A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Commerce, University of the Witwatersrand. / As the objective of investing is the maximization of wealth, it is imperative for investors to find instruments which will help them achieve their goal. A real estate investment trust can be a form of wealth maximization if an investor is knowledgeable about its long-term performance and the drivers of this performance. This study employed the use of panel regression models to isolate the performance of South African REITs, in order to compare the risk-adjusted returns of REIT segments over the long term and to identify the determinants of REIT risk-adjusted returns. Risk-adjusted performance ratios were used to measure return on real estate investment funds to conclude on the performance of SA REITs. The Sharpe ratio, Treynor index and Jensen’s Alpha were performance measures of 55 JSE-listed and delisted REITs over 18 years (2000 – 2017) thus incorporating 433 firm-years.The empirical evidence suggests that size, book-to-market, property asset intensity, dividend yield and real GDP growth influence the performance of South African real estate investment trusts and Hotel and Resort REITs as well as Retail REIT significantly underperformed the other REIT sectors, under the Sharpe ratio and Jensen’s Alpha. Furthermore, the REIT performance during the financial crisis outperformed their performance during the other market phases. / PH2020

The Asian REIT market has been developing quickly in recent years and gradually attracted attention of international investors. However, compared with other developed markets such as the US and Australia, very little is known about the Asian REIT market. This research examines the impact of the quality of corporate governance on the performance of two major and similar REIT markets - Hong Kong and Singapore. In this research, the quality of corporate governance is measured by a scoring system that is based on the APREA Corporate Governance Scoring Framework (APREA CGSF) developed by Lecomte and Ooi (2012) for Singapore REITs but modified to suit the characteristics and regulatory requirements of both Hong Kong and Singapore REIT markets. Firm performance is measured by Tobin’s Q. The empirical analysis is based on panel data during 2007-2011 from Hong Kong and Singapore REIT markets. The empirical results show that the quality of corporate governance (as measured by the Integrated Corporate Governance Index or ICGI) has a significant and positive impact on firm performance, holding other factors constant. However, closer examination shows that only about 20% of all the governance provisions included in the ICGI have significant impact on firm performance. This research also finds that REITs with corporate governance that takes into consideration of the interests of other stakeholders in addition to those of the shareholders (such as provision for corporate social responsibility) do not perform better. Incidentally, the empirical results strongly suggest that Singapore REITs perform better than Hong Kong REITs after controlling for all known factors including the quality of corporate governance. This result calls for a deeper explanation. A more detailed study from a new institutional economics perspective may shed light on this issue. / published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Master / Master of Philosophy

O presente trabalho trata de tema extremamente útil, porém ainda pouco trabalhado pela doutrina brasileira. A Lei no 8.668/93, que criou os Fundos de Investimento Imobiliário (FII) no Brasil, foi o primeiro diploma a permitir a securitização e fracionamento da propriedade imobiliária, convertendo-a em valores mobiliários passíveis de negociação no mercado de capitais. Os Fundos de Investimento Imobiliário viabilizaram o acesso de pequenos investidores, incluindo pessoas físicas, ao mercado imobiliário, viabilizando a aplicação em empreendimentos de alto retorno que, entretanto, demandam grandes investimentos. A análise da natureza jurídica do FII se justifica pela importância econômica e social do instituto, mas a esta não se restringe, tendo em vista a riqueza do conteúdo jurídico-normativo que culminou na criação de uma modalidade diferenciada de fundo de investimento, espelhada no modelo norte americano, o Real Estate Investment Trust. O Fundo de Investimento Imobiliário é um exemplo bem sucedido da criatividade legislativa, que através da combinação de institutos alcançou o que consideramos ser a figura no Brasil que mais se assemelha ao trust anglo saxão. A estrutura atribuída ao FII, marcada, em especial, pela propriedade fiduciária e pelo regime de afetação, revestem o Fundo de peculiaridades que reclamam a análise de sua natureza jurídica sob uma perspectiva própria, e diferenciada dos demais fundos de investimento. A investigação acerca da natureza jurídica do FII requer a releitura de conceitos que transitam entre o Direito Civil e o Direito Comercial, tais como de comunhão, condomínio e sociedade, negócio fiduciário, negócio indireto, propriedade, direitos reais e pessoais, patrimônio separado, pessoa jurídica e sujeito de direito, de cujo resultado decorre o reconhecimento do Fundo de Investimento Imobiliário como contrato de sociedade, caracterizado pela perseguição de uma finalidade econômica através de uma organização. O escolha do tema e a metodologia empregada no desenvolvimento deste trabalho tiveram por objetivo não só o aprofundamento da matéria, mas também a inspiração de outros estudos com base na common law, que possam igualmente levar à conclusão a respeito da beleza e eficiência de um sistema legal construído sobre estruturas abertas e mais flexíveis. / The theme of this paperwork is extremely useful, but not so much explored by Brazilian doctrine. The Law 8.668/93, which created in Brazil the Real Estate Investment Funds (Fundos de Investimento Imobiliário FII), was the first statute to allow the securitization and fractionation of real estate, converting it into subject securities traded in the capital market. The Real Estate Investment Funds enabled retail investors, including individuals, to access the real estate market, qualifying them to apply their resources on high-return ventures that, however, require large investments. The analysis of the legal nature of the FII is justified by the economic and social importance of the institute, but is not restricted thereto taken the enriched content of the legal-normative framework that culminated in the creation of a unique model of investment fund, mirrored in the North American Real Estate Investment Trust. The Real Estate Investment Fund is a successful example of legislative creativity that by combining institutes reached what we consider to be the figure in Brazil that most resembles the Anglo Saxon trust. The structure assigned to the FII, marked in particular by the fiduciary property and the rules of affectation, lines the Fund with certain peculiarities that demand the analysis of its legal nature under its own perspective, isolated from the other investment funds. Research on the legal nature of FII requires the reinterpretation of concepts that integrate both the Civil and Commercial Law, such as communion, condominium and company, fiduciary relationship, indirect relationship, property, real rights and personal rights, separated patrimony, legal person and capacity, which result leads to a due recognition of the Real Estate Investment Fund as a corporate agreement, characterized by the pursuit of an economic purpose through an organization. The choice of the theme and the methodology applied for the development of this paperwork aimed not only to deepen the matter, but also to inspire further studies based on the common law that could also lead to the conclusion about the beauty and efficiency of a legal system built on open and more flexible structures.

O presente trabalho trata de tema extremamente útil, porém ainda pouco trabalhado pela doutrina brasileira. A Lei no 8.668/93, que criou os Fundos de Investimento Imobiliário (FII) no Brasil, foi o primeiro diploma a permitir a securitização e fracionamento da propriedade imobiliária, convertendo-a em valores mobiliários passíveis de negociação no mercado de capitais. Os Fundos de Investimento Imobiliário viabilizaram o acesso de pequenos investidores, incluindo pessoas físicas, ao mercado imobiliário, viabilizando a aplicação em empreendimentos de alto retorno que, entretanto, demandam grandes investimentos. A análise da natureza jurídica do FII se justifica pela importância econômica e social do instituto, mas a esta não se restringe, tendo em vista a riqueza do conteúdo jurídico-normativo que culminou na criação de uma modalidade diferenciada de fundo de investimento, espelhada no modelo norte americano, o Real Estate Investment Trust. O Fundo de Investimento Imobiliário é um exemplo bem sucedido da criatividade legislativa, que através da combinação de institutos alcançou o que consideramos ser a figura no Brasil que mais se assemelha ao trust anglo saxão. A estrutura atribuída ao FII, marcada, em especial, pela propriedade fiduciária e pelo regime de afetação, revestem o Fundo de peculiaridades que reclamam a análise de sua natureza jurídica sob uma perspectiva própria, e diferenciada dos demais fundos de investimento. A investigação acerca da natureza jurídica do FII requer a releitura de conceitos que transitam entre o Direito Civil e o Direito Comercial, tais como de comunhão, condomínio e sociedade, negócio fiduciário, negócio indireto, propriedade, direitos reais e pessoais, patrimônio separado, pessoa jurídica e sujeito de direito, de cujo resultado decorre o reconhecimento do Fundo de Investimento Imobiliário como contrato de sociedade, caracterizado pela perseguição de uma finalidade econômica através de uma organização. O escolha do tema e a metodologia empregada no desenvolvimento deste trabalho tiveram por objetivo não só o aprofundamento da matéria, mas também a inspiração de outros estudos com base na common law, que possam igualmente levar à conclusão a respeito da beleza e eficiência de um sistema legal construído sobre estruturas abertas e mais flexíveis. / The theme of this paperwork is extremely useful, but not so much explored by Brazilian doctrine. The Law 8.668/93, which created in Brazil the Real Estate Investment Funds (Fundos de Investimento Imobiliário FII), was the first statute to allow the securitization and fractionation of real estate, converting it into subject securities traded in the capital market. The Real Estate Investment Funds enabled retail investors, including individuals, to access the real estate market, qualifying them to apply their resources on high-return ventures that, however, require large investments. The analysis of the legal nature of the FII is justified by the economic and social importance of the institute, but is not restricted thereto taken the enriched content of the legal-normative framework that culminated in the creation of a unique model of investment fund, mirrored in the North American Real Estate Investment Trust. The Real Estate Investment Fund is a successful example of legislative creativity that by combining institutes reached what we consider to be the figure in Brazil that most resembles the Anglo Saxon trust. The structure assigned to the FII, marked in particular by the fiduciary property and the rules of affectation, lines the Fund with certain peculiarities that demand the analysis of its legal nature under its own perspective, isolated from the other investment funds. Research on the legal nature of FII requires the reinterpretation of concepts that integrate both the Civil and Commercial Law, such as communion, condominium and company, fiduciary relationship, indirect relationship, property, real rights and personal rights, separated patrimony, legal person and capacity, which result leads to a due recognition of the Real Estate Investment Fund as a corporate agreement, characterized by the pursuit of an economic purpose through an organization. The choice of the theme and the methodology applied for the development of this paperwork aimed not only to deepen the matter, but also to inspire further studies based on the common law that could also lead to the conclusion about the beauty and efficiency of a legal system built on open and more flexible structures.

The commercial value for Bed and Breakfasts and Country Inns did not kept pace with other lodging establishments. Lodging real estate investment trusts (REITs) grew in the 1990's by acquiring hotels and motels but not the smaller Inns. This study investigated what sale terms and conditions an Inn owner would sell their property to a REIT. The study examined what conditions an innkeeper would manage the property for the REIT once the sale was closed. This study concluded that a REIT was not a feasible exit strategy for Inn owners.

A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Finance. 28th September 2015 / National real estate markets are globally recognized as essential segments of an economy and major contributors to national aggregate outputs. However, Africa’s national real estate markets are largely underdeveloped mainly because capital is in short supply. In this study, we examine the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI), foreign portfolio investments (FPI) and remittances on Africa’s real estate markets. We also sought to establish the financial market channels of capital inflows that are especially important for the real estate markets. In 1980s and 1990s, the widespread influence of the Bretton Woods institutions’ policy prescriptions saw many African countries implement far-reaching financial liberalization reforms. These reforms were meant to address low domestic savings and investments by opening the capital accounts of nations as to enable inflow of foreign capital. In this study, we test the externalities of these inflows. Specifically, we examine the effects of foreign capital inflows on African real estate markets by estimating a structural investment model using a pooled feasible generalized least square and general method of moment estimators in a panel set-up. We use data from Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia and South Africa for this test. Second, we examine causality relationships between real estate investments and foreign capital inflows using vector autoregressive (VAR) models and the Bai-Perron threshold test. Third, using the optimal general method of moment estimators and interactive term approach, we model the most important channel for foreign capital inflows’ externalities on the real estate markets. The panel results show that FDI and remittance do not have favourable associations with residential and non-residential real estate investments during their initial period of inflow, but in later periods, they correlate positively and significantly with real estate investments. The relation between FPI and the real estate investments is inconclusive. The VAR test suggests that the effects of foreign capital inflows on both residential and non-residential real estate investments vary across countries and markets. In some cases, the effects are time-varying and size-dependent, but in the majority of the cases, the effects are contingent on the size of the inflows. In respect of the most important channel(s) reflective of effects of cross-border flows on real estate markets, the results appear largely country-dependent: the credit market channel appears to stand out in reflecting most favourable externalities from cross-border flows. Further, evidence on the direct channel effect also varied from country to country. The indirect channel of the equity market is only important in South Africa, especially, when remittances are funnelled via the equity market channel. Based on the forgoing, it appears clear that in order to fast-track growth in national real estate markets, we should recommend that African countries put policies in place to motivate direct foreign capital inflows, encourage channelling of foreign capital inflows, particularly remittances and FDIs through the financial markets, with emphasis on credit markets. / MT2016

A research report submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Building Science in Property Development and Management to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2018 / In April 2013, the South African listed property sector converted from Property Unit Trust and Property Loan Stock investment structures into a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) structure that is understood globally. This conversion spurred consolidations in the property market in the form of mergers and acquisitions. Research shows that mergers and acquisitions tend to have high failure rates as growth strategies. It remains unknown how sufficient traditional due diligence is and how it can be improved to enhance the chances of successful corporate marriages within the South African REIT market. This paper reviews the aspects of the traditional due diligence scope which generally comprises of financial, legal and commercial due diligence in order to determine its adequacy as a decision making tool that helps reduce the risk of failure in REIT merger and acquisition transactions in South Africa. There is consensus in the literature that due diligence is a means to reduce the risk of merger and acquisition failure, some studies suggest that failure occurs when due diligence is not done well. This paper uses interviews conducted with due diligence professionals from seven REIT companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange who were involved in large merger and acquisition transactions in the preceding four years. The interviews were used to ascertain how the professionals perform due diligence, whether or not they think that traditional due diligence is sufficient for REIT mergers and acquisitions and to solicit their views on how the due diligence scope can be expanded. Transcribed data from each of the interviews was analysed based on three concurrent sub-processes adapted from the works of Miles and Huberman (1994) which consist of data reduction, data display and drawing and verifying conclusions. The results show that the traditional due diligence scope is not sufficient for REIT merger and acquisition transactions, a majority of the respondents agree with this observation. Encouragingly the professionals within the South African REIT market have a due diligence scope which is already much wider than the iii traditional scope, be that as it may, there is still a high failure rate of 59% observed in the sample analysed. Due diligence professionals have a low regard for understanding and resolving the different companies cultural issues, this is cited in the literature as one of the contributing factors for merger and acquisition failure. This is an area that can possibly augment the due diligence cycle and professionals should focus on it in order to improve the chances of success. The research proposes expanding the due diligence scope by incorporating strategic due diligence which is forward looking and it overcomes the challenges of traditional due diligence of relying on historic information. Strategic due diligence assists the acquirers understand the target’s future prospects, and it allows the acquirers to determine if the target prospects fit with their own strategic objectives. This together with a higher focus on understanding and resolving cultural issues of the merging companies should augment the traditional scope and ultimately lead to transactions that yield higher shareholder value. / XL2018

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Management in Finance and Investments In the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management University of the Witwatersrand, Wits Business School, 2016 / This paper presents a first time application of a variant of the concepts underpinning the Fed Model, amalgamated with the Bond-Stock Earnings Yield Differential, by applying it to the dividend yields of REIT indices. This modification is termed the yield gap, quantitatively constructed and adapted in this paper as the Reverse REIT-Bond Yield Gap. This metric is then used as the variable of interest in a multivariate Markov regime switching model framework, along with a set of three regressors. The REIT indices trailing dividend yield and associated metrics are the FTSE/EPRA NAREIT series. All data are from Bloomberg Terminals. This paper examines 11 markets, of which the EMEs are classified as Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and South Africa, whereas the advanced market counterparts are Australia, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The time-frame spans the period June 2013 until November 2015 for the EMEs, whilst their advanced market counterparts time-span covers the period November 2009 until November 2015. This paper encompasses a tri-fold research objective, and aims to accomplish them in a scientifically-based, objective and coherent fashion. Specifically, the purpose is in an attempt to gauge the reasons underlying EMEs observed anomalies entailing reverse REIT-Bond yield gaps, whereby their tenyear nominal government bonds out-yield their trailing dividend yields on their associated REIT indices; what drives fluctuations in this metric; and whether or not profitable tactical asset allocation strategies can be formulated to exploit any arbitrage mispricing opportunities. The Markov models were unable to generate clear-cut, definitive reasons regarding why EMEs experience this anomaly. Objectives two and three were achieved, except for France and Mexico. The third objective was also met. The REIT-Bond Yield Gaps static conditions have high probabilities of continuing in the same direction and magnitude into the future. In retrospection, the results suggest that by positioning an investment strategy, taking cognisance of the chain of economic events that are likely to occur following static REIT-Bond Yield Gaps, then investors, portfolio rebalancing and risk management techniques, hedging, targeted, tactical and strategic asset allocation strategies could be formulated to exploit any potential arbitrage profits. The REIT-Bond Yield Gaps are considered highly contentious, yet encompasses the potential for significant reward. The Fed Model insinuates that EME REIT markets are overvalued relative to their respective government bonds, whereas their advanced market counterparts exhibit the opposite phenomenon. / XL2018

Thesis (M.M. (Finance & Investment)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, 2016 / Purpose - The paper provides an investigation of the relationship of macroeconomic risk factors and REITs. The study considers the conditional volatilities of macroeconomic variables on the excess returns and conditional variance of excess returns in developing and developed markets and provides a comparison thereof. Methodology approach - The study employs three-step approach estimation in the methodology (Principal Component Analysis, GARCH (1,1) and GMM) to estimate the asset pricing model. The preliminary study indicated that there are only two developing economies (Bulgaria and South Africa), as defined by National Association of Real Estate Investment Trust (NAREIT), with REIT indices. We additionally included the United States as the developed economy. Findings – Our results indicate that the real economy and business cycles (proxied by GDP growth rate and industrial production index), price stability (proxied by the GDP deflator), exchange rates and interest rates do not explain developing country REIT returns represented by Bulgaria and South Africa, as well as in developed markets, represented by the US. However unlike the developing markets, changes in industrial production and inflation are important variables that affect the conditional variance of REIT returns in the US. / GR2018

<p>Title: Investigations on the real estate market, what are the main factors influencing the performance of the French Real Estate Investments Trusts?</p><p>Problem: In 2003, the French government implemented a new tax-exempt structure in the real estate market. Like REITs in the United States, SIICs are listed French companies that aim to improve the performance of real estate stocks on Paris Stock Exchange. The problem consists of determining the performance of the SIICs’ portfolio, identifying the major influences of economic factors and capturing financial behaviour in asset portfolio management.</p><p>Purpose: Recently, the subprime crisis has largely brought out uncertainty of financial actors in the real estate sector. In this context, we try to apprehend the performance of these specific</p><p>SIICs investment vehicles related to financial, economic and managerial influences, by quantifying their stock performance in a five-year time frame.</p><p>Methodology: A deductive approach guides our thesis to emphasize our research question. Our business strategy entails positivism and objectivism considerations and relies on a case analysis research design using the multifactor model. Besides, the data collection process is following a quantitative approach of twenty chosen French SIICs between 2003 and 2007.</p><p>Result / Conclusion: Even if the multifactor model used by the authors may be viewed as unspecified, useful results can still be extracted and analysed. The hotel & LDG sector slightly performs better than others depending on the strategy of investment and the state of economy. Long-term interest rate acts as the principal explanatory factor. Investors do not necessarily respond in favour of the general market confidence indicator.</p>