Stock News 2012: Ayala Land to invest P60B in Makati

Real estate giant Ayala Land Inc. has committed to invest an unprecedented P60 billion over the next five years in various development projects designed to strengthen the status of Makati City as the country’s unrivaled capital for business, lifestyle, entertainment and culture.

ALI president Antonino Aquino said in a briefing Thursday that the budget represents the single biggest investment that the company will make in a single city and a testament to the “aggressive stance” that the real estate company is taking to sustain its “high growth strategy.”

The P60-billion capital expenditure budget will be spread out across six districts within Makati City where it intends to put up mixed use developments, but about half of it will go into the continuous redevelopment of the Ayala Center, including the Makati central business district.

Another P20 billion will be invested in the development of the Sta. Ana district—on the former Sta. Ana racetrack—into an entertainment-centered area, with the balance going into the Makati South (on the corner of EDSA and McKinley Ave., heading toward Forbes Park), Makati North (near the Makati Medical Center) and Ayala Triangle districts.

According to Aquino, ALI’s decision to invest a significant amount in Makati City was prompted by renewed optimism and confidence in the Aquino administration as well as the country’s economic prospects.

http://business.inquirer.net/50517/ayala-land-to-invest-p60b-in-makati

Stock News 2008: Property firm to launch new condominium project in Bonifacio Global City

Image via WikipediaLISTED PROPERTY developer Robinsons Land Corp. is set to launch its fifth high-rise condominium project in the upscale Bonifacio Global City in Taguig within the next three months.
Mybelle V. Aragon-Gobio, Robinsons Land vice-president for business development, said the company is scheduled to unveil a twin-tower residential project by the second quarter of this year.
Frederick D. Go, Robinsons Land president and chief operating officer, told BusinessWorld in an interview Thursday night that the company envisions a "luxury" project, with units costing a minimum of P5 million each.
"It will be called St. Regis, a name synonymous to luxury and timeless elegance," Mr. Go said.
Last property with a view
He said St. Regis will be located at the vacant 9,118-square-meter lot located along the Millionaire’s row at the corner of McKinley Drive and Fifth Avenue, in Bonifacio Global City.
"It [the property] is seen as the last remaining premier lots that has superior vantage point in the whole Global City complex with a spectacular viewpoint of Manila Golf and Manila Polo Club," Mr. Go said.
Planned as the "lifestyle gateway" to Global City, Robinsons Land said the lot is composed of two mega-block lots — the first measuring 5,747 square meters, and the second block measuring 3,371 square meters.
Mr. Go however declined to say how much has the company allotted for the construction of St. Regis.
Robinsons Land, the real estate development arm of the family of taipan John Gokongwei, currently has three sold-out projects in Bonifacio Global City.
These are the 38-storey Fifth Avenue Place, the 43-storey Mckinley Park Residences and the 43-storey Fort Residences.
Since the projects are already sold-out, Ms. Aragon-Gobio said Robinsons Land has decided to begin preselling its forth project in Fort Bonifacio, the 49-storey The Trion Towers.
Tri-axial
Located in a 9,819-square-meter lot at 8th Avenue and McKinley Parkway, The Trion Towers is the first three-tower residential complex in Fort Bonifacio.
"This new icon of the city skyline boasts of an ingenious tri-axial design which allows all of the units to enjoy privacy, good quality daylight, natural ventilation and multiple views of the city," Ms. Aragon-Gobio said in an interview.
"The groundbreaking design, the buildings’ height, and the triangular formation of the towers all contribute to uniqueness and grandness that The Trion Towers embody, setting it apart from other residential developments," she added.
Ms. Aragon-Gobio said The Trion Towers features 2,146 condominium units with a selection of one-, two-, or three-bedroom units ranging from 37 square meters up to 118 square meters. The minimum unit cost is P3 million.
She said construction of the project is scheduled to be completed by 2011.
"One major design aspect is the introduction of buildings in a triangle formation, where each tower is linked by a bridgeway via a podium-like activity theme park — all buildings will be designed to fittingly embrace the ’central park’, fully maximizing the residential wellness, green-livability and value of the property," she said.
Robinsons Land is the real estate arm of JG Summit Holdings, Inc., one of the country’s largest conglomerates with interests in branded consumers foods, agro-industrial and commodity food products, textile, telecommunications, petrochemicals, air transportation and financial services.
Shares of Robinsons Land were unchanged at P14 each after last Friday’s trading.
Jeffrey O. Valisno
February 11, 2008
http://www.robinsonsoffices.com/jan-mar2008.html

Stock News 2008: Robinsons Land posts 42% profit hike to P2.44B

Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), the real estate development arm of Gokongwei flagship JG Summit Holdings Inc., reported a 42-percent jump in net profit for its fiscal year ending September 2007, buoyed by the strong growth in its leasing operations and higher sales from residential projects.

RLC posted a net income of P2.44 billion last year from P1.72 billion in 2006. Revenues likewise grew 29 percent from P6.97 billion to P8.99 billion on record sales and higher recurring income.

“All business units performed remarkably well. Our drive to build our brand and be responsive to market demands made our performance possible. The strategic initiatives and expansion programs we had pursued in recent years continue to bear fruit,” said RLC president and chief operating officer Frederick D. Go in a statement.

RLC’s commercial centers division accounted for 39 percent of total revenues, contributing P3.54 billion or an increase of 7.9 percent from the previous year’s P3.28 billion, mainly coming from anchor malls Robinsons Galleria and Robinsons Place Manila. The improved performance of RLC’s malls in Pioneer in Mandaluyong, Bacolod and Novaliches also boosted sales of the commercial centers division.

Go said the group’s focus on recovering expenses resulted in improved profitability while operating initiatives on improving tenant mix, brand building, and improving mall facilities and amenities continued to attract a growing mix of clientele.

Five of RLC’s malls now house call centers and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, adding to the wide geographical reach of its shopping centers around the country that made it a choice landlord for BPO companies looking for new areas for expansion, he said.

RLC recently completed The Midtown Wing, an expansion of Robinsons Place Manila and Robinsons Place Otis, a strip mall with a BPO office component adjacent to a prime residential development.
Malls currently under construction are in Bulacan, Dumaguete, Nueva Ecija and Tagaytay.

The high rise residential buildings division, on the other hand, contributed 40 percent to total revenues, posting a 60-percent rise in revenues from P2.27 billion to P3.63 billion.

“Residential condominiums and other upper middle real estate products developed by the division continue to be well received by its target markets. Strong domestic sales and the rapid expansion of its international marketing operations, now in North America, Europe and the Middle East, have boosted pre-selling efforts,” Go said.

The high-rise buildings division has 11 condominium and two office building projects, namely Fifth Avenue Place and McKinley Park Residences in Fort Bonifacio Global City; Gateway Garden Heights and Gateway Garden Ridge in Robinsons Pioneer Complex; Two Adriatico Place, Three Adriatico Place and Otis 888 Residences in Manila; East of Galleria in Ortigas Center; Woodsville Viverde Mansions Building 1, 2 & 3 and office building Robinsons Cybergate Tower 3 and Robinsons Cybergate Plaza.

The office buildings division, meanwhile, registered a 77-percent jump in lease income as all of its projects have been quickly taken up by leading BPO players. It has five office buildings located in Metro Manila’s major central business districts — Galleria Corporate Center, Robinsons Equitable Tower, Robinsons Summit Center and Robinsons Cybergate Center Towers 1 and 2.

Rental revenues amounted to P570.6 million versus the previous year’s P322.9 million, largely due to the opening of Robinsons Cybergate Center Tower 2 as well as increased occupancy rate and generally healthy rental rates in all of its office properties.

The housing and land development division recorded revenues of P715.8 million, up 39 percent from the year ago’s P514.9 million.

Zinnia B. Dela Peña
January 31, 2008

http://www.robinsonsoffices.com/jan-mar2008.html