Table of Contents
What changed
Gross rental revenue fell 14.2% to NZ$11.9m and operating profit dropped 36.8% to NZ$4.5m. Profit before tax collapsed 78.3% to NZ$3.5m, with NPAT down 81.6% to NZ$2.9m; because the prior year carried a small tax benefit (effective rate roughly -0.1%) versus 15.4% this year, PBT is the cleaner read and still shows a material deterioration. Operating cash inflow halved to NZ$2.3m. The balance sheet moved dramatically: gross borrowings rose from NZ$9.4m to NZ$55.7m (+492.6%), capex on investment properties jumped to NZ$40.4m from NZ$15.0m, and net debt widened from NZ$6.3m to NZ$51.3m. Total liabilities nearly quadrupled, while equity slipped 1.7% to NZ$159.6m. The announcement records the dividend payment date as "Not applicable" for FY22, in contrast to the prior year's final dividend.
What matters
- Earnings gap is driven by revaluation, not trading. Operating profit fell 37% but PBT fell 78%, pointing to a large non-cash fair-value uplift in the FY21 base that did not repeat. This is a quality-of-earnings flag rather than a trading collapse, but it removes the prior year's profit cushion.
- Leverage has reset to a new regime. Gross borrowings at NZ$55.7m against NZ$159.6m of equity mark a decisive shift from a near-ungeared balance sheet to a developer-style funding profile, with Munroe Lane capex the apparent driver. Rising rates would now bite in a way they did not in FY21.
- Second-half profitability was negligible. HY22 NPAT of NZ$2.5m implies only NZ$0.4m was earned in the second half — 14.2% of the full year — indicating underlying rental earnings were thin once first-half revaluation contributions were behind the company.
Expectations
No quantified FY22 guidance or forward-work target was disclosed. Narrative context points to Munroe Lane completion slipping to March 2023 (from an earlier December 2022 aim) and active leasing campaigns at both Munroe Lane and 35 Graham Street still in progress. With capex of NZ$40.4m already drawn and the project not yet income-producing, the release supports a view that FY23 will remain a transition year funded by debt; it does not support a read that rental earnings have stabilised. AFFO is referenced but no quantified FY22 reconciliation was provided.
Quality of result
Durability is limited. The NZ$2.9m NPAT relies on a first-half result that itself appears revaluation-assisted, given a second-half NPAT of only NZ$0.4m against steady rental revenue. Cash conversion also deteriorated materially — operating cash fell 54.1% against a 36.8% decline in operating profit — and pre-lease free cash flow was NZ$(38.1)m versus NZ$(10.1)m, with capex running at 338% of revenue. Receivable days edged from 14.9 to 16.8, a minor drag. The headline result is therefore more balance-sheet-assisted (prior revaluation base, new debt funding capex) than operationally generated.
Unresolved
- What portion of FY21 PBT was fair-value revaluation versus operating, and what was the equivalent FY22 figure? The 37% operating-profit drop versus 78% PBT drop implies a material mix effect that is not quantified here.
- What is the drawn-facility headroom and interest cost profile on the NZ$55.7m borrowings, and what debt covenants apply as Munroe Lane pushes into 2023?
- What is the leasing status and expected stabilised yield on 35 Graham Street and Munroe Lane, and how does that reconcile to the qualitative AFFO references?
- Why is the FY22 dividend payment date "Not applicable" when extracted DPS data suggests a final distribution — is FY22 in fact a no-dividend year during the development drawdown?
This briefing cannot assess property-level valuation assumptions, covenant headroom, or forward rental run-rate post Munroe Lane, as none of those are disclosed in the supplied data.
Key metrics
| Metric | FY22 | FY21 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $11.9m | $13.9m | -14.2% ↓ |
| Net profit after tax | $2.9m | $15.9m | -81.6% ↓ |
| Net cash inflow from operating activities | $2.3m | $5.0m | -54.1% ↓ |
| Final dividend per share | 44.0c | 0.4c | +9677.8% ↑ |
| Operating profit | $4.5m | $7.1m | -36.8% ↓ |
| Profit before tax | $3.5m | $15.9m | -78.3% ↓ |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $4.4m | $3.1m | +41.1% ↑ |
| Total assets | $224.7m | $179.0m | +25.5% ↑ |
Reference: annolyse.ai/briefings/apl-fy22
Analytical metrics
| Metric | FY22 | FY21 | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| PBT growth | -78.3% | — | cleaner earnings measure |
| Effective tax rate | 15.4% | -0.1% | — |
| FCF pre-lease | −$38.1m | −$10.1m | −$28.0m |
| FCF / NPAT | n/m | -63.0% | complementary conversion metric |
| Capex % revenue | 338.2% | 108.0% | — |
| Capex | −$40.4m | −$15.0m | −$25.3m |
| Debtor days | 16.8 | 14.9 | +1.9 days |
| Trade debtors | $0.5m | $0.6m | −$0.0m |
| Net debt | $51.3m | $6.3m | +$45.0m |
| Gross borrowings | $55.7m | $9.4m | +$46.3m |
| ROE (annualised) | 1.8% | 9.8% | Weakening |
| HY22 share of FY22 revenue | 54.4% | — | Other half was 45.6% |
| HY22 share of FY22 NPAT | 85.8% | — | Other half was 14.2% |
| Profit from continuing operations | $2.9m | $15.9m | −$13.0m |
Reference: annolyse.ai/briefings/apl-fy22
This analysis was generated using Annolyse, an AI-powered tool that analyses NZX company announcements. The analysis is based on available company filings and standard Annolyse calculations. This is general information only and does not constitute financial advice. The analysis may contain errors. Always read the original company filings and consult a licensed financial adviser before making investment decisions.