Interim Statement Q1 2021

Group FFO

The following key figures provide an overview of the development in Group FFO and other value drivers in the reporting period. The year-on-year comparison is slightly affected by the acquisition of Bien-Ries GmbH (today operating under BUWOG – Rhein-Main Development GmbH, referred to hereafter as BUWOG West) at the beginning of April 2020.

Group FFO

in € million

3M 2020

3M 2021

Change in %

12M 2020

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue in the Rental segment

564.0

581.7

3.1

2,285.9

Expenses for maintenance

-79.4

-80.3

1.1

-321.1

Operating expenses in the Rental segment

-103.5

-98.3

-5.0

-410.6

Adjusted EBITDA Rental

381.1

403.1

5.8

1,554.2

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue in the Value-add segment

260.4

273.8

5.1

1,104.6

thereof external revenue

12.3

14.1

14.6

51.6

thereof internal revenue

248.1

259.7

4.7

1,053.0

Operating expenses in the Value-add segment

-223.2

-228.0

2.2

-952.3

Adjusted EBITDA Value-add

37.2

45.8

23.1

152.3

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue in the Recurring Sales segment

108.6

192.7

77.4

382.4

Fair value of properties sold adjusted to reflect effects not relating to the period from assets held for sale in the Recurring Sales segment

-79.4

-141.9

78.7

-274.0

Adjusted result Recurring Sales

29.2

50.8

74.0

108.4

Selling costs in the Recurring Sales segment

-2.8

-3.7

32.1

-16.0

Adjusted EBITDA Recurring Sales

26.4

47.1

78.4

92.4

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue from disposal of “Development to sell” properties

45.4

84.2

85.5

297.7

Cost of Development to sell

-38.2

-71.4

86.9

-235.9

Gross profit Development to sell

7.2

12.8

77.8

61.8

Fair value Development to hold

20.2

12.8

-36.6

298.2

Cost of Development to hold*

-15.9

-10.4

-34.6

-235.4

Gross profit Development to hold

4.3

2.4

-44.2

62.8

Rental revenue Development

0.2

0.3

50.0

1.2

Operating expenses in the Development segment

-0.3

-5.4

>100

-14.9

Adjusted EBITDA Development

11.4

10.1

-11.4

110.9

 

 

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA Total

456.1

506.1

11.0

1,909.8

 

 

 

 

 

FFO interest expense

-90.1

-85.8

-4.8

-380.1

Current income taxes FFO

-11.8

-20.3

72.0

-52.4

Consolidation**

-18.7

-17.1

-8.6

-129.1

 

 

 

 

 

Group FFO

335.5

382.9

14.1

1,348.2

*

Excluding capitalized interest on borrowed capital in 3M 2021 of € 0.0 million (3M 2020 € 0.2 million).

**

Thereof intragroup profits in 3M 2021: € 7.0 million (3M 2020: € 7.1 million), gross profit development to hold in 3M 2021: € 2.4 million (3M 2020: € 4.3 million), IFRS 16 effects 3M 2021: € 7.7 million (3M 2020: € 7.3 million).

As of the end of the first quarter of 2021, our apartments were once again almost fully occupied. At 2.8% at the end of March 2021, the apartment vacancy rate was exactly on a par with the prior-year level seen at the end of March 2020. Rental income in the Rental segment rose by 3.1% from € 564.0 million in the first three months of 2020 to € 581.7 million in the first three months of 2021, largely due to organic growth resulting from new construction and modernization measures. Of the rental income in the Rental segment, € 467.0 million is attributable to rental income in Germany (3M 2020: € 457.9 million), € 88.2 million to rental income in Sweden (3M 2020: € 80.3 million) and € 26.5 million to rental income in Austria (3M 2020: € 25.8 million).

The current increase in rent due to market-related factors amounted to 0.7% (3M 2020: 1.0%). We were also able to achieve an increase in rent of 1.7% thanks to property value improvements achieved as part of our modernization program (3M 2020: 2.3%). The corresponding like-for-like rent increase amounted to 2.4% (3M 2020: 3.3%). Under consideration of rent increases due new construction measures and measures to add extra stories of 0.6% (3M 2020: 0.6%), the organic increases in rent totals 3.0% (3M 2020: 3.9%). The average monthly in-place rent within the Group at the end of March 2021 amounted to € 7.18 per m2 compared to € 6.94 per m2 at the end of March 2020. The monthly in-place rent in the German portfolio at the end of March 2021 amounted to € 6.98 per m2 (March 31, 2020: € 6.83 per m2), with the figure for the Swedish portfolio amounting to € 10.18 per m2 (March 31, 2020: € 9.20 per m2) and the figure for the Austrian portfolio amounting to € 4.79 per m2 (March 31, 2020: € 4.65 per m2). The rental income from the portfolio in Sweden reflects inclusive rents, meaning that the amounts contain operating, heating and water supply costs. The rental income from the Austrian property portfolio additionally includes maintenance and improvement contributions (EVB).

We continued with our modernization, new construction and maintenance strategy in the first quarter of 2021. The total volume of maintenance, modernization and new construction activity fell by 8.3%, from € 414.5 million in the first three months of 2020 to € 379.9 million in the first three months of 2021. While the volume of maintenance measures in the first three months of 2021 totaled € 135.7 million, up by 10.3% on the value of € 123.0 million seen in the first three months of 2020, the modernization measures fell by 20.7% from € 208.1 million in the first three months of 2020 to € 165.1 million in the first three months of 2021. The decline in the volume of modernization measures is largely due to significantly lower investing activities in Berlin as a result of the rent freeze and isolated restrictions related to COVID-19. However, we do consider the current lower level of investment volume sufficient to reach the targets of our climate path. At € 79.1 million, new construction in the first three months of 2021 was down by 5.2% on the prior-year value of € 83.4 million.

Maintenance, Modernization and New Construction

in € million

3M 2020

3M 2021

Change in %

12M 2020

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses for maintenance

79.4

80.2

1.0

321.1

Capitalized maintenance

43.6

55.5

27.3

270.9

Maintenance measures

123.0

135.7

10.3

592.0

 

 

 

 

 

Modernization measures

208.1

165.1

-20.7

908.4

New construction (to hold)

83.4

79.1

-5.2

435.5

Modernisation and new constuction measures

291.5

244.2

-16.2

1,343.9

 

 

 

 

 

Total cost of maintenance, modernization and new construction

414.5

379.9

-8.3

1,935.9

 

Operating expenses in the Rental segment in the first quarter of 2021 were down by 5.0% on the figures for the first quarter of 2020, from € 103.5 million to € 98.3 million. All in all, Adjusted EBITDA Rental rose by 5.8%, from € 381.1 million in the first three months of 2020 to € 403.1 million in the first three months of 2021.

The Value-add segment was slightly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic due to individual construction delays affecting modernization measures. Vonovia’s own craftsmen’s organization made a contribution to the segment’s stable development overall.

We continued to expand our business activities relating to the provision of cable television to our tenants, residential environment, insurance and metering services, and energy supply services.

In the 2020 fiscal year, we changed the reporting of revenue for the Value-add segment with the introduction of a new performance indicator, Total Segment Revenue.

Details can be found in chapter [A2] of the Notes to the 2020 consolidated financial statements and in the segment reporting in the 2020 Annual Report. Key changes result from the separate reporting of ancillary costs outside of the segments in gross terms as well as the decision not to take account of revenue from the management of subcontractors in our internal Value-add income.

External revenue from our Value-add activities with our end customers in the first quarter of 2021 was up by 14.6% on the first quarter of 2020, from € 12.3 million to € 14.1 million. Group revenue rose by 4.7% from € 248.1 million in the first three months of 2020 to € 259.7 million in the first three months of 2021. In total, revenue from the Value-add segment came to € 273.8 million in the first quarter of 2021, up by 5.1% on the value of € 260.4 million seen in the first quarter of 2020. Adjusted EBITDA Value-add amounted to € 45.8 million in the first three months of 2021, 23.1% higher than the figure of € 37.2 million reported for the first three months of 2020.

We continued to pursue our selective sales strategy in the first quarter of 2021. In the Recurring Sales segment, we report all business activities relating to the sale of single residential units (Privatization). Income from the disposal of properties in the Recurring Sales segment came to € 192.7 million in the first three months of 2021, up by 77.4% on the value of € 108.6 million reported in the same period of 2020; of this, € 149.7 million are attributed to sales in Germany (3M 2020: € 80.5 million) and € 43.0 million to sales in Austria (3M 2020: € 28.1 million). We privatized 1,182 apartments in the first three months of 2021 (3M 2020: 760), thereof 982 in Germany (3M 2020: 621) and 200 in Austria (3M 2020: 139). Adjusted EBITDA Recurring Sales came in at € 47.1 million in the first three months of 2021, up by 78.4% on the value of € 26.4 million seen in the first three months of 2020. The fair value step-up for Recurring Sales came in at 35.8% in the first three months of 2021, down slightly on the comparative value of 36.8% for the first three months of 2020. This is due primarily to lower step-ups for sales in Germany compared to the previous year. The step-ups in Austria were considerably higher than in Germany overall.

Outside of the Recurring Sales segment we sold 70 residential units of the Non-core Disposal portfolio as part of our portfolio adjustment (3M 2020: 287) with total proceeds of € 9.0 million (3M 2020: € 49.8 million). At 64.1%, the fair value step-up for Non-core Disposals was considerably higher than for the same period in the previous year (36.0%). The individual sales of land contributed to this increase.

In the first quarter of 2021, the Development segment, with Development to sell business and Development to hold business, contributed positively to earnings in Germany, Austria and Sweden, thereby contributing to the successful growth of Vonovia.

In the “Development to sell” business, a total of 230 residential units were completed in Germany in the first three months of 2021 (3M 2020: 0). In the first three months of 2021, income from the disposal of properties amounted to € 84.2 million (3M 2020: € 45.4 million), with € 54.4 million attributable to project development in Germany (3M 2020: € 23.9 million) and € 29.8 million to project development in Austria (3M 2020: € 21.5 million). The resulting gross profit for “Development to sell” came to € 12.8 million in the first quarter of 2021 (3M 2020: € 7.2 million).

In the “Development to hold” business, a total of 149 units were completed in the first three months of 2021 (3M 2020: 122), thereof 68 in Germany (3M 2020: 114) and 81 in Sweden (3M 2020: 8). In the Development to hold business, a fair value of € 12.8 million was achieved in the first three months of 2021 (3M 2020: € 20.2 million), with € 2.5 million attributable to project development in Germany (3M 2020: € 20.2 million) and € 10.3 million to project development in Sweden (3M 2020: € 0.0 million). The gross profit for “Development to hold” totaled € 2.4 million in the first three months of 2021 (3M 2020: € 4.3 million).

Adjusted EBITDA for the Development segment amounted to € 10.1 million in the first quarter of 2021, down by 11.4% on the value of € 11.4 million seen in the first quarter of 2020. This was due primarily to higher operating expenses. The increase in operating costs compared to the previous year is related to the integration of BUWOG West and the resulting higher material and personnel costs as well as business expenses.

In the first three months of the year, the primary key figure for the sustained earnings power, Group FFO, increased by 14.1%, from € 335.5 million in the first three months of 2020 to € 382.9 million in the first three months of 2021, largely due to organic growth resulting from new construction and modernization measures as well as due to higher sales proceeds in the Recurring Sales segment. This trend was fueled primarily by the positive development in Adjusted EBITDA Total, which rose by 11.0% from € 456.1 million to € 506.1 million during the reporting period.

In the first quarter of 2021, the non-recurring items eliminated in the Adjusted EBITDA Total amounted to € 4.4 million, considerably lower compared to the prior-year value of € 14.8 million. The following table gives a detailed list of the non-recurring items:

Non-recurring Items

in € million

3M 2020

3M 2021

Change in %

12M 2020

 

 

 

 

 

Transactions*

6.1

4.2

-31.1

24.0

Personnel matters

1.7

0.1

-94.1

27.5

Business model optimization

7.0

2.3

-67.1

13.9

Research and development

1.1

Refinancing and equity measures

-3.3

-3.9

Total non-recurring items

14.8

4.4

-70.3

61.5

*

Including one-time expenses in connection with acquisitions, such as HR measures relating to the integration process and other follow-up costs.

Adjusted EBITDA Recurring Sales
The Adjusted EBITDA Recurring Sales compares the proceeds generated from the privatization business with the fair values of assets sold and also deducts the related costs of sale. In order to disclose profit and revenue in the period in which they are incurred and to report a sales margin, the fair value of properties sold, valued in accordance with IFRS 5, has to be adjusted to reflect realized/unrealized changes in value.
Adjusted EBITDA Total (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization)
Adjusted EBITDA Total is the result before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (including income from other operational investments and intragroup profits) adjusted for effects that do not relate to the period, recur irregularly and that are atypical for business operation, and for net income from fair value adjustments to investment properties. These non-recurring items include the development of new fields of business and business processes, acquisition projects, expenses for refinancing and equity increases (where not treated as capital procurement costs), IPO preparation costs and expenses for pre-retirement part-time work arrangements and severance payments. The Adjusted EBITDA Total is derived from the sum of the Adjusted EBITDA Rental, Adjusted EBITDA Value-add, Adjusted EBITDA Recurring Sales and Adjusted EBITDA Development.
Fair Value
Fair value is particularly relevant with regard to valuation in accordance with IAS 40 in conjunction with IFRS 13. The fair value is the amount for which an asset could be exchanged between knowledgeable, willing parties in an arm’s length transaction.
Fair Value Step-up
Fair value step-up is the difference between the income from selling a unit and its current fair value in relation to its fair value. It shows the percentage increase in value for the company on the sale of a unit before further costs of sale.
Group FFO
Group FFO reflects the recurring earnings from the operating business. In addition to the adjusted EBITDA for the Rental, Value-add, Recurring Sales and Development segments, Group FFO allows for recurring current net interest expenses from non-derivative financial instruments as well as current income taxes. This key figure is not determined on the basis of any specific international reporting standard but is to be regarded as a supplement to other performance indicators determined in accordance with IFRS.
Maintenance
Maintenance covers the measures that are necessary to ensure that the property can continue to be used as intended over its useful life and that eliminate structural and other defects caused by wear and tear, age and weathering effects.
Modernization Measures
Modernization measures are long-term and sustainable value-enhancing investments in housing and building stocks. Energy-efficient refurbishments generally involve improvements to the building shell and communal areas as well as the heat and electricity supply systems. Typical examples are the installation of heating systems, the renovation of balconies and the retrofitting of prefabricated balconies as well as the implementation of energy-saving projects, such as the installation of double-glazed windows and heat insulation, e. g., facade insulation, insulation of the top story ceilings and basement ceilings. In addition to modernization of the apartment electrics, the refurbishment work upgrades the apartments, typically through the installation of modern and/or accessible bathrooms, the installation of new doors and the laying of high-quality and non-slip flooring. Where required, the floor plans are altered to meet changed housing needs.
Monthly In-place Rent

The monthly in-place rent is measured in euros per square meter and is the current gross rental income per month for rented units as agreed in the corresponding rent agreements at the end of the relevant month before deduction of non-transferable ancillary costs divided by the living area of the rented units. The rental income from the Austrian property portfolio additionally includes maintenance and improvement contributions (EVB). The rental income from the portfolio in Sweden reflects inclusive rents, meaning that the amounts contain operating and heating costs.

The in-place rent is often referred to as the “Nettokaltmiete” (net rent excl. ancillary costs such as heating, etc.). The monthly in-place rent (in € per square meter) on a like-for-like basis refers to the monthly in-place rent for the residential portfolio that was already held by Vonovia 12 months previously, i. e., portfolio changes during this period are not included in the calculation of the in-place rent on a like-for-like basis. If we also include the increase in rent due to new construction measures and measures to add extra stories, then we arrive at the organic increase in rent.

Non-core Disposals
We also report on the Other segment, which is not relevant from a corporate management perspective, in our segment reporting. This includes the sale, only as and when the right opportunities present themselves, of entire buildings or land (Non-core Disposals) that are likely to have below-average development potential in terms of rent growth in the medium term and are located in areas that can be described as peripheral compared with Vonovia’s overall portfolio and in view of future acquisitions.
Recurring Sales
The Recurring Sales segment includes the regular and sustainable disposals of individual condominiums from our portfolio. It does not include the sale of entire buildings or land (Non-core Disposals). These properties are only sold as and when the right opportunities present themselves, meaning that the sales do not form part of our operating business within the narrower sense of the term. Therefore, these sales will be reported under “Other” in our segment reporting.
Rental Income
Rental income refers to the current gross income for rented units as agreed in the corresponding lease agreements before the deduction of non-transferable ancillary costs. The rental income from the Austrian property portfolio additionally includes maintenance and improvement contributions (EVB). The rental income from the portfolio in Sweden reflects inclusive rents, meaning that the amounts contain operating and heating costs.
Vacancy Rate
The vacancy rate is the number of empty units as a percentage of the total units owned by the company. The vacant units are counted at the end of each month.