Distributable earnings rise as Dipula reopens its growth pipeline

Izak Petersen, CEO of Dipula Properties, highlights that Dipula’s results reflect prudent capital allocation backed by rigorous asset management, financial and operational discipline, and the reignition of acquisitive growth.

“As a proud South African business, Dipula draws strength from the remarkable resilience of our people, who possess a distinctive talent for spotting opportunities, unlocking value and turning challenges into success, even in a tough operating environment. The Dipula team has done well to deliver strong performance with a positive set of results that further reinforce our firm foundation for future growth,” comments Petersen.

Dipula remains optimistic about its prospects, supported by a real estate sector in early recovery, fuelled by easing inflation, lower interest rates, some improvement to national political and policy stability, and a more stable electricity grid. Dipula is expecting continued growth in distributable earnings of 7% for its 2026 financial year.

Dipula Properties (formerly Dipula Income Fund) is a prominent, diversified South Africa-focused REIT that has been delivering sustainable investment returns, generating long-term value for stakeholders for 20 years, with nearly 15 of those as a listed entity. The company generates 67% of its income from retail properties defensively positioned with retail centres in townships, rural, and urban convenience locations. It also has a core portfolio of logistics and industrial assets (13% of income), office assets (16%), and a small non-core residential property portfolio (4%). Dipula is invested across South Africa, but its portfolio is predominantly in Gauteng.

Supported by improved property fundamentals and Dipula’s proactive asset management, the property portfolio increased in like-for-like value by 6% to R10.8bn, and 10% for retail, buoyed by higher income prospects and supporting a 7.5% rise in net asset value. Dipula’s revenue, excluding straight-lining, increased 4% to R1.517bn. Net property income rose 3.0%.

Cost control continues to be a management priority, and the total cost-to-income ratio of 43.2% (FY24: 42.6%) reflected a marginal increase due to inflation-driven property expense increases and the effect of lower office rental renewals achieved the previous year. Demonstrating continued cost discipline at corporate level, the administrative cost-to-income remained stable at below 4%.