Centum Real Estate Limited has listed its KSh 3 Billion corporate bond at the Nairobi Securities Exchange(NSE).
The listing gives buyers of the three-year bond a platform to trade the security before its maturity in 2023.
The listing follows approval by both the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).
“The listing gives investors flexibility and more options to cash in or re-balance their portfolios on a need basis during the life of the bond,” said the Centum Real Estate Managing Director, Samuel Kariuki.
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Centum issues bond in December 2020
Centum Real Estate Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Centum Investment Company Plc, on December 16 last year closed the issue of the KSh4 billion project bond with a green-shoe option of KSh2 billion.
According to Geoffrey Odundo, the NSE Chief Executive, the ability of issuers such as Centum Real Estate Limited to come to the market and raise capital points to the acknowledgement of their quality and the rising investor appetite in the market for debt securities.
NSE gives its approval
“The NSE commends Centum Real Estate Limited on the listing of the bond. The success of the Bond and those of the other corporate debt issues is a clear indication of the depth of the capital markets as a good avenue to fund well-structured and innovative instruments,” said Odundo.
The first tranche of the bond successfully raised KSh3 billion, which is being deployed in funding construction of the Company’s ongoing housing projects.
Green Shoe option
Centum Real Estate has the option of returning to the market to raise more cash in fresh tranches of the bond.
“We’re on budget and on time with all our projects and continue to deliver on our promises to home buyers,” said Kariuki.
Projects by Centum
Centum Real Estate has 1,358 housing units under construction, and 1,515 under market validation. Of the units under construction, 77% are already pre-sold.
The company’s potential revenue from sold units is KSh 10.3 billion, of which KSh 3.3 billion has been collected to date. Centum Real Estate has also completed land sales in its Vipingo development amounting to KSh3 billion.
The Company completed two housing projects in its Vipingo Development at the Coast and Pearl Marina Estates in Entebbe, Uganda in October 2020.
The third affordable housing estate in Vipingo is due for handover in the current quarter.
The first tranche of the bond attracted a diversified pool of investors from the banking sector, pension funds, asset management and individuals.
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