EQS-News: Grand City Properties S.A. credit rating by S&P downgraded to BBB following revision of Aroundtown’s credit rating

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE LAWS OR REGULATIONS 

GRAND CITY PROPERTIES S.A. CREDIT RATING BY S&P DOWNGRADED TO BBB FOLLOWING REVISION OF AROUNDTOWN’S CREDIT RATING

Luxembourg, 29 April 2025 – Grand City Properties S.A. ("GCP" or the "Company") announces the decision by Standard and Poor’s (“S&P”) to downgrade the Company’s credit rating (the “Rating”) by one notch to BBB with a stable outlook, in-line with the rating action taken on Aroundtown, following S&P’s group rating methodology. As a result, the credit rating of the Company’s bonds also decreases by one notch to BBB and its perpetual notes to BB+. The Company’s stand-alone credit profile (“SACP”) remains bbb+.

The revision of Aroundtown’s credit rating is driven by increased macro-economic uncertainty and a weakening German economy which slows down Aroundtown’s disposal activity in 2025 and its deleveraging progress, according to S&P. S&P notes that it expects GCP’s operating performance to remain solid, supported by positive fundamentals in residential real estate markets in Germany and London, and thus continues to expect positive like-for-like rental growth to continue in the upcoming years. Furthermore, S&P notes the headroom created to GCP’s thresholds of its SACP in recent periods, with significant reduction in the debt-to-debt plus equity ratio from 49.3% as of December 2023 to 43.5% as of December 2024, supported by the Company’s proactive measures to manage its leverage, including dividend suspension, perpetual notes exchanges, disposals as well as from a positive shift in valuation momentum in 2024. GCP remains committed to maintaining a conservative financial profile, supported by a strong liquidity position and robust credit metrics such as an LTV of 33% as of December 2024 and high coverage ratio, with an ICR of 5.7x for 2024. The Company continues to maintain very significant headroom to all its financial bond covenants.

About the Company

The Company is a specialist in residential real estate, value-add opportunities in densely populated areas primarily in Germany and London. The Company’s strategy is to improve its properties by repositioning and intensive tenant management, and then create value by subsequently raising occupancy and rental levels. Further information: www.grandcityproperties.com

Grand City Properties S.A. (ISIN: LU0775917882) is a public limited liability company (société anonyme) incorporated under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, having its registered office at 37, Boulevard Joseph II, L-1840 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and being registered with the Luxembourg trade and companies register (Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés Luxembourg) under number B 165 560. The shares of the Company are listed on the Prime Standard segment of Frankfurt Stock Exchange. 

Contact:

Grand City Properties S.A.
37, Boulevard Joseph II,
L-1840 Luxembourg
T: +352 28 77 87 86
E: info@grandcity.lu
www.grandcityproperties.com

Investor Relations Team:
Grand City Properties S.A.
E: gcp-ir@grandcity.lu

DISCLAIMER:

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES.

THE SECURITIES MENTIONED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE SECURITIES ACT), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DIRECTED AT AND IS ONLY BEING DISTRIBUTED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TO (I) PERSONS WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005 (THE ORDER), (II) HIGH NET WORTH ENTITIES, AND OTHER PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49 OF THE ORDER, AND (III) PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS RELEVANT PERSONS). THIS COMMUNICATION MUST NOT BE READ, ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS.

IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (EEA), THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY OFFER IF MADE SUBSEQUENTLY IS DIRECTED ONLY AT PERSONS WHO ARE “QUALIFIED INVESTORS” WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(1)(E) OF DIRECTIVE 2003/71/EC, AS AMENDED (THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE) (QUALIFIED INVESTORS). ANY PERSON IN THE EEA WHO ACQUIRES THE SECURITIES IN ANY OFFER (AN INVESTOR) OR TO WHOM ANY OFFER OF THE SECURITIES IS MADE WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND AGREED THAT IT IS A QUALIFIED INVESTOR. ANY INVESTOR WILL ALSO BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND AGREED THAT ANY SECURITIES ACQUIRED BY IT IN THE OFFER HAVE NOT BEEN ACQUIRED ON BEHALF OF PERSONS IN THE EEA OTHER THAN QUALIFIED INVESTORS, NOR HAVE THE SECURITIES BEEN ACQUIRED WITH A VIEW TO THEIR OFFER OR RESALE IN THE EEA TO PERSONS WHERE THIS WOULD RESULT IN A REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLICATION BY THE COMPANY OR ANY OF THE MANAGERS OF A PROSPECTUS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 3 OF THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY CONTAIN PROJECTIONS OR ESTIMATES RELATING TO PLANS AND OBJECTIVES RELATING TO OUR FUTURE OPERATIONS, PRODUCTS, OR SERVICES, FUTURE FINANCIAL RESULTS, OR ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING OR RELATING TO ANY SUCH STATEMENTS, EACH OF WHICH CONSTITUTES A FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT SUBJECT TO RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, MANY OF WHICH ARE BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE COMPANY. ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY, DEPENDING ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS.