Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) yesterday announced its half year results, delivering an operating profit of $357 million and statutory profit under IFRS of $919 million. The group continues to capitalise on the strong global demand for modern, high quality logistics space in prime gateway cities, ensuring it's well positioned to drive consistent earnings growth over the remainder of FY16.
Goodman is an integrated property group with operations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, North America and Brazil. Other highlights included operating earnings per security (EPS) of 20.1 cents, up 7.5% on the pcp, and total distribution of 11.9 cents per stapled security, up 7% on the pcp.
The company has $33 billion in total assets under management with occupancy maintained at 96%, and weighted average lease expiry of 4.7 years.
Goodman's Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Greg Goodman said, "Goodman has performed strongly in the first half, delivering an operating profit of $357 million. This represents a 9% increase on the same period last year and equates to growth in operating earnings per security of 7.5%. The outperformance achieved was largely driven by the quality and strength of our growing $3.4 billion development work book and active nature of our investment Partnerships."
Goodman is well positioned for the second half of FY16 and expects first half operating profit to be maintained. Accordingly, the group has upwardly revised its forecast full year FY16 operating earnings per security to 40 cents, up 7.5% on FY15, with forecast distributions increased to 24 cents, up 8% on FY15.
Goodman has been outstanding in the last three months, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) by 11%, in a sector that's been dominated by Scentre Group (ASX: SCG), Vicinity Centres Re Ltd (ASX: VCX), and GPT Group (ASX: GPT) who have all outperformed the same index by 16%, 12%, and 12% respectively.
