Interest costs weigh on S-Reit distributions, but not all is doom and gloom for long-term investors

THE latest results from Singapore-listed real estate investment trusts (S-Reits) for the financial period ended December do not appear to give investors too much to cheer about.

Of the 22 S-Reits that have reported distribution figures in their results or business updates so far, 17 reported declines in their distribution per unit (DPU) in the latest reporting period.

Just four S-Reits – Mapletree Logistics Trust, CapitaLand Ascott Trust, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust and Parkway Life Reit – achieved higher DPU.

OUE Reit reported unchanged DPU for its second half ended December.

The weaker performance comes as higher interest rates pushed up net finance costs. It follows a trend seen…