                           energy like the hydrogen value chain,
                                                                                                           and potentially carbon capture,
                                                                                                           utilisation and storage.

                                                                                                           Q: Which property segment and
                                                                                                           country does Keppel Land see the
                                                                                                           best risk-reward when deploying
                                                                                                           its capital going forward? Would it
                                                                                                           be the Singapore, Vietnam or China
                                                                                                           residential market? Or are commercial
                                                                                                           developments more lucrative?

                                                                                                           LL: There is no one silver bullet. At
                                                                                                           Keppel Land, our key markets are
Keppel Infrastructure is actively pursuing opportunities spanning EV charging, renewables, environmental
sustainability, district cooling and other decarbonisation solutions.                                      in Singapore, Vietnam and China;
                                                                                                           but we are also very much looking
                                                                                                           forward to scale our businesses in
This is a Group-wide effort, comprising               Q: What are some of the short and                    India and Indonesia going forward.
KRE, Keppel Infrastructure (KI), as well as           medium-term financial and non-financial              The market situation is very different
Keppel Capital.                                       targets set for the team at KI?                      market-by-market. For example, in
                                                                                                           China and Vietnam we continue to
Q: Could you talk about the electric                  LCH: There are both financial and                    see opportunities across residential,
vehicle (EV) opportunities you are                    non-financial targets that the KI team               commercial, as well as in spaces like
exploring?                                            is working towards. We do not disclose               retail. In Indonesia on the other hand,
                                                      financial targets.                                   high-rise residential and commercial
CL: One of the very important                                                                              markets are more challenging, and
aspects of decarbonisation is end-                    CL: At KI, we are now organised into three           so we are more focused on landed
use electrification. KI has been in the               key lines of businesses – Power & Gas,               residential projects in those markets.
electrification business for nearly two               Environment, as well as New Energy. For
decades. We saw good opportunity                      Power & Gas, the business will focus on              We do not have a one-size-fits-all
in the EV evolution, and we seek to                   building up the resilience of, as well as            answer to how we approach the
participate in building up a meaningful               defending, the market share that we have             markets. We really look at each market
EV business from end-to-end within                    built up over the years. We will continue            – what would be attractive for us to
Singapore, as well as the Asia Pacific.               to diversify our energy sources, besides             enter into at that point in time, and we
We will provide updates as and when we                clean gas to renewables, as shared by                take a longer term view of when the
have new and significant developments.                our Group CEO earlier, including clean               right time would be to enter which
                                                      and low carbon energy importation. For               specific segments of that market.
LCH: The Group has also taken a small                 the Environment business, we have a
investment in an EV battery company a                 very strong and healthy orderbook. We                LCH: The question raised is quite
couple of years ago, and we are looking               are witnessing a pretty healthy level of             appropriate, in the sense that we do
to see whether this can potentially be                enquiries, so we will focus on scaling up            look at risk-reward and risk-adjusted
developed for use for not just EVs, but               our environmental business, particularly             return – this is how we measure and
also potentially for energy storage which             in leveraging our proprietary technology             look at opportunities across different
is quite relevant to various things that the          in waste-to-energy, as well as our ability           markets and segments, and this is how
Group is looking at, including renewables.            to integrate waste management from                   we compare them.
10

Q: Any updates on the floating data             whole transformation programme is to           50-50 kind of mix between the two things.
centre project? When does Keppel expect         deliver higher profitability over a period     We will also grow our AUM.
to commercialise it?                            of time.
                                                                                               Q: With more asset recycling ahead, can
TP: The floating data centre is one of our      Q: Is there any central theme and strategy     1H 2021’s dividend per share be used as a
many projects to help reduce energy             adopted by Keppel Capital Alternative          benchmark for 2H 2021 or is it a one-off
consumption and decarbonise the data            Asset or is it more opportunistic in nature?   generosity?
centre business. We have spent a lot of         Any ability to scale moving forward?
time on technology and on-site selection,                                                      LCH: I am glad that you find the interim
and we are aiming to have the first project     CT: We focus on what Keppel’s                  dividend attractive. Of course, we will have
target for final investment decision (FID)      capabilities are. Keppel is quite focused      to look at the full year results. As you know,
sometime towards the end of this year.          on infrastructure and renewables.              we do not have a dividend policy, but we
In addition to that, one of our investment      Renewables is an asset class under             have typically been paying around 40 to
companies in the US, Nautilus Data              alternative assets. We are looking to          50/60% of net profits. Of course, with the
Technologies, has already launched its          grow to, and have set the target of, 7GW       monetisation programme, we can afford
first project in California, and is now         (of renewable energy assets). This is          to be a little bit more open-minded in
welcoming its first clients onto its floating   something that we can scale in terms of        terms of returning capital to shareholders
data barge.                                     opportunities. We are looking to acquire       to reward them for their patience and for
                                                more in terms of platforms, rather than        investing in Keppel Corporation.
Q: On M1, would you be able to disclose         just building organically. In many ways,
the 1H 2021 postpaid and prepaid average        with Keppel’s asset monetisation,              LCH – Mr Loh Chin Hua,
revenue per user (ARPU)? How does               re-investments into some of these asset        CEO of Keppel Corporation
this compare to last year? Can you also         classes will be important for Keppel
please talk about the strategies to further     Capital. That will help us grow our fee        CHC – Mr Chan Hon Chew,
improve M1’s profitability?                     income as well as our assets under             CFO of Keppel Corporation
                                                management (AUM).
MSM: As roaming revenues are much lower                                                        CT – Ms Christina Tan,
than last year, there has been an impact        Q: What would be the medium-term AUM           CEO of Keppel Capital
on ARPUs. However, without roaming, our         mix between Keppel Capital’s private
ARPUs are quite stable this year over last      funds and listed REITs?                        CO – Mr Chris Ong,
year. In fact, for the prepaid business, our                                                   CEO of Keppel Offshore & Marine
ARPUs have actually become better than          CT: We do not really plan in terms of
last year because of the kinds of products      the asset mix between private funds            LL – Mr Louis Lim,
that we have been launching in the market.      and listed REITs because it all depends        CEO of Keppel Land
                                                on where investors’ interests lie. We
To improve profitability, one of the            are actually in a fortunate position in        CL – Ms Cindy Lim,
areas that we are working very                  that both investors in the private funds       CEO of Keppel Infrastructure
strongly towards is the digitalisation          as well as listed REITs have been very
of our operations, which is primarily to        supportive of Keppel Capital’s business        TP – Mr Thomas Pang,
reduce our costs to serve over a period         and new products. Ultimately, we like the      CEO of Keppel Telecommunications
of time, and therefore improve our              evergreen fees that we are getting from        & Transportation
customer lifetime value, which is driven        the listed REITs, but in terms of private
through lower cost to serve and higher          funds, we like the carried interest that we    MSM – Mr Manjot Singh Mann,
profitability in time to come. So, the          earn as well. So maybe it’s more of a          CEO of M1
11

     Keppel REIT Financial Results

Continuing portfolio optimisation
Keppel REIT has achieved distributable                  Keppel Bay Tower. Weighted average term                 value from Keppel REIT’s first Australian
income of $105.7 million1 for 1H 2021, an               to maturity of borrowings as at 30 June                 asset that was acquired in 2010, providing
increase of 11.5% year-on-year from 1H 2020.            2021 was 3.1 years and 68% of Keppel                    greater financial flexibility as the Manager
                                                        REIT’s total borrowings are at fixed rates.             seeks strategic and higher-yielding
The year-on-year improvement in                                                                                 growth opportunities.
distributable income was due mainly to                  To enhance Keppel REIT’s income
contributions from Victoria Police Centre in            resilience and deliver sustainable total                As at 30 June 2021, Keppel REIT’s
Melbourne, Pinnacle Office Park in Sydney               return to Unitholders, the Manager                      portfolio committed occupancy was
and Keppel Bay Tower in Singapore,                      continued to execute its portfolio                      96.7%, while portfolio and top 10 tenants’
as well as higher one-off income. The                   optimisation strategy in 1H 2021.                       WALE remained long at approximately
increase was partially offset by the impact                                                                     6.2 years and 11.2 years respectively.
of lower portfolio occupancy.                           On 18 May 2021, the acquisition of
                                                        Keppel Bay Tower in Singapore was                       Additional tenant relief measures granted
Distribution per unit (DPU) for 1H 2021                 completed, adding a Grade A waterfront                  in 1H 2021 amounted to approximately
registered a 5.0% year-on-year increase                 office building located at HarbourFront                 $1.6 million. Rental collection remained
to 2.94 cents, comprising 2.00 cents2                   to Keppel REIT’s portfolio. In addition                 healthy at 99% for 1H 2021, while total
which will be paid on 27 August 2021 and                to complementing Keppel REIT’s core                     outstanding rent deferrals were reduced
advanced DPU3 of 0.94 cents that was                    CBD offering, Keppel Bay Tower, which is                to $0.5 million as tenants progressively
paid on 31 March 2021 in connection with                fully powered by renewable energy, also                 repay their deferred rents.
the private placement. DPU for 1H 2021                  augments Keppel REIT’s green footprint
translated to an annualised distribution                as it is Singapore’s first Zero Energy5                 Looking ahead, as the global community
yield of 5.0% based on the market closing               commercial building.                                    progressively recovers from the COVID-19
price of $1.18 per unit as at 30 June 2021.                                                                     pandemic, the Manager remains focused
                                                        On 30 June 2021, a contract of sale was                 on ensuring stable and sustainable
As at 30 June 2021, Keppel REIT’s all-in                entered into for the divestment of Keppel               distributions to Unitholders, as well as
interest rate was reduced to 1.97% per                  REIT’s 50% interest in 275 George Street                achieving long-term growth. The Manager
annum compared to 2.48% per annum                       in Brisbane. The adjusted consideration                 will continue its portfolio optimisation
a year ago. Aggregate leverage remained                 of A$264.0 million6 is 7.8% above the last              strategy and proactive tenant engagement
healthy at 38.9%4 after loans were                      valuation7 and 59.0% above the original                 to build a robust portfolio that meets
drawn to partially fund the acquisition of              purchase price. The divestment unlocks                  diverse tenant needs.

Footnotes:
1. Includes advanced distribution of $32.2 million for the period from 1 January 2021 to 28 February 2021 that was paid to eligible Unitholders on 31 March 2021,
   in connection with the private placement launched on 18 February 2021.
2. For the period from 1 March 2021 to 30 June 2021.
3. For the period from 1 January 2021 to 28 February 2021, in connection with the private placement that was launched on 18 February 2021.
4. A contract of sale was entered into on 30 June 2021 for the divestment of 275 George Street which was completed on 30 July 2021. Assuming the entire
   amount of adjusted consideration is used to repay debt and related transaction costs before 30 June 2021, Keppel REIT’s aggregate leverage would be lowered
   to 37.4%.
5. Certified by the Building and Construction Authority as a Green Mark Platinum (Zero Energy) building.
6. Aggregate sale consideration of A$275.0 million net of A$11.0 million of outstanding incentives, capital expenditures and related costs, before transaction costs.
7. Valuation by CBRE Valuations Pty Limited as at 31 December 2020.
12

 Keppel DC REIT Financial Results

Resilient performance
Keppel DC REIT distributable income for               Manager has received commitments to                    This investment is in line with Keppel DC
1H 2021 was $84.3 million, 12.4% higher               refinance loans due in 4Q 2021.                        REIT’s drive to support the global digital
compared to 1H 2020. The growth in                                                                           economy, and will provide long-term
distributable income was due mainly                   As at 30 June 2021, Keppel DC REIT’s                   income to Unitholders for 15 years.
to contributions from the accretive                   average cost of debt remained competitive
acquisitions1 of Amsterdam Data Centre                at 1.5% per annum and interest coverage                The Manager is also pleased to announce
and Kelsterbach Data Centre in Frankfurt,             ratio was at a healthy level of 12.9 times.            the completion of Intellicentre 3 East
as well as the completion of the asset                Aggregate leverage was 36.7%, providing                Data Centre (IC3 East DC) for a total
enhancement initiative works at Keppel                Keppel DC REIT with a comfortable debt                 development cost of A$26.0 million
DC Singapore 5 and Keppel DC Dublin 1                 headroom to pursue growth.                             (approximately $26.6 million5). Located
in 2H 2020, and Keppel DC Dublin 2 and                                                                       within the same site in Macquarie Park,
DC 1 in 1Q 2021.                                      Portfolio Updates                                      IC3 East DC and Intellicentre 2 Data Centre
                                                      The Manager’s continued proactive                      will collectively be renamed Intellicentre
Keppel DC REIT has declared a DPU of                  leasing efforts resulted in new, renewal               Campus. The completion of IC3 East DC
4.924 cents for 1H 2021, 12.5% above                  and expansion leases secured with clients              will also see the commencement of a
1H 2020’s 4.375 cents.                                at Keppel DC REIT’s Singapore and                      new 20-year triple net master lease with
                                                      Dublin data centres, including some leases             Macquarie Data Centres for both data
In keeping with its prudent capital                   which were renewed ahead of expiry. This               centres at Intellicentre Campus, which will
management approach, and to mitigate                  brought portfolio occupancy to 98.0%2 as               further strengthen stable distributions to
Keppel DC REIT’s exposure to interest                 at 30 June 2021, with a long WALE of 6.5               Unitholders.
rate fluctuations, the Manager has                    years6,3.
hedged 67% of its borrowings as at                                                                           In July 2021, Keppel DC REIT
30 June 2021 through floating-to-fixed                As part of the Manager’s ongoing value                 announced that it is tapping onto
interest rate swaps, with the remaining               creation strategy, Keppel DC REIT                      China’s growing digital economy with
unhedged borrowings denominated                       announced in April 2021 its expanded                   the acquisition of its first data centre
in Euro. Forecasted foreign sourced                   investment mandate, and the proposed                   in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province,
distributions have also been substantially            investment4 in a special purpose vehicle,              for RMB 635.9 million (approximately
hedged till 2H 2022 with foreign currency             which will own M1’s current mobile, fixed              $132.0 million6), which represents a
forward contracts, mitigating the impact              and fibre assets, through a combination                7.8% discount to the independent market
of currency fluctuations. In addition, the            of debt securities and preference shares.              valuation7. Guangdong is one of the

Footnotes:
1. The acquisitions of Kelsterbach Data Centre and Amsterdam Data Centre were completed in May 2020 and December 2020 respectively.
2. Post-acquisition of Guangdong Data Centre and assuming the acquisition was completed on 30 June 2021, portfolio occupancy would be 98.2%. WALE would
    be 7.3 years by leased area and 5.3 years by rental income.
3. By leased area, and 4.9 years by rental income as a higher proportion of rental income is from colocation assets, which typically have shorter lease periods.
4. The proposed transaction is subject to among others, satisfactory due diligence, negotiation and execution of definitive agreements, relevant regulatory
    approvals and Unitholders’ approval.
5. Based on the exchange rate of A$1:$1.0231, as at 30 Jun 2021.
6. Based on an exchange rate of RMB 1.00:$0.2076 as at 30 Jun 2021.
7. Based on the valuation by Savills Valuation and Professional Services (S) Pte Ltd, an independent valuation firm appointed by the trustee of Keppel DC REIT,
    the market value of the property was RMB 690.0 million (approximately $143.2 million) as at 1 July 2021.
8. Guangdong Takes the Lead in 5G, Digital Power Grid Development: http://en.sasac.gov.cn/2021/01/27/c_6528.htm
9. With the exception of applicable real estate tax where the lessee shall bear up to a certain threshold.
10. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, KDCR 1 Limited. The option to iseek will commence on 1 August 2021 and expire on 31 July 2026. Keppel DC REIT will
    make the necessary announcements if and when the option is exercised and the divestment takes place.
13

                                                                                                                       Keppel DC REIT has
                                                                                                                       announced that it has
                                                                                                                       acquired its first data
                                                                                                                       centre in China.

top data centre locations in China, with       21.5% above the historical cost of the asset   In April 2021, the Manager announced
the highest rate of internet and mobile        at IPO. The option was a key term that was     the expansion of Keppel DC REIT’s
phone usage in Asia Pacific8. The facility,    negotiated together with iseek’s long lease    investment mandate to include real
Guangdong Data Centre, is the first of six     renewal, and is in line with Keppel DC         estate and assets that support the digital
data centre buildings to be completed in       REIT’s strategy to continually review and      economy. The expanded mandate will
the Bluesea Intelligence Valley Mega Data      selectively consider divestments to ensure     provide greater flexibility in evaluating
Centre Campus.                                 an optimal portfolio mix.                      and considering a wider range of
                                                                                              opportunities, and for Keppel DC REIT
It is a seven-storey fully-fitted data         Meanwhile, Keppel DC REIT has been             to continue to invest in assets with
centre facility with a gross floor area of     granted a 30-year extension of the             stable cash flows, attractive yields and
approximately 20,595 sqm (221,689 sq ft),      leasehold land tenure for Keppel DC            accretive returns. Notwithstanding the
and will be fully leased back to vendor        Singapore 2 with effect from 1 August 2021.    expanded mandate, Keppel DC REIT
on a triple net basis9 for 15 years. As part                                                  will maintain at least 90% of its assets in
of the agreement, Keppel DC REIT will          Looking Ahead                                  data centres.
have the right of first refusal to acquire     The rapid adoption of technology will
the remaining five data centres to be          continue to boost the digital economy,         Looking ahead, the Manager will continue
developed within the campus.                   enhance global connectivity and strengthen     to build on its value creation strategy. It will
                                               the data centre landscape. The COVID-19        continue to pursue third party acquisition
In Brisbane, Keppel DC REIT has                pandemic has reinforced the resiliency of      opportunities, as well as leverage Keppel
granted iseek Pty Ltd (iseek) the option       the data centre sector, which is underpinned   Group’s innovation and capabilities in the
to purchase its 100% interest in the           by strong digital trends including smart       design, development and management
iseek Data Centre for A$34.5 million           technology implementation, big-data            of data centres, to drive further growth for
(approximately $35.3 million10), which is      analytics and the increasing use of 5G.        Keppel DC REIT.
14

                                                                                                                   Approximately 36%
                                                                                                                   of KORE’s tenants
                                                                                                                   operate in the key
                                                                                                                   growth sectors of
                                                                                                                   technology, as well
                                                                                                                   as medical and
                                                                                                                   healthcare – two of
                                                                                                                   the fastest growing
                                                                                                                   industries in the US.
                                                                                                                   Pictured is Bellevue
                                                                                                                   Technology Center,
                                                                                                                   which is located in
                                                                                                                   the technology hub
                                                                                                                   of Seattle – Bellevue/
                                                                                                                   Redmond.

 Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT Financial Results

Stable growth
Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT (KORE) has          KORE continued to achieve positive          the US, broad concerns remain over the
achieved distributable income (DI) of          rental reversion of 5.4% in 1H 2021,        pace of inflation fuelled by the fiscal and
US$15.0 million for 2Q 2021, bringing DI       driven mainly by the technology hubs        monetary policy.
for 1H 2021 to US$29.9 million, 2.1% and       of Seattle – Bellevue/Redmond and
2.8% above that of 2Q 2020 and 1H 2020         Austin. At the same time, average rental    Notwithstanding that, with continued
respectively.                                  collections for 1H 2021 remained strong     progress in the pace of vaccinations
                                               at approximately 98%. The weighted          across the US, the Manager remains
The improved financial performance for         average lease expiry by CRI for KORE’s      confident of the long-term prospects of
1H 2021 was driven by several factors,         portfolio was 3.5 years.                    its key growth markets. The Manager
including positive rental reversions and                                                   is proactively seeking expansion
built-in annual rental escalations across      As at 30 June 2021, KORE’s all-in average   opportunities to expand and solidify its
the portfolio, as well as lower expenses,      cost of debt was 2.82% per annum.           presence in Super Sun Belt and 18-Hour
partially offset by lower year-on-year         Aggregate leverage was 37.1% and            Cities of the US that are characterised by
occupancy. Distribution per Unit (DPU)         weighted average term to maturity of        factors including low or no taxes, as well
for 1H 2021 was 3.16 US cents, 1.9% above      KORE’s debt was 2.5 years.                  as economic and employment growth
1H 2020’s DPU of 3.10 US cents.                                                            that are above the national average.
                                               In 1Q 2021, the US economy grew
In 1H 2021, KORE committed                     6.4% quarter-on-quarter, reflecting         Looking ahead, KORE’s average in-place
approximately 302,000 sf of office space.      the continued economic recovery,            rents which are approximately 8% below
Most of the leasing activity occurred in the   reopening of establishments, and            asking rents will provide an avenue
technology hubs of Seattle – Bellevue/         continued positive government               of organic growth for the REIT. The
Redmond and Denver. This brought               response related to the COVID-19            Manager’s continued prudent approach
KORE’s portfolio committed occupancy           pandemic. While government aid and          towards capital management and its
to 90.5% as at 30 June 2021, with 7.7%         stimulus has helped boost consumer          proactive leasing efforts will also see
of leases by cash rental income (CRI)          spending and mitigate the economic          KORE capture rental escalations and
expiring for the remainder of the year.        impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in          positive rental reversions as leases expire.
15

Expanding portfolio
Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT Management,                 Mr David Snyder, CEO and CIO of                        support KORE’s growth and strengthen
as Manager of Keppel Pacific Oak US                    the Manager, said, “KORE’s focus of                    distributions to Unitholders.”
REIT (KORE), announced on 28 July 2021                 investing in key growth markets driven
the proposed acquisitions of two office                by technology and innovation has been                  The proposed acquisitions are expected
buildings in the US – Bridge Crossing in               a cornerstone of our strategy since our                to be completed in 3Q 2021. The
Nashville, Tennessee, and 105 Edgeview                 listing. Nashville and Denver are key                  Manager intends to finance the proposed
in Denver, Colorado. The estimated                     growth markets with positive economic                  acquisitions with proceeds from a private
aggregate purchase consideration for the               and office fundamentals, as well as                    placement to institutional and other
proposed acquisitions is US$105.1 million,             significant tech investments.                          investors of new Units in KORE, which
comprising US$46.0 million for Bridge                  Top companies from different sectors                   is expected to raise gross proceeds of
Crossing and US$59.1 million for 105                   have set up their headquarters or                      approximately US$65.0 million, and debt
Edgeview.                                              regional offices in these growth                       financing.
                                                       markets, especially tech companies
Nashville and Denver are two of the six new            in recent years, drawn by factors                      The private placement was over two
favourite ‘boomtowns’ for young talents                including the availability of a young                  times subscribed with strong demand
in the US in a trend that researchers are              and highly-educated workforce, a                       from new and existing Unitholders
calling ‘the Great American Move’. Known               business-friendly environment, as well                 comprising institutional investors
also as 18-hour cities, Nashville and Denver           as proximity to various retail, dining and             and accredited investors. A total of
are highly coveted destinations due to                 lifestyle amenities.                                   88,676,000 new Units will be issued at
their lifestyle, culture and employment                                                                       an issue price of US$0.733 per new Unit,
opportunities. As at 30 June 2021, Bridge              “The strategic addition of two quality                 which represents a discount of 7.9% to
Crossing and 105 Edgeview are 100%                     assets in some of the strongest markets                the volume weighted average price of
leased to tenants mainly in the fast-growing           in the US reinforces our approach and                  US$0.7959 per Unit based on trades
and defensive technology sector.                       drive to pursue long-term value that will              done on 27 July 2021.

1. Bridge Crossing is a newly refurbished freehold three-storey office building located in the Brentwood submarket in Nashville.

2. 105 Edgeview is a freehold asset and is one of the newest, highest quality office buildings in the Broomfield submarket in Northwest Denver.

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