Fabege AB

Fabege AB

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Feb 05Next Earn

Q1 FY2026 · Earnings Call TranscriptApril 23, 2026

Bent Oustad

Good morning, and welcome to Fabege's Q1 report 2026. My name is Bent Oustad, I'm the CEO of Fabege, and with me today I have Åsa Bergström, our CFO.

We run through some a presentation first, and then we go over to a Q&A after the presentation. Just a short recap from last quarter.

We still own a modern portfolio with focus on Stockholm, occupied by high-quality tenants, and as you all know, we own, we develop, and we manage our properties with in-house personnel. We are focusing on creating attractive working places and a good living in superb locations in Stockholm, and as you also know, are very much aware of, that's the best growing region in in Sweden.

Our rental value at the end of Q1 is 4.4 billion in the portfolio, and the number of square meters is 1,300,000, approximately. The property value is at 20 no, 78.6 million a billion at the end of the quarter.

Just to go go through again some of our strengths in the company that I see after my four first months. It's definitely our customers.

We have a very high customer satisfaction index. It's highlighted there by strong track record in serving our customers' needs, and that's important also going forward and in all of our renegotiations.

95% of our tenants say that they would recommend Fabege as a landlord. That's positive for us, and we have to keep keep that number up.

We have a long-term lease contracts as a foundation for our business with our customers. We have our own staff across the entire value chain, meaning we have property caretakers, we have the leasing departments, we have the the project team is everyone employed by Fabege, and we even have a CFO and CEO in the company, Åsa, that's great.

We have our our properties are in clusters, giving us some advantages. I really see a lot of economies of scale by that when we are doing the management of them, and it makes us make it possible for us to create engaging meeting places in our portfolio, and that's important also going forward.

We have an excellent capabilities to deliver large and complex projects from start to finish. We are done it that we have done that several times, and we will do it in the future as well.

If we then go to the Q1, just a short summary, positive numbers on most most key figures: rental income, surplus ratio, profit from residential development, and net letting, all positives, and a more or less flattish on the value change. Åsa will come back to those figures later on.

On the positive very good positive side, we have signed a lease contract with Stockholms Sjukhem for an elderly care facility in Haga Norra in Arenastaden. They made a sent out a press release yesterday with that.

It was signed in Q1 and are included in our figures. Permobil has also moved into Arenastaden.

That makes us a little bit pride because they're consolidated all its operations from Greater Stockholm to one location in Arenastaden. Very nice premises there.

The vacancy rate is unchanged from last quarter at 14%. Then, Åsa?

Åsa Bergström

Thank you very much. I will go through the figures in a little bit more detail.

As you can see here, the rental income came in at 892 million Swedish kronor. That's an uplift of 27 million in comparison to last year.

We have a negative impact from identical portfolio relating to negative net letting from the previous years. We also sold one property, Ynglingen, which we had some income from in the first quarter last year.

On the other hand, we have a lot of new income from finalized projects during last year, for example, Saab, who occupied in Q4 last year. The net operating income came in 39 million above last year.

We had higher winter costs, but on the other hand, we have managed to reduce property tax and also some lower maintenance costs, and that meant that we had a surplus ratio of 72%, which is really, really good for a first quarter. We could also see that there were some finalized apartments in Birger Bostad that contributed to an income of 172 million and also a surplus of 40 million, and in total that also contributed to the income from property management, which ended up at 370 million.

That's almost 30% up from last year. As Bent mentioned, we also saw some negative value changes.

I will come back to that very shortly. We had some positive impact from value changes in the derivatives portfolio relating to higher interest rates.

Tax is only carryforward losses, it's not paid tax. The big positive amount from last year was related to the sale of Ynglingen and reversal of tax in that case.

Property valuation, we ended up with a property value of 78.6 billion. We have externally valued 44% of the portfolio.

The average yield in the portfolio was unchanged at 4.59% from year-end, but there was some changes in the city properties, a little bit reduced, but on the other hand, in the suburb locations we saw a little bit higher yields in the valuations. Here you can see a split from value changes in the management portfolio, -191 million, and value changes in the improvement and project portfolio of -68 million.

You can also see the division between the different market areas where both residential and inner city provided positive value changes this quarter. The key ratios, not so much change, but equity per share, as you can see, came out at 120 kronor per share, and the NRV at 145.

We saw positive total return in spite of the negative value changes. Surplus ratio, as I mentioned, which is the best, I think, we have ever reported in a Q1, actually.

Equity ratio and loan-to-value ratio remain at the same level as the year-end, but we also saw an improvement in the debt ratio to 13.1, and I don't know if you're familiar with the target that we have to be below 13, we are very close to that target now these days. On the financing side, the year started really, really strong.

We saw very, very good access to financing from both banks and from the capital market. We also saw reduced margins, especially in the beginning of the year.

It's been a little bit more volatile after the conflict in the Middle East started, but we still see that we have very good access to financing. We were lucky to do some bond issues in mid-February where we could come out on 3-year maturities at around 84, 85 basis points.

We did another bond issue last week where the same 3-year maturities came at 97 basis points. I would say that we are more or less back to the levels where we were at the year-end.

The ongoing refinancing with the bank facilities is according to plan, we are moving some securities, changing some securities, which has taken some more time, but everything is according to plan, and we still have the undrawn facilities of 6 billion, which is good for us and gives us a lot of stability looking forward. The average interest cost came up a little from 2.82 at the year-end up to 2.85.

It's actually been below 2.80 at some time during the quarter, but higher Stibor is, of course, reflected in these figures. A little less than 50% of the portfolio is fixed according to plain vanilla swaps, and if we include the callable swaps, the fixing rate is nearly 70%.

You can see also that the older swaps are at very good levels, most of them, they are, of course, contributing to the positive cash flow for Fabege. Higher Stibor has had a little negative impact during the quarter.

On the other hand, when we are refinancing debt, most of them come in at lower margins than we had before. Most of those debts are signed 3 to 4 years ago at margins that were at that time higher than what we see today.

That will continue to have a positive impact. Also to conclude, a few words on sustainability.

Energy consumption remains in focus. We were very, very lucky last year with a mild winter to come down at 65 kilowatt-hours per square meter.

This year, we've had a much more wintery, lots of snow, much colder, but the 23 kilowatt-hours per square meter, as you see reflected in Q1, is actually the same figure as we had last year. We are on a good level also for that.

Now last week, here in April, we actually sold the recycling hub that we have produced to Ragn-Sells. The hub was in itself established in 2023, and we have used it internally to reuse materials that are taken from one property into another property.

The idea from the beginning was to ensure that we can scale up this business, and with Ragn-Sells and a number of other property owners also connected to this Ragn-Sells, this will be a system that can have a lot more impact going forward. I think that's what I say for now, and I leave back to you, Bent.

Bent Oustad

Thank you. If we then move on and into look into the to the occupancy rate is at the same level as last quarter, and it's, as we said, and including the previous projects, Ackordet 1 and Påsen 1, that was included in the portfolio from year-end.

As I mentioned earlier on in the beginning, Permobil has moved into the properties into our portfolio, and as I mentioned earlier on as well, Atea is moving in in at 1st of April, so that will be reflected in the second quarter. We also have an improvement portfolio.

That's properties partly or fully vacated for potential project development is 102,000 square meters, of which 31,000 is let out. They are properties for future projects for us.

Look at the net letting in Q1, it ended at a positive of 24 million. New lettings ended at 69 million, and terminations at 45 million.

Some of you have mentioned in in different reports that Max Matthiessen will will terminate the lease with us. They haven't terminated it yet, and as you all are aware of, there are some special Swedish laws around that.

We include the figures when we have a termination or when we have a signed contract. Normally we will not comment on on these speculations, but we have read that in the in the press as well, and we we think they will move, but as just to point out, it's not terminated yet.

That said, we would be very happy to have Max Matthiessen as a as a tenant. We have had them for a long time, and and and they are a good tenant.

On the other side, it's maybe also good that they are moving out of that building in in this time. I don't want to comment much more on that right now.

When it comes to the renegotiations, we have totally we have renegotiated for a total of 100 million in the quarter, and 104 million of the maturities in 2026 and onwards has also already been renegotiated. If you then dive into the renegotiated numbers of 100 million, the rents are -0.4% of that, 65% extended on an unchanged terms, and 35 million with a a small decline.

That means that the reduced yearly rent is 375,000, it's more or less flattish. As I said, the renegotiated rents are still above the estimated rent levels used in the external valuation, we we are quite happy with the renegotiations we have done.

They have been dominated by several smaller tenants. Only one contract is above 1,000 square meters in the quarter.

This is back to what we also said before, it's the bread and butter that's been renegotiated this quarter. New leases is a mix of all kind of categories.

We have two contracts above 10 million in yearly rent, and the rest are on the smaller side. If you see all these figures divided by the different areas, Stockholm inner city is 59% of the renegotiations, Solna is 29%, and Hammarby Sjöstad is 12%.

It's a a note on the Solna figures, it's not included the Stockholms Sjukhem contract is not included in these figures. It's in the figures, but not in in the percentage for each area.

The new leases is also divided by the same area: 36% in Stockholm, 49% in Solna, and Hammarby Sjöstad 14%, and Flemingsberg 1%. What we find very very healthy for us is the mix of renegotiations and new customers.

Saab is a from from early days a large tenant for us. They have signed also a new lease in another building.

That's we are very happy with that. We have Atea has has signed some more areas, and Schibsted has moved within our area.

Willem is a new tenant. We have a nice mix of different different customers this quarter.

That's also underlines what I tried to comment on in my CEO letter, that we see decisions being take taken, especially in the in the smaller, more or less bread-and-butter leasing. This is the rental development, and it's just to point out, it's only for the existing leases that we have in the portfolio at the end of Q1.

If nothing happens, the the rent level, the rent rental income would be like this. We have higher ambitions, and we want to improve this throughout the year.

One of our key strengths is the is our customers, and we have very long agreements, lease contracts with them. On the on the left on the right-hand side, you see the 10 largest tenants.

They account for 30% of our contracted rent, and we have a WAULT of close to 10 years for for those tenants. That's more or less the foundation.

The 25 largest customers represent 43% of the rental value then. In total, 700 customers, it's a busy busy days for the leasing department within Fabege.

On the project side, ongoing projects, we have Farao/Kairo is taking the decision to invest up to 630 million. We have dismantled the existing buildings.

Ground and foundation work are on the way, and we are have we are doing the preparation for construction documents to the municipality, etc. We have taken the decision to do construction work up to the ground floor level.

It's just 20 20 meters from the new metro station arriving in Arenastaden. We have Wenner-Gren Center, and investment up to 609 million.

We're doing the facades, the roofing, and also doing the refurbishment of the different floors. If you have visited Stockholm, or if you live in Stockholm, I'm sure you've seen it.

You see the building from all over the city. It's pre-let 30%, and marketing to be started now during Q2 2026.

It will be finalized and moved in in second quarter 2027. A new project on this list is the project Mimer 5.

It's a it's 100% pre-let on a long lease to AcadeMedia. That's a a school building, investment up to 270 million, and a rental value of close to 50 million.

It will be finalized next summer, summer 2027. That's ongoing projects.

In the ongoing project within Birger Bostad, we have talked about this also last quarter, but block 5 is then progressing according to plan. A total of 288 units completed in '25 and Q1 '26 are the cooperation Alma, 23 apartments, 20 are sold.

The three remaining are used as a show rooms when potential buyers are visiting this area. We have produced and rented out 78 rental apartments, and 50 owner-occupied apartments have been finalized, of which 47 are sold.

Possession to the final owner in during Q1 was 42 of the units. Five is still to be delivered there.

Also to be completed in 2026, that's the cooperation co-operation residential is BRF Mathilda and Ingatorp, 137 apartments in total, of which actually this morning 60 are sold, but he said 57 that was yesterday. It's it's it's a good area.

It's progressing according to plan. We have the last last block there in in in the in the next phase is block 4.

We are doing the construction work or are handing out the construction work in these days. Looks promising.

In total, 132 cooperative apartments there, investment approximately 315 million. We have 260 rental apartments, elderly care facility, as I mentioned, is Stockholms Sjukhem, and a preschool, and total of close to 20,000 gross leasable area in block 3 coming up.

That will be an investment up to 860 million. Estimated completion for the whole Haga Norra block 4 and 3 will be end of 2029.

We also have the land allocation at Sveaplan. No more is is totally agreed there.

Possession date will be mid-June 2026, building rights 8,800 square meter gross area, and a purchase price of 210 million. Planned moving there could be in during 2029.

This is definitely one of Fabege's core areas, and it's the entrance to Stockholm inner city. As you see on the picture on the left on the right-hand side, you see the in in the red lines, that's our existing portfolio in this area, and the purple one as the new building in Sveaplan.

In addition to this, we also have the the quarter with Mimer, as I just mentioned, the the the school, is also in this area. In total we have more than 100,000 square meter gross area in this area.

We will have office, coworking, ground floor activities, food and beverage, high-class conference center, looking into different training facilities, etc., all kind of services in this area. This will be important for us, and we have high ambitions here.

When it comes to our building rights in the in our balance sheet, we have commercial building rights of a little bit above 500,000 square meters. 65% of them are legally binding, and it's booked at 8,100 per square meter.

The residential building rights is 445,000 square meters, approximately 43% legally binding, also booked at the same price per square meter. As you can see, the reduction there are some reduced numbers from last quarter, and that's more as as we did last quarter when we took down that when we have terminated the land allocation in Flemingsberg.

We have also looked over the the building rights in in the same area and reduced those according to what we think is most most likely that we will develop. Some of the project project opportunities in the near term, we have the Farao/Kairo, just mentioned, 77,000 office gross leasable area.

There we also in the same area have approximately 500 units of residentials, and in phase one of the resis there will be 185 apartments in in in one of the Farao buildings. Haga Norra, already produced 590 units, in production 187 units, and another 390 units on the way.

That's also include the elderly care elderly care facility that we have mentioned several times now. We have the Tegelterassen in Västra Kungsholmen.

That's 36,000 square meter office. It's partly demolition has started during Q1, and we see nice interest in the in the market for this building, a handful good discussions.

Also high ambitions there, will be more more decisions taken just after the summer in this building. Solna Business Park, we have the Parkhuset, that's a a office building, we have the land allocation, 22,000 square meters, and we have Yrket next to it, the one in in the red red line, 320 residential units.

These are a little bit on hold just because the other building marked there with the green roofing has to be finalized before we can start doing a construction work on our our plots. They are are on the way.

To summarize up our short short-term priorities, also long-term priorities is definitely to decrease the vacancy, is to continue to be a preferred partner for our customers. We have to be always available, accessible, and try to be solution-orientated.

We have to secure value creation in our ongoing projects. It's important when we are starting projects and we don't have the final tenants already in place, we have to do some extra work there then.

We have to analyze our landbank, like we hope you can see we have done the last quarter as well, and made this elderly care facility, have to look through it, and try to create value for both for customers and all you our investors. We will continue to be active in the financing markets, as Åsa mentioned.

We have already done some work there during the second quarter, and we're always looking for opportunities to further develop our company. Then conclude our presentation, and we go over to the Q&A.

Johan Edberg

Thank you, Bent. Yes, my name is Johan Edberg.

I'm from Handelsbanken Markets. I will have the pleasure to lead this Q&A and ask some questions to Bent and Åsa.

I will not do that all by myself. I will also let the web conference in to ask questions, and I think you have the opportunity also to post questions on the conference website.

I will do my best to read them up to the management here. To kick it off and starting with a very easy one before we dig into the Q4 numbers, Bent, you promised in an article that I read this week to increase the share price since the main shareholder, Mats Qviberg, is not happy with 80 kronor per share.

The question, very simple question: how will you do that?

Bent Oustad

I promised. We have to do our work, and then investors have to decide that.

I'm also a shareholder, I'm not happy with 80 either. We are doing that as what we try to present right now.

We have to take down our vacancy, have to try to be a little bit more creative going forward, meaning we are or at least a lot of people are talking about us just as an office and pure Stockholm, but we are creating working places. We see the leases that we have done the last times here has been a mix.

Could be some offices, could be showrooms, etc., and that's what the tenants today are searching for. When we see Permobil taking all their different premises around Stockholm, establishing a new hub in Arenastaden, it makes me really proud.

We see more search for areas from tenants doing exactly the same. We see also Atea moving into Haga Norra.

They want to rent a block of apartments, they want to rent working spaces, etc. They are requesting more and more services in addition to the lease contract.

I think when we have all the properties in our clusters, we have the possibility really to give them what they are searching for.

Johan Edberg

You've been in the company, as you said, four months now. Have you changed anything substantially how you work with lettings or marketing in order to do what you want to do, decrease the vacancies, or is it just more working on as normal or?

Bent Oustad

The thoughts are getting more and more grown in me, and try to communicate some of it. It takes a little bit more time.

We also have new board members in place in the company. I think we are getting forward, and definitely it's focus within Fabege.

I think you can ask anyone employed in Fabege what's job number one right now, and that's leasing. That's to reduce the vacancy.

To reduce the vacancy meaning the property caretakers had to be a little bit more on the front foot when they get up in the morning, has to look nice in front of the buildings, has to be everything is working on the ground floor, has to work in the building, we have to listen to all tenants. We have done that before as well, but always try to make a little bit new start, and maybe we will see some other changes going forward.

Johan Edberg

Okay. Interesting.

Let's dig into the report now. I think that's what we should focus on.

It was very nice to see occupancy rate being flat from Q4, standing at a vacancy of 14%. Of course, you want to be that number to be smaller, but at least it's not getting worse.

The net letting, positive, second quarter in a row now, 24 million in Q1, starting to make a new trend. Is it a new trend that we see for net letting?

Bent Oustad

I hope so, and what I also see, all the more or less bread-and-butter actions is taking within leasing these days. I think if you have waited for 2 or 3 years to see what happens, now you take the decisions and you move on.

Probably you see that in all kind of countries. Even if there are something happening in the Middle East, the daily life here in Sweden and especially in Stockholm is still moving on, and something is happening in the world, and Sweden, the tech industry in Sweden is definitely on that train.

You see someone are quite optimistic doing expansions, and some other has to adjust to a new reality. It's a mix.

Johan Edberg

I think what's leading up to the positive numbers for net letting is more lettings and a smaller amount of terminations. If we look at the lettings, what's the composition there?

Is it anything that sticks out as a big new lease, or is it more broad-based?

Bent Oustad

Very broad-based. I tried to show that on one of the slides as well.

You have but you have some tenants within in the municipality or within Stockholm or Solna Stad, they are always always large tenants in in our portfolio. You also saw some venture funds focusing on security infrast- what you call that tech tech securities.

They're also in a in a industry that's growing these days.

Johan Edberg

You mentioned Max Matthiessen, and the lease is expiring in the beginning of '27, and you expect the termination to reach you in Q2 this year. You also have a big property and big premises very close to Max Matthiessen, Carnegie, for example.

You made me interested when you said it might be positive that they actually leave even though it's a good tenant. Can you please try to say something more because that sounds interesting what you meant?

Bent Oustad

No, Max Matthiessen are in the same building as Carnegie, and everyone knows that Carnegie have if it's a merger, they have been bought by DNB, and maybe they want to grow in their existing premises as well. I think they have high ambitions for their business going forward, so that could be an opportunity.

Of course, the location of this building, it's on the map for a lot of potential tenants. If you want to lease 15,000 square meters in Stockholm CBD, you don't have a lot of options, we see that from different requests we have from potential tenants.

Johan Edberg

What is the potential to actually match the termination with a new lease in the same quarter? Is it possible?

Bent Oustad

It's possible, definitely possible, but can also take another quarter and two. We are booking the terminations when we receive a formal termination,

Johan Edberg

and

Bent Oustad

we book the new lease when it's signed. Of course, as I said, here in Sweden, the tenants have some rights.

If they don't want to leave the premises, they can stay there for a longer time, it's difficult to sign before you have the termination in hand.

Johan Edberg

It is. Since you kind of alluded to the potential that it might be a positive when Max Matthiessen leaving, looking at the market rent at this time, looking at what Max Matthiessen is paying and also the standard or what you might be able or forced to do with the premises in order to rent them out again, I guess what you said that it could be a positive, I guess the net effect from those items is probably something that could be more value enhancing for the premises than you see today?

Bent Oustad

Definitely, probably as you are as well, but Carnegie are good negotiators, I don't feel it's over-rented this building at all, we have high ambitions there on this location.

Johan Edberg

Yep. Values came down a little bit in Q1, not very much.

I think it was 250 million or something. You're pointing at high vacancies in a few properties, and you also say that a big part of the vacancy is actually in three properties in Solna Business Park and also the premises for ICA and Telia.

Are those the ones that actually leads to lower property values in Q1? It's Solna Business Park primarily, or is it something else?

Åsa Bergström

It's Solna primarily.

Bent Oustad

It's Solna primarily, I would say. Not pointed out specially on Solna Business Park.

Johan Edberg

If you exclude those properties, those three in Solna Business Park and also take ICA and Telia into account, those premises, what is the underlying vacancy rate or occupancy rates, if you like, excluding those three properties primarily?

Åsa Bergström

Do you mean the occupancy rate in each different market area?

Johan Edberg

In the company.

Åsa Bergström

In the company?

Johan Edberg

You're reporting 14% vacancies, and you said that of the vacant spaces are in those three properties.

Åsa Bergström

I don't know that number in my head, but of course that's an improvement if you exclude those properties.

Bent Oustad

Also see we have the projects now ongoing with Wenner-Gren Center. We have vacancies there, but that's not in the property now in that portfolio.

We have the two just got into the portfolio, like Ackordet 1 and Påsen 1. There are signed leases in this year already, and as I said, Atea is moving in 1st of April.

It maybe should have been adjusted from the Q1 figures, but it happens in Q2, we book it in Q2.

Johan Edberg

Also impressed to see the surplus ratio at 72%, the best Q1 ever, and I think very many of your peers say that Q1 was a pretty tough quarter in terms of weather and snow. I guess it would have been even higher if we had a normal Q1.

Åsa Bergström

We have worked a lot on the energy side, for example,

Johan Edberg

and

Åsa Bergström

I think all the efforts that we have put in in previous years also pay out now with the energy consumption. Actually, we didn't spend more energy in total, but prices were coming up,

Johan Edberg

so

Åsa Bergström

that's the difference from that. We have also managed to get some property tax back, which had a positive impact, and then a little bit less maintenance cost.

We are very thoroughly looking over when to do things in the properties and not to spend when we don't have to spend.

Johan Edberg

The reversal tax, for example, is that a one-off that has a positive impact in Q1 now?

Åsa Bergström

It has a positive impact in Q1, but

Johan Edberg

Is it a small number or a big number, or?

Åsa Bergström

It's a small number, yeah.

Johan Edberg

I just read and I guess it's common information that it seems like there are many companies out seeking for new premises in Stockholm right now. I saw an article summarizing 70,000 square meters for eight companies with and without name searching for something primarily in this inner city or CBD, but also maybe potential outside.

Would you say it's more activity than normal? Then I realize I don't know what normal is, but do you see more activity now than you did maybe in the fall last year or in the beginning of this year?

Do you feel those companies? Do you speak to those companies?

Bent Oustad

Now you are referring to those that are officially out searching for premises. Also a lot of companies not being that much out in the press, for us it's our mission is to be out there, talk to different companies, talk with their management team, try to put in place a plan for when your lease expires in 3 years.

We have this can match and exit from a potential tenant in our premises. What I really feel the market now, it's a lot out there.

It's a lot of potential tenants in the range 500 to 2 to 3,000 square meters, and you have some much, much bigger ones as well in the 10 to 50, 60,000 square meters. There are movements ongoing in the market, and I think if you have been quiet for 2 or 3 or maybe 5 more 5 years more than you had anticipated to be, you really really do things these days.

I'm optimistic, but still we have to sign the leases. I think also when we go back to your first question, if we sign the leases and we rent out more, we also have a better share price, I can wish for a better share price, but we have to do our work first.

Johan Edberg

I don't know if it's a reasonable question, but I'm trying to look for the delta between, for the sentiment and in the rental market, but also the demand from maybe Q4 late last year in the beginning of this year. Now a lot of things have happened in the geopolitical area and lots of new turbulence or potential uncertainty.

Can you say something, what you experience when you talk to clients? Do you have negotiations that are actually halting, or something that is different now, or are you still positive on '26 and given you've posted obviously positive net letting for two quarters now?

Bent Oustad

I don't think we should put too much into what you read in the press if that's affecting the leasing market here in Stockholm, because yeah, there are some war ongoing in the Middle East. One day it's a war, and next day it's peaceful again.

What it can influence is the energy prices, what happens to the inflation, etc. That's takes a little bit longer time.

Can influence the interest cost, can influence energy prices, construction prices, etc. I try to mention as well in these days we receive construction estimates for some of the blocks in the resi portfolio we have, and it looks promising.

Still there are big deviations between the different entrepreneurs, but I think we are in line with what we expected. Right now it's not heavily influenced, but we have to follow what happens.

Johan Edberg

Before I let the web conference in, I will do that very soon. Åsa, just a question on the financing side.

You're sticking out as being very short on interest rate maturity. Are you comfortable with that number?

It's actually declined even further in Q1 to 1.3 if you exclude the callable.

Åsa Bergström

Yes, it is. We are comfortable, but of course we are following the market to take the opportunity when we find that the timing and the pricing is correct for us.

I think looking forward, you will probably see a little bit more hedging than we have right now, but I'm not worried.

Johan Edberg

Q1 wasn't the right timing for doing more hedging?

Åsa Bergström

We should have been acting in the beginning of Q1.

Johan Edberg

You said in Q1 call, I don't know if it was an answer on a question or if you said it yourself, but your best guess on '26 was pretty flat in paid interest rates, and that was a net of higher market rates, but also compressed margins and bond spreads. Given what we see now, market rates are up, obviously you're doing pretty well in the bond market, banks are pretty stable as I understand it, what's your best guess now standing here three 3 months later?

When I said

Åsa Bergström

this was in the Q4 presentation

Johan Edberg

and

Åsa Bergström

when Stibor was expected actually to get lower than it was at the time, and many of the banks were expecting rate cuts from the Riksbank. It's been very, very volatile during the Q1.

There have been banks expecting rate hikes from the Riksbank. Now it seems more stable again.

Everything depends on what Trump is saying from one day to another. To summarize, I think we have negative impact from maturing swaps, we already saw that in Q1 to some extent.

We have now a little bit negative impact from rising Stibor, but on the other hand, we have a positive impact from reduced margins in refinancings. I think it's fair to say stable, maybe up a little bit.

Last year I was talking about below 3%. I still think that we can hold average interest rate well below 3%, but maybe a little bit up from now, depending on how Stibor is developing.

Johan Edberg

You're not stressed up and you won't buy going up from 1.2 to something much higher just because you're being stressed. You will be able to follow the interest rate development and do smart decisions?

Yeah.

Åsa Bergström

Yes.

Johan Edberg

Okay. I think this is a good time to actually see if we have any questions from the web.

Operator

If you wish to write a question, use the form below. If you wish to ask a question at the phone, please dial pound key 5 on your telephone keypad to enter the queue.

If you wish to withdraw your question, please dial pound key 6 on your telephone keypad. The next question comes from Jan Ihrfelt from Kepler Cheuvreux.

Please go ahead. Okay.

Jan Ihrfelt

Good morning. I have three questions, and the first one is if you could quantify the winter costs this quarter and compare it to the first quarter of 2025.

How much more expensive was this quarter compared to the first quarter of 2025?

Åsa Bergström

A couple of millions.

Jan Ihrfelt

Okay. Second question, do you have any guidance for Arenastaden or investments?

Bent Oustad

Sorry.

Åsa Bergström

Sorry, did you mean investments in Arenastaden?

Jan Ihrfelt

No, investments total for the group, what you expect kind of level for the investment for this year?

Åsa Bergström

For this year, we are expecting a little bit less than 2 billion, I think we are a little bit below that in the first quarter, we will see what happens. Increasing investments will depend on decisions, board decisions for new projects.

Jan Ihrfelt

Of course. Final question, we're now 3 weeks into the second quarter, and if you look at the leasing market, has anything changed if you compare April to let's say March?

Bent Oustad

I think like the comments we had had here as well, there's a lot of tenants out there searching for potential new premises. Is it big difference from March?

I will say trend was also ongoing in March, I feel it's a positive trend.

Jan Ihrfelt

Thanks for taking my questions.

Operator

The next question comes from Lars Norrby from SEB. Please go ahead.

Lars Norrby

Good morning. First a question on buybacks.

You canceled all your repurchased shares after decision at the AGM, and you have a fresh 10% mandate. Looking at your LTV gives you some room after your self-imposed limit, but your debt ratio does not.

To do a material size of buybacks, would you have to, well, do like Castellum, sell properties in order to get some volume in doing it?

Bent Oustad

Yes. Now you went through the toolbox, and the toolbox is, of course, there and should definitely be there after the AGM as well.

That's why we have the authority to do that. Of course, we are now approaching discussions in the board, and the discussions should be there.

I think on the broader view, buybacks is perfect if you have a lot of excess capital as well. We have 40% of our portfolio are in inner city with a lower yield and lower cash flow, I think dividend policy goes first, and if we have sold some properties or done other things that we have a lot of excess capital, it's definitely on the agenda.

Should also ask the question to our new chair in the board and new board members just been in place in the company as well.

Lars Norrby

Thank you. One more question, very much different topic, but residentials gave a boost to your numbers of some 40 million in the first quarter.

This is, of course, hard to predict, I guess, both for you and for us as analysts, but if you're looking at full year '26, based on, well, the situation right now, what is a reasonable assumption for the full year?

Bent Oustad

I think I commented on that last quarter as well. I said around 200 units a year could be a good estimate.

We stick to the same. The numbers of sold units, it's quite stable.

Was 1 week during March was a little bit quiet, but then it's back again, and I think this week alone it's three or four units. I don't know, but overall to sell a unit should be around 100 a year, and then we have some rental apartments on top of that, and we have elderly care facility on top of that as well, around 200 a year is a good estimate.

Lars Norrby

Thank you.

Operator

The next question comes from Nadir Rahman from UBS. Please go ahead.

Nadir Rahman

Hello, good morning, and thank you for taking my questions. Just to drill into the point on the revaluation this period and the focus on the Solna properties, could you give a little bit more color on the three properties that took the revaluation hit?

What is the prospects going forward given that we did see a one-off in Q3 last year in Solna, and it seems to have happened again? Could you give a bit of color there, please?

Thank you.

Åsa Bergström

It's properties where we are expecting some higher vacancies or where we already see some higher vacancies coming. We will not communicate names of specific properties because we're also in renegotiations and discussions with potential tenants for those vacancies.

I think we have decided to take a hit now, and hopefully we will see a reversal of that in the coming quarters. I'm quite optimistic that we will not continue to see writedowns in the portfolio,

Nadir Rahman

but

Åsa Bergström

on the contrary, more potential for increasing values going forward.

Nadir Rahman

That's very clear. Just to confirm, you're saying that your vacancy assumptions for those properties has declined versus where it was at full year, 3 months ago?

Bent Oustad

Maybe also some lagging from valuators into that figures, but there are some discussions ongoing, I think listen one time more through what Åsa just said, and it was very good also. When you know everything happening, yeah.

Nadir Rahman

Of course, wonderful. That's all from me.

Thank you very much.

Bent Oustad

Thank you.

Operator

The next question comes from Tobias Kaj from Nordea. Please go ahead.

Tobias Kaj

Yes, thank you for taking my questions. First is regarding your financial expenses.

The average interest rate saw quite small increase and the net debt also saw a small increase, but it was quite significant increase in financial expenses. Can you give some more color on that, please?

Åsa Bergström

Financial expenses were somewhat up, yes, mainly depending on a little bit higher Stibor during the quarter, or at least towards the end of the quarter, second half of the quarter, you can say, but also that there are less interest rate costs activated on projects since the project portfolio has been reduced. This should be met by increased income, but we still have some tenants moving in and starting to produce income.

I think you will not see the same in the second quarter.

Tobias Kaj

It seems like the volume of callable swaps are unchanged despite quite big increase in market rates. Is that correct, or did you enter new callable swaps in the quarter?

Åsa Bergström

We have not entered any new swaps in the quarter.

Tobias Kaj

Thank you. Also, you report rental discounts, and they seem to increase from 44 million quarter-over-quarter and 132 million year-over-year to 269 million.

Are there some specific contracts that explains the increase?

Bent Oustad

I don't have the detail on that. Have to come back to that, Tobias, if you don't have

Åsa Bergström

I didn't really get the question.

Tobias Kaj

When you report your rental value, you also have a note saying that you have some time-limit rental discounts on 269 million, and that was up from 225 million in Q4, I wonder if it's some specific contracts that explains the increase.

Åsa Bergström

It's related to some specific contracts, yes, and also to tenants moving in that has a discount in the beginning of the contract.

Tobias Kaj

You don't want to disclose which contract it relates to?

Åsa Bergström

No.

Bent Oustad

No.

Tobias Kaj

Thank you for taking my questions.

Operator

As a reminder, if you wish to ask a question, please dial pound key 5 on your telephone keypad. The next question comes from John Vuong from Van Lanschot Kempen.

Please go ahead.

John Vuong

Hi, good morning. You mentioned that you've been rethinking your maintenance costs.

Could you provide a bit more color on your thoughts there, and so do I understand it correctly that you were overspending on maintenance previously or have you changed your approach because you expect more properties to move into the renovation pipeline, for example?

Bent Oustad

No, you can go.

Åsa Bergström

We have done a lot of work for the planning of maintenance costs to make sure that we are acting with the right timing, doing things when we need to do them, and when we're doing other things in specific properties to make the best of it. I think we are a little bit more cautious these days than we have maybe been in the past, but we are not doing any maintenance.

We are doing what is actually needed in order to keep the properties in good shape and to be relevant for renting out to tenants.

John Vuong

That's clear. I think you mentioned that renegotiated rents are still above rent levels in your external valuation.

Just trying to understand here, what does your external valuation imply in terms of rent reversion, and are these assumptions too conservative or is there a change in the underlying trend in market rents, you'd say?

Bent Oustad

I think that was a comment on the renegotiations been done in Q1 here, that was 1. 1% down, and still the rent level in those 35 million that we renegotiated are slightly above the rent in the external valuation, the estimated rent in the external valuation.

I said, okay, the revision wasn't that much, but was negative, but it's still at a level or slightly above what's in the external valuations. Was a comment on that.

I don't feel it dramatically that we have the renegotiation of -1.1% and -0.4% for the whole portfolio, but was just a comment, some flavor to that for you.

John Vuong

Just to quantify, did the external valuation imply say -2.5%, -5%, or is it just a small difference? No,

Bent Oustad

it's a small difference, but it's around 2%, yes, 1.5% to 2% difference.

John Vuong

That's clear. Thank you.

Operator

There are no more questions at this time. I hand the conference back to the speakers for any closing comments.

Johan Edberg

Thank you, and I can't see here on my screen that we have any written questions either, and time flies, just a couple of minutes left. I think I'm doing one more question referring a bit to one of the questions from the web here.

We've seen Castellum obviously selling something and doing buybacks. You're opening up a little bit, although it's maybe not fully your question, but selling something could lead to buybacks.

Is it possible, for example, to sell building rights because that is not yielding anything at this point? If you sell something that's not yielding, creating an opportunity to actually invest in your own share that is trading at a huge discount, would that be possible, you think that, or is it too difficult market?

Bent Oustad

Some of our building rights is possible to sell, but I don't think you can take the 1 1 million square meter that was on one of the slides here and sell them just flat out today. Legally binding building rights, possible to sell.

We also have quite high ambitions. We have a building right in Sveaplan in middle there, in our core area.

It's quite healthy for us to have control of that spot, and that could be also lead to better leasing level in the neighboring buildings. We are building this as a company, and it's not just to sell out one building right because we think there are excess value in that building right for us.

What is the right timing of selling? Normally when it's a hot market, it's good to sell, and should rather buy when it's a more difficult market.

Of course, with our share price today, I don't think you will see us buy a lot of properties right now, but if it's the right property for us, we will act.

Johan Edberg

I guess my last question, I have many questions left, but I think I have time for one maybe. We saw a transaction now in Q1, it was the Swedish Fortifications Agency buying many square meters in Frösundavik.

It's pretty close to your areas or where you have properties. Have you seen already some inquiries from those tenants because they need to find something new maybe in the area?

Bent Oustad

I think whole city are approaching those tenants, and also saw the seller of the property bought a new building in Haga Norra, it's good to see that they like our local markets. I think for all those tenants, everyone should be in Arenastaden, that's a easy view, but they have an agreement where they are, they are using their time and looking at different opportunities, and they are very very much welcome to our properties, and of course we are also in contact with a lot of them.

Johan Edberg

I'm not very surprised you're saying that. I think time is up.

I promised not to use more than 60 minutes. Thank you, Bent and Åsa, and thank you for those who listened in and asked questions.

Thank you. Or you maybe want to say something, sorry.

Bent Oustad

No, thank you for taking your time. We will back next quarter, and hopefully we see some of you also in our Capital Market Days in Båstad.

Thank you. Thank you, Johan.

Operator

Thanks.

Johan Edberg

Thank you.