Retail sales recovery and strong Q4
Retail sales showed a strong recovery with Q3 sales +10% YoY and Q4 sales +18% YoY, contributing to overall retail rental revenue in Mainland China up ~1% YoY. Mainland retail accounts for ~83% of Mainland rental revenue.
Record footfall and membership growth
Footfall reached a record high in 2025; valid (spending) members +24%, new members +10%, member sales +7% and member penetration up ~4 percentage points, indicating improved customer engagement despite a lower average spend per customer.
Leasing momentum and occupancy gains
Occupancy improved across most properties; new lettings increased ~15% and renewals increased ~5%. Re-leasing at major projects is strong (e.g., Grand Gateway retail re-leasing ~91%) and Plaza 66 achieved high occupancy (c.96% excluding renovation closures).
Improved financial position and cost metrics
Net gearing reduced to 32.7% (lower than end-2024). Finance costs declined ~8% year-on-year and interest cover improved to ~3.1x. Management secured liquidity including a HKD 10 billion syndicated loan and only ~9% of debt is due within 1 year.
Material disposal proceeds and residential sales momentum
Property disposal proceeds reached HKD 1.6 billion in 2025 (highest in ~8 years) with HKD 264 million recognized in 2025 and ~HKD 1.2 billion to be booked in 2026 (HKD ~700m Hong Kong, HKD ~500m Mainland). Aperture residential: over 200 of 294 units sold with ~90 remaining; Wuxi center residences sold 50+ units at >RMB 40,000/sq m.
V.3 strategic, asset-efficient expansion
Management launched V.3 (asset-efficient expansions) in four core Mainland cities (Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Kunming) to grow GFA and street frontage with minimal CapEx (~RMB 1 billion total disclosed) and faster project timelines. Examples: Plaza 66 Pavilion LFA +13%; Nanjing Xi Lu retail expansion combined effect cited as +~80% retail area in that locale; Wuxi retail expansion +~40%.
CapEx peak passed and guidance trending down
Management signaled the peak of the CapEx cycle has passed. CapEx guidance: HKD ~3.1 billion for 2026 and HKD ~2.6 billion for 2027 with further declines thereafter; V.3 attributable CapEx included in these figures.
ESG and decarbonization progress
2025 ESG goals were met; targeted low-carbon projects reported a ~42% reduction in carbon emissions in specific initiatives. Eight Mainland operating properties are powered by renewable energy, yielding both sustainability and cost benefits.
Major asset and project milestones
Grand Gateway retail opening readiness: 80% opening target at Q2 and 90% by Q3; mall pre-commitment/fit-out progress strong. Westlake 66 reported ~91% commitment with opening staging and preheat under way. Mandarin Oriental hotel (adjacent project) expected early 2027.