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Helical Bar plc

Formed in 1984, capitalised £400,000. M E Slade reversed a European and City of London development portfolio into Helical Bar plc, then quoted under ‘Buildings and Roads’.

The company concentrates on development and trading, with retained post tax profits reinvested in an Investment portfolio. We regard ourselves as an earnings-enhanced investment company. The management currently controls approx 20% of the company with the remainder shared 80-20% between institutions and a loyal retail investor base respectively.

The company’s mission statement is to be active in all geographies and sectors where management, whether directly or via joint ventures, is capable of executing trading and development schemes. The company therefore regularly moves between central London offices, provincial offices, high-street and out-of-town retail, industrial break ups and regeneration projects, timing being the all important discipline.

Market capitalisation

The company is currently capitalised at approx £350 million, having over the past 22 years returned approx £250 million to shareholders, by way of share buy-ins and special dividends. Over the last 20 years, the company has averaged total returns of 29.6% pa. £1 invested in 1984 would today be worth £400. The company has been one of the best performing quoted property stocks over the last 20, 15, 10 and 5 years.

Property portfolio

The company currently holds gross investment properties at a value of £300 million, with relatively low gearing of 50% held as to offices (36%), retail (39%) and industrials (19%). A development and trading portfolio comprises potential residential land, city and West End office schemes and large regeneration sites throughout the country currently valued at £115 million. Analysts anticipate the investment portfolio less debt to produce a value equivalent to 330p per share, March 2007.

Plans to launch a REIT?

It is not Helical Bar’s intention to launch as a REIT. Our modus operandi is too heavily weighted in favour of profits from development and trading. It is our contention that despite attracting tax liability the company’s history and current targets of maintaining high total returns from our entrepreneurial property transactions will continue to enable us to outperform the sector.

Reason for joining The REITs and Quoted Property Group

We welcome the TRQPG initiative as we have long wished for greater contact with the IFAs around the country, as we regard individual shareholders as extremely important alongside our loyal institutional shareholders.

Find out more

Our website is www.helical.co.uk and we invite you to visit.

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