Category: Business

  • Warteck Invest grows profitably

    Warteck Invest grows profitably

    Despite the ongoing pandemic, 2021 was a successful financial year, Warteck Invest wrote in a statement . Specifically, the Basel real estate company increased its net profit by 2.4 percent to CHF 27.4 million. Excluding the gain from the revaluation of properties, growth of 5.6 percent to CHF 17.4 million was realised.

    At CHF 36.9 million, rental income was 0.4 percent up on the previous year. Financial expenses fell year-on-year by 2.6 percent to CHF 5.5 million. The vacancy rate was reduced by 0.6 percentage points to 2.4 percent compared to 2020.

    The market value of Warteck Invest’s real estate portfolio increased by CHF 35.8 million to CHF 874.4 million in the course of the year under review. The increase was not achieved through acquisitions, but through investments in new construction and renovation projects and the resulting revaluations. In the past financial year, the real estate company invested a total of CHF 22.8 million in ongoing projects. A project pipeline with a total volume of over 270 million Swiss francs should generate further growth over the next five to seven years.

  • Fundamenta Real Estate breaks the billion mark

    Fundamenta Real Estate breaks the billion mark

    According to a statement by Fundamenta Real Estate AG , the Zug real estate company’s portfolio exceeded the billion mark for the first time at the end of the 2021 financial year. Specifically, the value of the real estate portfolio increased from CHF 991.9 million to almost CHF 1.10 billion over the course of the year. Fundamenta Real Estate attributes the growth primarily to the completion and transfer of two new construction projects, the completion of three repositionings and the purchase of four existing properties. Revaluations resulted in an increase in value of CHF 15.3 million.

    The net actual rental income in 2021 was CHF 37.2 million, 11.2 percent above the previous year’s value. In the same period, net profit increased by 8.4 percent to CHF 28.9 million. The real estate company writes that a previous year’s success from the sale of three investment properties was more than compensated for “by an excellent operating result and a higher revaluation effect”. Excluding both effects, net income rose by 14.7 percent year-on-year to CHF 17.7 million. The vacancy rate was reduced from 3.5 “to a historically low 2.5 percent” in a year-on-year comparison.

    “Our residential focus has also proven itself in the second year of the pandemic,” Andreas Spahni, President and Delegate of the Board of Directors of Fundamenta Real Estate AG, is quoted in the statement. “The consistent alignment of the portfolio to market demand as well as the holistic and active asset management have again led to very good results.”

  • HIAG remains on course for growth

    HIAG remains on course for growth

    HIAG strengthened its own position in the Swiss real estate market in 2021 and significantly improved its financial figures, explains HIAG Immobilien Holding AG in a press release . According to her, all three business areas of the Basel real estate company have contributed to the continuation of the growth course. Real estate income increased by 5.7 percent year-on-year to CHF 63.1 million.

    The operating result at EBIT level increased from CHF 69.9 million to CHF 115.1 million. Net income rose from CHF 55.2 million to CHF 89.3 million. Without revaluations and deferred taxes, an EBIT of CHF 54.6 million and a net profit of CHF 37.0 million were realized.

    The value of HIAG’s real estate portfolio increased by 8.9 percent to CHF 1.78 billion as of the end of 2021. According to HIAG, the vacancy rate fell from 13.2 to 10.7 percent year-on-year “despite the sale of fully let properties”. In the announcement, the company highlights successful follow-on leases, some with higher rents.

    HIAG also expects business to develop well in the current year. The company can rely on a development pipeline of currently more than 60 projects with a total volume of 2.98 billion Swiss francs. HIAG is also particularly interested in the purchase of residential building land in the future in order to quickly realize condominium ownership. Non-strategic properties are to be divested for capital recovery.

  • Helvetica plans capital increase

    Helvetica plans capital increase

    The subsidiary of Zurich-based Helvetica Property Group AG announced in a press release that Helvetica Property Investors are planning to increase the capital of their Helvetica Swiss Living Fund by around CHF 130 million. The new notifications are intended to be used for the acquisition of residential properties. Helvetica is currently examining the purchase of corresponding properties with a total value of almost CHF 330 million, explains the company, which specializes in real estate fund management and asset management services.

    The capital increase is to be carried out in mid-April. Conditions and further details will be communicated by Helvetica at the beginning of April, “just before the start of the subscription period”. The Helvetica Swiss Living Fund is aimed at qualified investors and is traded over the counter. Bank J. Safra Sarasin is responsible for over-the-counter trading. She will also play a leading role in the capital increase.

  • MoneyPark forecasts falling mortgage interest rates

    MoneyPark forecasts falling mortgage interest rates

    The war in Ukraine will bring the economic recovery to a standstill, predicts MoneyPark in the latest economic and interest rate update from the fintech from Pfäffikon, which specializes in mortgages and real estate. According to him, capital market rates have already fallen significantly as a result of the outbreak of war. This development has also reached mortgage interest rates with a slight delay, writes MoneyPark.

    Specifically, between Feb. 24 and March 8, the company observed a 6 to 8 basis point cut in fixed-rate mortgage rates. By contrast, mortgages based on the SARON reference interest rate (Swiss Average Rate Overnight) remained unchanged. MoneyPark expects further slight reductions in mortgage interest rates over the next few weeks.

    “It is currently particularly important to follow the development of the capital and mortgage markets promptly,” says the update. In particular, MoneyPark anticipates that mortgage providers will launch temporary special offers “due to the intense competitive environment”.

  • Plazza remains on course for growth

    Plazza remains on course for growth

    Plazza AG had another successful financial year in 2021, writes the Zurich real estate company in a statement . Specifically, the company, which has been listed on the SIX since 2015, was able to increase its real estate income from CHF 24.6 million in 2020 to CHF 26.1 million in the year under review. At the same time, the operating result before depreciation and revaluations increased from CHF 20.0 million to CHF 20.6 million.

    In the year under review, “market-related factors” again led to “high revaluations”, Plazza explains further in the press release. They increased the real estate company’s profit from CHF 63.3 million to CHF 71.9 million year-on-year. Without revaluations, the profit increased from CHF 17.0 million to CHF 18.1 million.

    Plazza cites the high proportion of residential properties in its own portfolio as the background to the good developments. The company writes that it increased from 73 to 76 percent in 2021 compared to 2020 due to the purchase of properties in Zurich’s Im Tiergarten district. At the same time, the vacancy rate in the residential sector fell from 3.1 percent to 2.6 percent.

    In the same announcement, Plazza communicates a change in management and board of directors. At the beginning of the year, Plazza’s Chief Financial Officer, Thomas Casata, took over as CEO from Ralph Siegle, who was retiring. On the Board of Directors, Peter Lehmann is to replace Markus Kellenberger, who is stepping down when he reaches retirement age.

  • ZKB facilitates investments in the Zurich airport region

    ZKB facilitates investments in the Zurich airport region

    The Zürcher Kantonalbank now issues the tracker certificate FRZ Flughafenregion Zürich. This means that those willing to invest can simultaneously rely on 22 different companies that have a connection to the Zurich airport region. The financial product is now traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange .

    As the location developer FRZ Flughafenregion Zürich announced in a press release , the composition of the block of shares was determined by ZKB. They selected Swiss companies with a market capitalization of more than CHF 500 million that are based in the canton of Zurich and benefit from the airport. In addition, they must bear the ZKB rating “Market weight” or “Overweight” before admission.

    “The tracker certificate emphasizes the economic importance of the region,” says Peter Arnold, Head of Communications & Business Development at the FRZ Zurich Airport Region. FRZ is probably one of the first organizations in the world to promote locations to take such an initiative. The share package is an important element in ongoing location marketing.

    According to FRZ, the design of the financial product is based on the assumption that airport regions will grow at an above-average rate. Accordingly, the companies operating in this region should have above-average potential.

  • Allreal increases corporate profit

    Allreal increases corporate profit

    In the 2021 financial year, Allreal achieved a company result that was significantly higher than in the previous year, the real estate company with its own general contractor informed in a press release . Specifically, Allreal reported a profit of CHF 182.6 million, compared to CHF 167.2 million in 2020. Excluding the revaluation effect on the real estate portfolio, a profit of CHF 133.3 million was realized.

    In the real estate division, Allreal achieved “an excellent result” in the year under review, the press release goes on to explain. The company from Opfikon emphasizes the expansion of its portfolio in western Switzerland as a growth driver. He increased the market value of the investment properties to CHF 5.11 billion. In addition, rental income increased year-on-year by CHF 4 million to CHF 204.4 million.

    In general contracting, a profit of 53.4 million francs was realized in 2021, compared to 46.6 million francs in the previous year. Here the company benefited “from high sales success”, writes Allreal. The completed project volume, on the other hand, developed “less dynamically than expected”, as in 2020. The division’s result, at CHF 13.8 million, was nevertheless CHF 6 million higher than in the previous year.

    Allreal writes that the backlog of around CHF 694 million secured at the end of the year will ensure capacity utilization for around two years. For the current fiscal year, the company is assuming rising real estate income and further growth in the operating result.

  • Loanboox now enables real estate financing

    Loanboox now enables real estate financing

    The Zurich start -up Loanboox enters the brokerage of loans for housing cooperatives, real estate funds and companies. The financing expert Patrick Zurfluh is joining the company as Head of Real Estate Financing, according to a press release .

    The first pilot transactions have already been completed, including a housing cooperative from the canton of Zurich. By processing via Loanboox, the borrower was able to save 20 percent of the financing costs and more than halved her expenses.

    As Head of Real Estate Financing, Patrick Zurfluh wants to advise and support real estate companies in the future. Before that, he worked for the Raiffeisen and Credit Suisse banks as a real estate financing specialist. “It struck me that real estate financing should be made simpler and more cost-efficient. That’s why I’m with Loanboox now,” he is quoted as saying in the media release.

    Loanboox has been brokering loans from investors to public sector borrowers for five years. All parties can view and organize their documents and communications as well as deadlines via the Loanboox digital money and capital market platform. Municipalities, cities and large companies have received 2,500 loans through Loanboox to date. The company is also open to partnerships with associations and organizations.

  • TX Group sells shares in MoneyPark

    TX Group sells shares in MoneyPark

    The venture arm of the TX Group , which focuses on fintech, has sold its minority stake in MoneyPark to the St.Gallen Helvetia Group . The insurance company had already acquired its first shares in 2016.

    “MoneyPark has developed excellently under the leadership of CEO and founder Stefan Heitmann,” Jens Schleuniger, Investment Director at TX Ventures, is quoted as saying in a press release . With well over CHF 3 billion in mortgage volume brokered annually, MoneyPark has “advanced to become the clear market leader in this area”. In recent years, MoneyPark has successfully expanded its offering to include real estate transactions and pension benefits.

    Daniel Mönch, Chief Strategy Officer of the TX Group, also thinks the timing of the sale is good: “The company has grown from a start-up to a leading fintech and is taking a further development step with the change in management announced today”.

    As MoneyPark announced in its own media release , Martin Tschopp will replace the current CEO Stefan Heitmann on May 1st. The outgoing CEO and founder describes it as “emotionally not easy” to give up the management after ten years. But with Tschopp, a “technically adept and outstanding human successor” takes over his position. “I am very pleased to be able to lead MoneyPark into the next development phase with the existing management team,” says Tschopp. Now it is important to further expand the number 1 position.

  • Implenia posts double-digit million profit

    Implenia posts double-digit million profit

    In the 2021 financial year, Implenia generated sales totaling CHF 3.76 billion. In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to a decline of 5.6 percent. In a statement , the construction and real estate company from Opfikon informed that it was lower than expected “despite portfolio adjustments and longer project durations”. The order backlog increased by 7.7 percent year-on-year to a high of CHF 6.88 billion at the end of 2021. Implenia attributes the development here to “the strategic focus on large and complex projects”.

    Implenia’s operating result at EBIT level for the year under review was CHF 114.8 million. In the previous year, a loss of CHF 146.8 million was incurred here. The consolidated result increased from a loss of CHF 132.1 million to a profit of CHF 64.0 million from 2020 to 2021. All four of Implenia’s business areas were involved in the positive developments. For the current financial year, Implenia is aiming for an EBIT of more than 120 million francs.

    Following the loss in fiscal 2020, the company initiated a comprehensive transformation process. Implenia explains that this transformation is now well advanced. In the future, the company intends to continue to focus on construction and real estate services in Switzerland and Germany as well as on tunnel construction and related infrastructure projects in other markets.

    “The 24 percent increase in the operating result shows that we are consistently implementing our transformation,” Implenia CEO André Wyss is quoted as saying in the statement. “After portfolio adjustments, with a strategic focus on profitable, complex projects and thanks to Value Assurance, all divisions are well positioned to further increase profitability.”

  • Ina Invest looks back on a good year

    Ina Invest looks back on a good year

    In the 2021 financial year, Ina Invest achieved an operating profit of 14.4 million francs and a net profit of 12 million francs. According to a media release , the company, which was spun off from Implenia in 2020, “again exceeded expectations”. Last year, the operating profit was around 5.5 million francs and the net profit was around 4 million francs.

    The value of the real estate portfolio has risen by 19 percent to CHF 435 million since the previous year. In January 2022, the takeover of the Bredella area in Pratteln from the CERES Group was completed. As a result, the value of the real estate portfolio at the beginning of the year rose to CHF 700 million. Ina Invest describes the Bredella area as “one of the most interesting and largest development portfolios in Switzerland” with great potential.

    In the announcement, the company also emphasizes the good development at the Lokstadt Halls in Winterthur. The halls were “almost completely rented out in a very short time”. The Lokstadt in Winterthur and the Bredella area in Pratteln are examples of Ina Invest’s strategy. This concentrates on “future locations of the 10 million Swiss, which will be completely reinvented in the next 20 years”.

    Ina Invest continues to assess the market prospects as “promising”. In 2022, the company wants to continue growing and focus on the entrepreneurial integration of the newly created portfolio.

  • PSP Swiss Property grows profitably

    PSP Swiss Property grows profitably

    According to a statement by PSP Swiss Property , the Zug-based real estate company generated property income totaling CHF 309.64 million in the 2021 financial year. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to growth of 4.5 percent. The operating result (EBITDA) excluding property gains such as valuation differences amounted to CHF 278.76 million in 2021, which is 2.8 percent more than in 2020. PSP Swiss Property attributes the growth primarily to increased rental income year-on-year and higher profits on the sale of development projects and condominium back.

    A net profit of CHF 595.02 million was reported in the year under review, compared to CHF 292.09 million in the previous year. In addition to the factors relevant to the operating result, the appreciation of the portfolio by CHF 464.9 million played a decisive role here. As of the end of 2021, the real estate portfolio of PSP Swiss Property was valued at CHF 9.13 billion.

    In the course of the financial year, the real estate company completed a number of projects and added them to the investment portfolio. The announcement mentions, among other things, the new ATMOS building in Zurich-West with an area of 24,000 square meters. Four investment properties have been reclassified as development projects and a number of properties have been successfully sold, explains PSP Swiss Property. No new investment properties, areas or projects were acquired in 2021.

    For the current financial year, the company anticipates an EBITDA excluding real estate gains of CHF 285 million. The focus will remain unchanged on the modernization of selected properties, our own development projects and leasing. PSP Swiss Property intends to resell non-strategic real estate, while purchases are made dependent on the added value that is expected in the long term.

  • Sika posts billions in profit

    Sika posts billions in profit

    According to a statement from Sika , the globally active Zug-based building materials group set a new sales record in the 2021 financial year. Specifically, sales increased by 17.5 percent year-on-year to CHF 9.25 billion. Operating profit at EBIT level increased by 23.1 percent to CHF 1.40 billion in the same period. The corresponding EBIT margin improved by 0.6 percentage points to 15.0 percent. In terms of net profit, Sika reported a record result of 1.05 billion francs, which corresponds to an increase of 27.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.

    “Sika has created lasting value in a challenging year,” said CEO Thomas Hasler in the statement. “We will do everything we can to continue our strong growth in all regions.” For the current financial year, Sika is aiming for sales growth of more than 10 percent in local currencies to more than CHF 10 billion for the first time.

    In the reporting year, Sika completed a total of seven acquisitions. The takeover of the MBCC Group, which was agreed in November 2021, is expected to be completed in the second half of 2022, Sika informs. The former construction chemicals business of the BASF Group with annual sales of 2.9 billion Swiss francs is to complement and expand Sika’s business “in four out of five core technologies and seven out of eight target markets,” according to the statement.

    With its products, Sika is increasingly focusing on sustainability. The company sees itself “as an enabler that enables customers to use innovative products to reduce CO2 emissions, to build in a resource-saving manner and to make structures safer,” writes Sika. To this end, Sika offers a range of products that ranges “from additives for low-emission concrete to facade systems for energy-efficient buildings to adhesives for climate-friendly vehicles”. On September 30, Sika intends to communicate a “net zero roadmap” with new sustainability goals for its own company.

  • Kaqtu raises capital from real estate industry

    Kaqtu raises capital from real estate industry

    Kaqtu has successfully completed a first round of external investments, the young company from the Zurich Oberland announced in a press release. According to a corresponding report on startupticker.ch, business angels from the real estate industry are providing Kaqtu with a total of around half a million francs. Kaqtu intends to use the capital to further develop its digital interior design assistant.

    With this, interested parties can digitally search for furniture, decoration, colors and wallpaper for individual rooms or the entire apartment. The digital setup assistant is free to use, but Kaqtu offers a number of paid packages for more personal advice.

    The young company is pursuing the goal of “digitizing the entire furnishing process and thereby enabling individual and beautiful living in every household,” writes Kaqtu in the statement. However, the company does not want to achieve this on its own, but rather in cooperation with partner companies in the furnishing market. The establishment of a corresponding network is therefore to be tackled in the current year. In addition, Kaqtu wants to invest part of the newly raised capital in marketing.

  • Home prices rose again in January

    Home prices rose again in January

    Will 2022 be the year of the trend reversal on the real estate market? If you take January as a measure, there is still little to be said for this possibility. On the contrary: The suppliers of residential property have raised their price expectations again. Single-family homes were advertised at 0.6 percent higher values than in the previous month, and there was also a price premium of 0.3 percent for condominiums. A look at the past twelve months also shows how dynamically the market for owner-occupied housing is developing: House prices have risen by 6.9 percent in this period and apartments have even risen by 7.2 percent. This is shown by the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index, which is collected by the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group in cooperation with the real estate consulting company IAZI AG.

    Home ownership remains in demand

    Even if the US Federal Reserve raises the key interest rate this year as announced and thereby stems the flood of money, this is unlikely to have any impact on the Swiss home market for the time being. Neither the European Central Bank nor the Swiss National Bank are currently announcing any plans to exit the era of cheap money. “Should the low interest rate policy come to an end, a reserve is in place. After all, according to local financing rules, homebuyers must also be able to afford an interest rate of 4 to 5 percent, which is hardly imaginable today. Home ownership therefore remains extremely attractive,” explains Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate, SMG Swiss Marketplace Group.

    Constant rents in January

    The advertised rents remained de facto unchanged in January (0.0 percent) on the national average. However, this conceals different regional trends: while rents have risen in the Lake Geneva region (+1.3 percent) and in Ticino (+2.0 percent), for example, in the greater region of Zurich (−1.3 percent) and in the Northwestern Switzerland (−0.4 percent) saw a decline. Rents have hardly changed in the Mittelland (−0.1 percent), in Central Switzerland (−0.1 percent) and in Eastern Switzerland (+0.1 percent). The Swiss Real Estate Offer Index is published on the websites of ImmoScout24 and IAZI AG.

  • Investors are lining up in front of first-class properties

    Investors are lining up in front of first-class properties

    Wer heute eine Immobilie an bester Lage erstehen will, braucht viel Geld und Geduld. Vor Büro- und Wohngebäuden mit hervorragender Erschliessung bilden sich heute lange virtuelle Schlangen von Investoren, die ihre Mittel möglichst sicher anlegen wollen. Bieterverfahren treiben die Preise auf neue Höchstwerte: In der Zürcher Goldküsten-Gemeinde Zumikon etwa erwarb ein Käufer kürzlich ein nicht mehr benötigtes, nur eine Minute neben einer ÖV-Station gelegenes Feuerwehrgebäude mit einigen Wohnungen für rund CHF 21 Mio. 37 Interessenten hatten sich beworben, der Endpreis lag fast zweieinhalb Mal so hoch wie der von der Gemeinde aufgrund einer professionellen Schätzung vorgegebene Mindestpreis von CHF 8.7 Mio. Im Fokus der Anleger standen 2021 vor allem sogenannte Core-Objekte: “Als risikoarme Anlageklasse sind erstklassige Immobilien nach wie vor ohne Alternative”, begründet Yonas Mulugeta, CEO von CSL Immobilien, diese in den Zentren beobachtbare Entwicklung.

    Die Preisentwicklung führte 2021 dazu, dass die Netto-Anfangsrenditen in den meisten Segmenten des Investmentmarkts weiter auf neue Tiefstwerte sanken – dies, obwohl die meisten Investoren eher eine Seitwärtsbewegung erwartet hatten. Wohnliegenschaften erstklassiger Güte rentierten im Landesschnitt mit 1.85% (Vorjahr 2.1%). Noch stärker sanken die Renditen für Top-Büroobjekte: Diese fielen mit 1.9% (Vorjahr 2.35%) sogar knapp auf das Niveau der Wohnimmobilien.

    Ein Grund dafür: Investoren, die im Wohnmarkt nicht mehr zum Zug kamen, wichen in den Büromarkt aus. Auf Interesse stiessen 2021 auch Gewerbe- und Logistikimmobilien – dies als eine weitere Ausweichbewegung von Investoren, die vom boomenden Onlinehandel profitieren wollen.

    Leere Büros in der Peripherie

    Auch die Unternehmen fokussierten ihre Nachfrage 2021 noch stärker auf zentrale Standorte. Der grössere Teil der in den vergangenen sechs Monaten verfügbaren Büroflächen von 2.43 Mio. m2 (Vorjahr 2.26 Mio. m2) entfiel deshalb auf Liegenschaften ausserhalb der städtischen Zentren. Im Wirtschaftsraum Zürich waren in den vergangenen sechs Monaten rund 910’000 m2 Bürofläche inseriert (Vorjahr 812’000 m2). Damit ist das Angebot innerhalb eines Jahres um 12% gestiegen – ähnlich stark wie in den Wirtschaftsräumen Bern (+14%) und Genf (+12%).

    Der Fokus der Unternehmen auf zentrale Bürostandorte ist insbesondere auch auf die Pandemie zurückzuführen. Viele Mitarbeitende haben sich an das Homeoffice gewöhnt. Um sie zumindest teilweise zurück ins Büro zu holen und dort einen neuen Alltag zu etablieren, muss dieses attraktiv sein. Neben der zentralen Lage mit guter Verkehrsanbindung gehört dazu ein ansprechendes Interieur, das Kreativität und Teamprozesse fördert. Unternehmen, die dies nicht bieten können, haben auf dem Arbeitsmarkt einen Nachteil.

    Eigenheimpreise flächendeckend gestiegen

    Auch im Wohnmarkt machte sich die Pandemie bemerkbar: Das Zuhause gewann an Bedeutung. Gleichzeitig löste das Homeoffice in vielen Haushalten ein Platzproblem aus. Dies führte zu einer steigenden Nachfrage – insbesondere im Eigentumssegment, das weiterhin vom attraktiven Finanzierungsumfeld profitiert. Auf der Angebotsseite kam nur wenig Neues hinzu. Die Folge waren fast flächendeckend steigende Preise für Eigenheime. Dieser Trend dürfte sich 2022 fortsetzen – die Hypothekarzinsen bleiben auf tiefem Niveau, auch wenn sie zuletzt leicht gestiegen sind.

    Im Mietwohnungssegment wirkte sich die gestiegene Nachfrage insbesondere strukturell aus: Gesucht waren 2021 vor allem grössere Objekte, während das Interesse an 1- bis 2.5-Zimmer-Wohnungen an vielen Lagen spürbar abnahm. Die Erfahrung von CSL Immobilien im Markt zeigt: Paare beziehen heute kaum mehr eine 2.5-Zimmer-Wohnung, sondern suchen mindestens eine Wohnung mit 3.5, lieber noch mit 4.5 Zimmern. Dies zeigt sich auch in den Zahlen: Im Kanton Zürich stieg der Anteil der 1- bis 2.5-Zimmer-Wohnungen unter den leerstehenden Wohnungen 2021 auf 27%, ein Jahr zuvor lag dieser noch bei 22%.

    Die Leerstandsquote im Wohnmarkt sank 2021 aufgrund der grossen Nachfrage über das ganze Land gesehen auf 1.54% (Vorjahr 1.72%).

    Allerdings zeigt die Quote grosse regionale Unterschiede. Im Vergleich der grössten Agglomerationen weist Zug mit 0.4% den tiefsten Wert auf, Olten-Zofingen mit 3.8% den höchsten. Im Kanton Zürich lag die Leerstandsquote 2021 bei 0.72% (Vorjahr 0.91%). In der Stadt Zürich stieg die Leerstandsquote 2021 zwar minimal an, zeigte aber mit 0.17% (Vorjahr 0.15%) immer noch einen äusserst ausgetrockneten Markt.

  • Swiss Life Asset Managers expands real estate funds

    Swiss Life Asset Managers expands real estate funds

    Swiss Life Asset Managers has acquired two office properties in Berlin and Antwerp, an industrial property in the Stuttgart area and a residential property in Oldenburg for the real estate fund Swiss Life REF (CH) European Properties . At the same time, an office property in Oxford was sold at a profit.

    The assets held in the fund have thus currently reached a level of almost EUR 715 million. In the persistently low interest rate environment, attractive returns can still be achieved with investments in European real estate, writes Swiss Life Asset Managers. The asset manager plans to carry out another capital increase for the fund in autumn of this year.

    In the communication, Swiss Life Asset Managers also communicates its own commitment to sustainability. “Environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) are systematically included in the investment and risk management processes at Swiss Life Asset Managers,” writes the company. Last year, the Swiss Life REF (CH) European Properties achieved 72 percent in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark and thus received three stars and Green Status, Swiss Life Asset Managers informs. The company signed the United Nations Principles for Sustainable Investment back in 2018.

  • Portfolio value of the HSC Fund slightly higher than in the previous year

    Portfolio value of the HSC Fund slightly higher than in the previous year

    The acquisitions from the previous year contributed to earnings for the whole year for the first time. This led to an 8.2% increase in rental income from CHF 38.8 million to CHF 42.0 million. The market value of the real estate portfolio increased by 0.8% to CHF 750 million at the end of the previous year. This increase in market value was mainly achieved through letting successes and dedicated asset management. Due to various acquisitions in the 2020 financial year and the associated one-off increases in value, last year’s investment return was 6.9%. Since there were no acquisitions in 2021, correspondingly fewer revaluations were achieved with slightly higher net returns, resulting in an investment return of 5.4% in 2021.

    As of December 31, 2021, the fund comprised 35 properties with a total rentable area of over 300,000m2. Further information on the HSC Fund can be found in the factsheet as of December 31, 2021. The annual report will be published on March 15, 2022.

  • Asking rents remain largely stable

    Asking rents remain largely stable

    The monthly rental index collected by the digital real estate marketplace homegate.ch from the TX Group in cooperation with the Zürcher Kantonalbank increased by 0.3 points to 116.7 points in January compared to December 2021, homegate.ch explains in a corresponding statement . The analysts explain that the asking rents in most cantons have not increased at all or only slightly. On average, however, there is an increase of 0.26 percent.

    The analysts registered above-average increases of 1.45 and 3.85 percent in the cantons of Nidwalden and Zug in the reporting period. In contrast, asking rents in the cantons of Graubünden, Valais, Schaffhausen and Geneva were between 2.01 and 0.08 percent lower than in December 2021.

    In contrast, the analysts observed rising rents almost everywhere in the cities surveyed. The only exceptions were St.Gallen and Lucerne. Here, the asking rents were 0.77 and 0.40 percent lower than in December 2021. The city of Bern showed the highest increase in a monthly comparison with 0.96 percent.

    When recording the rental price changes for the rental index, the rental prices are corrected for different quality, location and size of the apartments, the communication explains. This makes it possible to record the actual rental price development.

  • Residential real estate in Switzerland

    Residential real estate in Switzerland

    “Im Anschluss an einen historischen Anstieg der Immobilienpreise in der Schweiz im Jahr 2021 stellen wir im vierten Quartal eine Verlangsamung des Preisanstiegs fest”, bemerkt Jonas Wiesel, Mitbegründer von RealAdvisor. Es ist interessant zu beobachten, dass die Preise ausserhalb der Ballungsräume im Laufe des Jahres stärker gestiegen sind. “Die Käufer wollen in grosszügigeren Räumen leben und sind bereit, sich von den Stadtzentren zu entfernen. Dieser Trend ist seit Beginn der Pandemie sehr ausgeprägt” (siehe Einzelheiten im Anhang).

    Die Preise für Einfamilienhäuser schiessen in die Höhe, vor allem ausserhalb der Ballungsräume
    Da die Nachfrage unvermindert ist und der Wohnbestand in der Nähe der Ballungsräume kaum zunehmen wird, ziehen Käufer vermehrt Gemeinden in Betracht, die weiter von den grossen Stadtzentren entfernt sind. Insbesondere in den Kantonen Aargau, Thurgau, Solothurn und Bern steigen die Preise mehr als im Schweizer Durchschnitt.

    Tourismusregionen als grosse Gewinner
    Drei Alpenkantone stechen im Ranking der Top 5 der stärksten Preisanstiege hervor: Glarus (+13.6%), Graubünden (+12.8%) und Nidwalden (+12.3%). “Der Wunsch der Käufer, einen Zweit- oder sogar Erstwohnsitz in den Bergen zu besitzen, kommt allen alpinen Tourismusregionen zugute”, sagt Joan Rodriguez, Mitbegründer von RealAdvisor. Im Wallis sind die Preise nach mehreren Jahren Stagnation wieder angestiegen (Häuser +5,6%, Wohnungen +4,8%). In der Region Tessin übersteigen die Preise nach mehreren Jahren des Rückgangs zum ersten Mal das Niveau von 2017.

    Im Jahr 2022 dürfte sich der Preisanstieg fortsetzen, aber es ist unwahrscheinlich, dass er die 2021 festgestellte Wachstumsrate erreichen wird. Siehe : https://realadvisor.ch/de/schweizer-immobilienpreis-barometer-q4-2021

  • Peach Property posts record pre-tax profit

    Peach Property posts record pre-tax profit

    According to a statement from Peach Property , the Zurich-based real estate company, which specializes in real estate in Germany, posted a pre-tax profit of CHF 258 million in the 2021 financial year. This is the highest pre-tax profit in the company’s history, writes Peach Property. CHF 153 million was realized in the 2020 financial year.

    The value of Peach Property’s real estate portfolio increased year-on-year from CHF 2.1 billion to over CHF 2.6 billion. Rental income increased from CHF 54.7 million in 2020 to around CHF 108 million. With the help of a mandatory convertible bond issued in the year under review, the debt ratio was reduced from 57.8 to around 52 percent.

    In the financial year, Peach Property was also able to improve all external ratings, the press release explains further. Moody’s currently rates the company at Ba2 with a stable outlook, while FitchRatings gave it a BB with a stable outlook. S&P Global Ratings rates Peach Property at BB- with a stable outlook.

    “Our strategy and our business model have also proven to be outstanding in the 2021 financial year and we were able to close another year with very profitable growth,” Thomas Wolfensberger is quoted as saying in the press release. According to the CEO of Peach Property Group AG, the current financial year will primarily focus on “modernizing the residential portfolio and expanding sustainability activities”. Peach Property intends to invest around CHF 70 million in this.

  • Strengthen Switzerland as a location for innovation and expand the lead

    Strengthen Switzerland as a location for innovation and expand the lead

    The Swiss economy is characterized by an enormously high level of innovation and has been able to secure its leading position worldwide in recent years despite the strong Swiss franc. The vocational training system, the close interaction between research and business, start-ups and corporations as well as the high willingness to found new companies are the cornerstones of the recipe for success. The pandemic and the associated restrictions have put great pressure on the economy in all European countries.
    This is a valuable opportunity for Switzerland to further expand its lead in key areas through targeted funding with existing or new instruments.

  • Henriette Wendt elected to the CKW Board of Directors

    Henriette Wendt elected to the CKW Board of Directors

    Due to the measures to combat Covid-19, the 128th CKW General Assembly on January 28, 2022 was held in a small group. The shareholders exercised their voting and election rights in writing to the attention of the independent proxy. They approved the annual report, the consolidated financial statements and the annual financial statements for the 2020/21 financial year. The CKW Group closed the past financial year very successfully with an operating profit of CHF 174.5 million.

    Dividend increase and special dividend
    The net financial assets of the CKW Group increased by a further CHF 35 million to CHF 574 million compared to the previous year. This initial situation and the financial planning for the coming years allow the ordinary dividend to be increased from CHF 3 to CHF 6. In addition, with the conclusion of the energy tariff proceedings and the subsequent compensation for the former transmission grid in the past financial year, CKW has obtained legal certainty in two long-term proceedings. The Board of Directors has therefore decided to propose an additional one-off special dividend of CHF 15 per share to the Annual General Meeting. The shareholders followed the suggestion and approved the dividend increase as well as the special dividend.

    New name: CKW AG instead of Centralschweizerische Kraftwerke AG
    They also elected Henriette Wendt, Chief Operating Officer and member of the Executive Board of the Axpo Group, as the new member of the Board of Directors. She succeeds Michael Schmid, who has resigned from the Board of Directors. As COO of Axpo, Henriette Wendt plays an important role in the strategic and cultural development of the Axpo Group nationally and internationally. Before joining Axpo, Wendt worked for Microsoft Switzerland, where she held the role of Chief Marketing & Operations Officer.

    The General Assembly approved the actions of the members of the Board of Directors and confirmed President Christoph Brand, the government councilors Marcel Schwerzmann (Lucerne) and Dimitri Moretti (Uri), Anita Eckardt, Joris Gröflin and Hansueli Sallenbach for another one-year term as members of the Board of Directors. KPMG AG, Lucerne, was elected as auditor for another year.

    CKW has been operating under this name as a uniform brand on the market for around 5 years and enjoys the trust of customers in and outside of Central Switzerland. This strategy is now continued in the official company name. Centralschweizerische Kraftwerke AG becomes CKW AG. The AGM approved the application in terms of simplification and as a sign of modernization.

    The next General Assembly will take place on Friday, January 27, 2023.

  • Immigration influences rents in metropolitan areas

    Immigration influences rents in metropolitan areas

    "The gap in apartment rental prices in the Swiss metropolises is widening," Comparis introduces a statement on a study on rental price developments over the past five years. The online comparison service evaluated more than 683,000 advertisements from 2017 to 2021 for them. According to the results, the average rents in the ten largest Swiss cities developed in opposite directions. "The main reason for the development is the migration away from the smaller towns to the large centers," Comparis real estate expert Leo Hug is quoted as saying in the press release.

    In major cities such as Geneva, Zurich and Lucerne, rental prices rose sharply over the reporting period. With an increase in the median price from CHF 3,360 to CHF 3,500, Geneva recorded the highest growth for 4.5-room apartments. The average rental price for 3.5-room apartments also increased the most in Geneva, from CHF 2,410 to CHF 2,640. The prices for 2-room apartments rose the most in Lucerne in the reporting period, by 4.8 percent to CHF 1,300. Currently, however, you have to dig the deepest into your pocket in Zurich at CHF 1,650 for a 2-room apartment.

    The Comparis analysts observed the most significant declines in median rents in Lugano. Here, the average rental price for large apartments fell from 1,900 to 1,700 francs, for medium-sized apartments from 1,650 to 1,450 francs and for small apartments from 1,295 to 1,150 francs. At CHF 985, a 2-room apartment is currently the cheapest to rent in Biel.

    The analysts give the median as the mean rent. In contrast to the calculated average, the median represents the mean value across all rental prices.

  • Swiss Prime Site Immobilien enters into a partnership with Superlab Suisse

    Swiss Prime Site Immobilien enters into a partnership with Superlab Suisse

    Laboratory and research space provider soon with locations in Basel and Schlieren
    The company Superlab Suisse, which already operates a location in Lausanne, provides operational and fully equipped research and laboratory space ("Lab as a Service"). The offer also includes operating services and other important services. Swiss Prime Site Immobilien and Superlab Suisse are planning to develop locations in Basel and Schlieren with a total area of over 10,000 m2 from 2022. The Stücki Park in Basel already houses a laboratory building and a technology park in which various life science start-ups come together. Right next door, another state-of-the-art building with laboratory and research areas is to be built by Superlab Suisse over the next 18 months. The second location is planned in Schlieren near the city of Zurich. The Limmattal is the seat of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), the University of Zurich (UZH) and research centers of numerous national and international pharmaceutical companies. There is correspondingly strong demand for laboratory space. Swiss Prime Site Immobilien is planning a modern new building project on the JED site in Schlieren. In cooperation with Superlab Suisse, research and laboratory areas for start-ups, spin-offs or established companies are to be created on two floors. «We are very pleased about the cooperation with Swiss Prime Site for the two upcoming locations in Basel and Zurich, the two most important life science clusters in Switzerland. Due to the direct proximity to the Wagi area in Schlieren and the technology park in Basel, companies from the life sciences sector can benefit from significant synergy effects of these ecosystems," says Zhang Xi, CEO of Superlab.

    Great strides are being made towards making the areas more flexible .
    The demand for flexible office and commercial space has been increasing for years. The market trend towards making rental space more flexible for other types of use is also steadily increasing. Swiss Prime Site Immobilien recognized this early on and successfully implemented it through the development projects YOND in Zurich and JED in Schlieren (existing buildings). Martin Kaleja, CEO of Swiss Prime Site Immobilien: “The key success factors are the modern standard of construction, the flexibility of the space and the guarantee of support and services. As with other areas that have already been made more flexible, the needs of our customers are also in the foreground in the Life Science area.» Swiss Prime Site Immobilien and Superlab Suisse together have the necessary know-how to ensure the space required in the laboratory and research area. While Superlab Suisse provides its innovative platform, Swiss Prime Site Immobilien manages the necessary
    Real estate knowledge and related development resources. Martin Kaleja, CEO of Swiss Prime Site Immobilien, once again: “We are very pleased to have found the perfect partner for making laboratory and research areas more flexible and scaling in Superlab Suisse. While Superlab Suisse contributes the 'software', we have the right knowledge of the real estate market, the knowledge of what our customers want
    and thus provide the 'hardware' in this partnership.»

  • That cost of Switzerland

    That cost of Switzerland

    A significant part of the spending by Swiss people is in the areas of housing, mobility, insurance, leisure and sport. In its annual data analysis ” It costs Switzerland”, the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group provides comprehensive insights into the actual cost of living in Switzerland.

    For this purpose, the figures for 2021 were collected on the online platforms ImmoScout24, Homegate, FinanceScout24, AutoScout24 , Car For You, MotoScout24, anibis.ch, tutti.ch and Ricardo . “As a digital pioneer, we want to simplify the lives of people in Switzerland with groundbreaking products,” says Gilles Despas, CEO of SMG Swiss Marketplace Group. “With our platforms, we give them the opportunity to offer and buy products and compare prices quickly and easily. Especially in an expensive country like Switzerland, price transparency is important to keep an eye on the cost of living.»

    Real estate market: Condominiums in Zug are three times more expensive than in the Jura
    Looking at real estate prices in Switzerland, there are large cantonal differences. While a 4.5-room apartment in the canton of Jura cost an average of CHF 516,000 in 2021, it was more than three times as much in the cantons of Geneva or Zug at over CHF 1,700,000. If you take the most sought-after type of apartment, the 3.5-room rental apartment, as a reference property, there will be differences in rental costs between the cantons of over 110 percent in 2021. While tenants in the canton of Jura paid an average of just 1,135 francs, this figure is more than twice as high in the canton of Zug at 2,428 francs. Overall, the rental prices for 3.5-room apartments remained the same or even fell compared to 2020 in most cantons last year.

    The detailed results of the study on the individual areas can be found under “ The costs for Switzerland ”.

  • Anne-Marie Loeillet becomes the new head of Allreal Romandie

    Anne-Marie Loeillet becomes the new head of Allreal Romandie

    Anne-Marie Loeillet (CH, *1961) graduated from the Languedoc-Roussillon University of Applied Sciences and holds a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Stuttgart. She has worked successfully for various large companies and the public sector in Germany, France and Switzerland over the past 20 years.

    Since 2011, as CEO of PCM Opérateur Urbain SA, she has been the driving force behind the development and realization of the Le Quartier de l'Etang residential and business district in Geneva, with an investment volume of around CHF 1.4 billion. Anne-Marie Loeillet takes over the role from Olivier Plan, who sold various real estate companies belonging to Immosynergies Holding Sàrl to Allreal on October 15, 2021. In addition to a first-class portfolio of investment properties with a value of around CHF 500 million and additional development properties with a potential investment volume of more than CHF 700 million, the company also acquired the general contractor Roof SA.

  • Excellent supply chain management enables Belimo to achieve double-digit sales growth

    Excellent supply chain management enables Belimo to achieve double-digit sales growth

    Overall, Belimo increased its net sales in local currencies by 16.6 percent. In Swiss francs, net sales increased by 15.7 percent to CHF 765.3 million. The positive market development ensured increased demand, especially in Europe and America. Sales growth in local currencies was 15.9 percent for the Europe market region and 18.1 percent for America. In the Asia Pacific market region, the increase was 14.4 percent. Air applications net sales grew by 15.5 percent in local currencies and water applications by 17.9 percent.

    capacity expansions
    The strong growth in 2021 accelerates the capacity expansion planned as part of the Belimo growth strategy. The group will expand its capacities in production, logistics and customization over the next few years with higher investments in all market regions. Corresponding projects have already been initiated in 2021:

    • In the market region Europe, Belimo has signed a contract to purchase a plot of land next to the existing building in Hinwil (Switzerland) in order to accommodate expansions in logistics and customizing.
    • In the Americas market region, logistics capacities were expanded at the Danbury site (USA) in order to create space for future growth and to continue to guarantee high delivery reliability.
    • In the Asia Pacific market region, Belimo has purchased its existing location in Shanghai (China) in order to provide additional capacity and space for warehousing, customizing, logistics and offices
  • In-house Livit Academy celebrates its 15th anniversary

    In-house Livit Academy celebrates its 15th anniversary

    Since its foundation in 2007, the academy has repeatedly taken innovative paths and has developed from offering a once compact course program to today's industry-wide known competence center. It is an expression of Livit's strategic orientation of investing heavily in its employees and supporting them in achieving their goals – the credo to this day.

    For the practice of most professional groups, different skills are required today than 15 years ago. The (working) world is becoming more and more digital, the flow of information is faster and job profiles are changing. Livit recognized the opportunities offered by new technologies and has become more and more modern in recent years. The Livit Academy developed accordingly and acted as a sparring partner in change management. In an accompanying function, she supports employees in remaining professionally qualified and in being able to develop culturally with the organization and strategic orientation.

    Prepared for the future
    The complexity will continue to increase and the specialization of the job profiles will affect the professional requirements and the need for training and further education, says Judith Engel, head of the Livit Academy. This also means that cooperation is becoming increasingly important in order to achieve more together. The Livit Academy recently initiated a cooperation with the SVIT, the HWZ and Wincasa and jointly developed further training in the field of real estate accounting, which will start in March 2022 for the first time. The future is all about cooperation: Livit is also intensifying this with Swiss Life Asset Managers – with the launch of the “AM Academy”, of which the Livit Academy is a part. Together with the parent company, Livit is expanding its know-how in the national and international real estate market, using synergies and promoting networking.