Manulife US REIT’s (MUST) aggregate leverage has fallen to 56.2% as at Sept 30, down from 57.4% at June 30.
According to results for 3QFY2025 ended Sept 30 released on Nov 5, MUST’s occupancy similarly fell slightly to 68.2% at the end of the quarter, down from 68.4% at end-June.
During the quarter, the manager of the US office REIT executed some 81,000 sq ft of leases, or 2.3% of portfolio net lettable area (NLA). Rent reversion during the quarter was negative 11.3%.
In a Nov 5 briefing, the REIT manager says 9M2025 rental reversion was negative 10.4%. According to the REIT manager, more than 70% of leases signed year to date had no tenant improvement (TI) allowances, while the remaining had TIs “significantly below market” rate.
MUST adds that 10 of 14 leases signed year to date were above market rents.
As at the end of the quarter, MUST’s portfolio weighted average lease expiry (WALE) is 4.5 years, down slightly from the 4.6 years at the end of June.
See also: Manulife US REIT net property income down 29.5% y-o-y to US$30.2 million
MUST has completed two divestments so far this year: Plaza on Feb 25 for net sales proceeds of US$40 million and Peachtree on May 27 for net sales proceeds of US$123.7 million.
With the proceeds, MUST paid some US$160 million of its 2026 debt. It has no further debts due in 2025, and some 17% (US$35.6 million) of its 2026 debt coming due in July next year.
As at Sept 30, 74.6% of MUST’s loans remain hedged or fixed, and the manager targets to maintain optimal hedge ratio of 50% to 80% as it repays debt from proceeds from the expected sale of other assets.
See also: Manulife US REIT one sale away from meeting divestment goal, but what’s next?
Under a master restructuring agreement (MRA) that was first announced in December 2023, MUST is required to achieve minimum cumulative net sales proceeds of US$328.7 million by Dec 31 this year. This was originally due June 30, but the manager announced on May 23 that its lenders had granted a six-month extension.
In October 2024, MUST completed the divestment of Capital for net sales proceeds of US$109.5 million. Together with the divestments of Plaza and Peachtree, MUST is still short of some US$55.5 million to meet its end-year divestment target.
Units in MUST closed 0.1 US cents lower, or 1.37% down, at 7.2 US cents on Nov 5. MUST units have lost a fifth of their value (20%) year to date.
