Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX:CLW)
Australia flag Australia · Delayed Price · Currency is AUD
3.400
+0.010 (0.29%)
Sep 16, 2026, 4:10 PM AEST
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Earnings Call: H2 2026

Aug 12, 2026

Summary

Operating earnings and distributions per security grew 2% to AUD 0.255, with NTA up 2.6% to AUD 4.71. The AUD 2 billion refinancing strengthened the balance sheet, and the portfolio remains highly diversified and nearly fully occupied. FY 2027 guidance is for stable earnings and distributions.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Charter Hall Long WALE REIT results presentation for the 2026 financial year. Presenting with me today is Erin Kent, Head of Diversified Finance. I would like to commence today's presentation with an acknowledgement of country. Charter Hall acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands on which we work and gather. We pay our respects to elders past and present, and recognize their continued care and contribution to country. The format for today's presentation is that I will start with an overview of CLW and key highlights for the financial year. You will then hear from Erin, who will provide an overview of the financial performance of the REIT. I will then return to provide an operational update and portfolio overview and provide guidance for FY 2027. We will then offer the opportunity for questions.

Turning now to slide four and key highlights for the year. FY 2026 was another strong year for CLW. We delivered earnings growth, increased NTA, completed a transformational AUD 2 billion refinancing of our balance sheet debt, and continued to actively curate the portfolio while maintaining one of the longest WALEs in the Australian REIT sector. I am pleased to report that we delivered operating earnings and distributions per security of AUD 0.255, representing 2% growth on the prior financial year. Our NTA at June 30, 2026, is AUD 4.71 per security, an increase of 2.6% from June 30, 2025. The portfolio delivered 3.1% average annual net property income growth, with 54% of income of the REIT being CPI linked and the balance being fixed reviews.

AUD 248 million of earnings accretive net acquisitions were completed during the year, demonstrating management's focus on active curation to enhance portfolio quality and drive earnings growth.

100% of the portfolio is independently valued over the past 12 months, with AUD 188 million net valuation uplift achieved, representing a 3.2% increase in property valuations during FY 2026. CLW has a long WALE of 9.2 years, providing security and continuity of income to our investors. We completed a comprehensive refinance of balance sheet debt, establishing a new AUD 2 billion secured debt platform. This resulted in a debt margin of 1.2%, a reduction of 20 basis points. We remain focused on prudent capital management. Balance sheet gearing is 27.5% at the lower end of our target range of 25%-35%. Looking ahead to FY 2027, we are providing guidance of operating earnings and distributions of AUD 0.255 per security. Turning to slide five. In June 2026, CLW completed refinancing of its balance sheet debt with a new AUD 2 billion secured debt platform.

This refinancing materially strengthens the balance sheet by reducing funding costs, extending debt duration, and simplifying the covenant package. The refinance has extended the average debt maturity of CLW's balance sheet debt by 1.6 years to 4.3 years, with a staggered maturity profile. The cost of debt has reduced, with average credit margins of balance sheet facilities reducing by 20 basis points to 1.2%, providing immediate cost savings and earnings accretion. The secured debt platform also features an improved covenant package with a balance sheet LVR covenant of 65% and ICR covenant of 1.5 x. Importantly, there are no longer any look-through covenants relating to balance sheet debt facilities. Turning to slide six. On the following slides, I would like to provide an overview of the net lease real estate sector and the features that demonstrate CLW's relative attractiveness as a high-quality, long WALE net lease REIT.

CLW has diversified long WALE net lease REIT with a strategy of providing investors with stable and secure income, and targeting both income and capital growth through an exposure to a diversified portfolio of long WALE properties leased to corporate and government tenants. CLW's attractiveness comes from a simple combination: secured long-term cash flows, embedded income growth, blue chip tenants, capital efficient leases, portfolio diversification, and access to Charter Hall's market-leading origination platform. Turning to slide seven. Today, CLW has a AUD 6.1 billion real estate portfolio that is the largest and most diversified net lease portfolio in the AREIT sector. The portfolio is diversified across 505 properties in the convenience net lease retail, industrial, office, and data center and social infrastructure sectors.

Our portfolio has an occupancy level of 99.9% and continues to be diversified by tenant, industry, geography, and property type, which contributes to the stability of our cash flow. The security of income of the REIT is also reinforced by the high-quality income stream generated from blue-chip tenants, with 99% of the tenants of the REIT consisting of government, ASX-listed, multinational or national businesses. Our largest tenants are federal and state governments, Endeavour Group, Telstra, and BP. Our portfolio has delivered strong average annual net property income growth of 3.1%. CLW has 51% of its income derived from triple net lease properties. This is an important feature of our portfolio, given that under a triple net lease structure, the tenant is responsible for all outgoings, maintenance, and capital expenditure. Turning to slide eight. This slide outlines the key features that make CLW Australia's largest and most diversified net lease REIT.

For investors, CLW offers a highly attractive income proposition underpinned by predictable long-term rental cash flows. The portfolio has a long 9.2 year WALE, with the potential to extend to more than 30 years if tenants remain in occupation through their option periods. Rental growth is also embedded across the portfolio, with 3.1% average annual rent increases and 54% of lease reviews linked to CPI. Importantly, CLW's income profile is supported by a capital-efficient lease structure, with 89% of income derived from net, double net, and triple net leases, which reduces landlord expenditure and enhances the resilience of cash flows. The portfolio is also supported by high-quality tenant covenants. Occupancy has remained consistently near 100% since IPO, and 99% of leases are to secure government, ASX-listed, multinational or national tenants operating across defensive and essential industries.

Finally, CLW is highly diversified across core property sectors, with 79% of the portfolio located on the eastern seaboard in prime locations. Turning to slide 9. CLW's net lease strategy has many attractive investment attributes as outlined in the prior slides. Importantly, this has also delivered significant value for CLW investors since IPO. In particular, CLW has greatly benefited from access to Charter Hall's market-leading diversified platform and sale and leaseback transaction expertise and deal flow. Since IPO, CLW has invested approximately AUD 1 billion of equity into long WALE, triple net southern leaseback investment opportunities sourced by Charter Hall. This has resulted in more than AUD 1.2 billion of equity value created and income generated, providing a very attractive total return on invested equity of 123%.

Put simply, every dollar of equity invested into long WALE sale and leaseback opportunities has generated more than AUD 2 of value and income for investors. Turning to slide 10. CLW provides an attractive distribution yield relative to domestic and global investment options. At yesterday's closing price, CLW offers a forecast FY 2027 distribution yield of 6.7%, which remains highly attractive relative to many domestic and global investment alternatives. I would now like to hand over to Erin, who will provide an overview of the financial performance of the REIT.

Erin Kent
Head of Diversified Finance, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Thank you, Avi, and good morning to everyone on the call. Commencing on slide 12, which provides a summary of CLW's earnings for FY 2026. CLW achieved a like-for-like net property income growth of 3%, which has been further enhanced by accretive net investment activity, adding incremental income to the portfolio during the current reporting period. Finance costs have increased by 18.4% due to higher average debt drawn across FY 2026 to fund transaction activity, combined with a higher weighted average cost of debt, primarily driven by higher floating rates across the second half of the financial year. Both operating earnings and distributions for FY 2026 were AUD 0.255 per security, representing growth of 2% on FY 2025 and in line with our guidance provided to the market. Turning to slide 13 and CLW's balance sheet position. During FY 2026, CLW completed AUD 248 million of net acquisitions.

This amount includes the on-completion value of the new Coles Distribution Centre in Truganina acquired in the first half. More recent portfolio curation has been executed during the second half of FY 2026, which Avi will talk through shortly. 100% of CLW's portfolio was independently valued throughout the financial year, resulting in a total portfolio valuation uplift of AUD 188 million or 3.2%. The REIT's NTA per security was AUD 4.71 at 30 June 2026, representing a 2.6% increase from 30 June 2025, driven by positive revaluations achieved, partly offset by the fair value movement of debt and derivatives. Turning to slide 14, which provides a summary of CLW's capital management initiatives. In June 2026, CLW completed a comprehensive refinance of its balance sheet debt facilities, establishing a new AUD 2 billion secured debt platform with debt maturities staggered over a four-year period from June 2029 to June 2032.

CLW's off-balance sheet joint venture investments do not have any recourse or cross-default provisions to CLW's balance sheet. At 30 June 2026, CLW's balance sheet gearing was 27.5%, calculated on a pro forma basis, including transactions and refinancing initiatives completed post-balance date. CLW's weighted average cost of debt was 4.7%, based upon a spot BBSY of 4.5% and hedging of 84% at an average fixed rate of 3.1% as at 30 June 2026. The secured platform refinance lowered CLW's weighted average credit margin across its balance sheet facilities by approximately 20 basis points. During the period, new hedging initiatives were executed, resulting in 85% average hedging across FY 2027, providing earning certainty for the next 12 months, and 49% hedge coverage across FY 2028. I will now hand back to Avi to provide an operational update and portfolio overview.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Thank you, Erin. Turning now to slide 16. During the year, we continued our strategy of active portfolio curation and capital recycling to drive long-term sustainable growth. We settled AUD 248 million net transactions, consisting of AUD 572 million of acquisitions and AUD 324 million of divestments. The AUD 572 million of acquisitions were long WALE strategic properties featuring an average WALE of 13.5 years and a weighted average investment yield of 7.4%. These acquisitions increased CLW's exposure to high-quality tenants, including government, Coles, Telstra, Westpac, and Sonic Healthcare. The AUD 324 million of divestments were non-core properties with an average WALE of 8.4 years and a weighted average divestment yield of 4.7%. Divestments included our interest in the Coles Distribution Centre in Truganina, which we sold and reinvested the proceeds into the new Coles Distribution Centre in Truganina.

This is an attractive WALE-enhancing transaction for CLW, converting a 6.6 year WALE to a 20 year WALE from completion. We also divested a portfolio of eight Veolia and Cleanaway leased properties. The initial portfolio was acquired in late 2016 and was added to over time, including negotiating lease renewals and extensions over a number of properties. Approximately AUD 100 million of value was created for investors, and the sale has crystallized an equity IRR of 16%. Turning to slide 17. As mentioned on the previous slide, the acquisitions completed during the year have increased CLW's exposure to long WALE critical social infrastructure properties in strategic locations. During the year, we increased our investment in the Telstra exchange portfolio of 36 exchange properties leased to best-in-class operator, Telstra Corporation, on long triple net leases with a portfolio WALE of 14.4 years.

We are also pleased to announce that CLW has acquired a 25% interest in the Sonic Healthcare Pathology Diagnostics facility in Brisbane. This property is a purpose-built facility serving as the primary laboratory for the Queensland, Northern Territory, and northern New South Wales operations of Sonic Healthcare. The transaction was a sale and leaseback to Sonic, with Sonic entering into a 20-year triple net lease with annual CPI rent reviews. Turning to slide 18. CLW derives significant benefits from being part of the Charter Hall platform and having access to the team of over 650 people nationally, managing the portfolio and driving positive outcomes for investors. This includes active asset management, delivering positive leasing outcomes, and new long WALE product. At our Coles Distribution Centre in Perth, we reached practical completion of the new cold storage facility in May 2026.

Now that we have reached completion, this has triggered a reset of the lease term remaining over the entire facility to 12 years. Construction of the new Coles Distribution Centre in Truganina, Victoria is progressing ahead of program and is forecast to reach completion in the second half of FY 2027. On completion, the facility will be a 68,100 m² state-of-the-art distribution center and is expected to service all stores in Victoria and Tasmania and will integrate into Coles' existing supply chain in South Australia and Western Australia, with significant investment by Coles in the automation capabilities of the facility. The facility is 100% pre-leased to Coles for an initial lease term of 20 years. This is a strong demonstration of Charter Hall's ability to create long WALE, high-quality investment opportunities for CLW.

Importantly, these opportunities are difficult to replicate at scale and highlight the benefits of CLW's access to Charter Hall's sourcing and development platform. Finally, Bunnings has exercised its option for a further six-year term at our Mackay South property. This shifts a lease expiry that was due to occur in FY 2027 out by six years. Slide 19 is our portfolio overview. at June 30, the REIT consisted of a portfolio of 505 properties valued at approximately AUD 6.1 billion. The portfolio average cap rate is 5.4%. The portfolio is virtually fully occupied with an occupancy of 99.9% and a long-dated WALE of 9.2 years. CLW has 51% of its income derived from triple net lease properties. This is an important feature of our portfolio given that under a triple net lease structure, the tenant is responsible for all outgoings, maintenance, and capital expenditure.

The properties in the portfolio are a blend of annual lease review structures, both fixed and CPI-linked. The mix of annual rent reviews resulted in a weighted average annual rent review of 3.1% in FY 2026. Turning now to slide 20 and an outline of our tenant customers and the tenant diversification of the REIT. Our portfolio of Long WALE properties is leased to high-quality tenants including Government, Endeavour Group, Telstra, BP, Metcash, and Coles. The REIT's largest tenant exposures are to government tenants and best-in-class pub and bottle shop operator, the AUD 6.5 billion Endeavour Group. In the data center and telecommunications sector, we have a partnership with another best-in-class operator, the AUD 55 billion Telstra Corporation, which includes our portfolio of telco exchange properties on long triple net leases.

Our BP Australia and New Zealand portfolio of 285 properties on long triple net leases provides us with exposure to the resilient fuel and convenience retail sector. We also have a high proportion of tenants operating in the non-discretionary grocery and food sectors such as Woolworths, Coles, Metcash, and Arnott's. Turning to slide 21 and the industry diversification of our tenant customers. Within our overall portfolio, approximately 99% of tenants are ASX-listed government or multinational or national corporations, with the vast majority of these tenants operating in non-discretionary defensive industries. The REIT's major sector exposures are to government, hospitality, convenience retail, grocery and distribution, data centers and telecommunications, grocery, and energy and convenience retail. Turning to slide 22 and the geographic and sector diversification of the REIT. Our portfolio is also diversified by geography and sector type.

79% of the portfolio is located on the eastern seaboard in prime locations, while the REIT's largest exposures are to the convenience net lease retail and industrial and logistics sectors. Turning to slide 23. As can be seen from the chart on this slide, the REIT's portfolio has a long-dated lease expiry profile and reflects a low-risk position relative to our peers in the sector. Our portfolio WALE is a long-dated 9.2 years. We have minimal lease expiries in the near term, and we are in discussions with a number of tenants with expiries in FY 2027 and beyond regarding lease renewals and extensions. We continue to work to push out our expiry profile as far as possible to the right of this chart, both through portfolio curation and negotiating lease extensions with our valued tenant customers.

On slide 24, we would like to highlight that the reported WALE of CLW's portfolio understates the likely duration of a significant portion of CLW's income, given the critical nature of many of these properties to tenant operations. 51% of CLW's portfolio consists of triple net leases, and if these tenants were to remain in occupation for all option periods under their leases, this would increase the WALE of the portfolio to 30 years today. This is particularly relevant in the context of our Endeavour leased ALE portfolio. This represents approximately 11% of CLW's portfolio by income, with an expiry and market review in November 2028, just over two years away. This has the effect of reducing reported portfolio WALE. These properties are very important to Endeavour's business operations, and we believe this supports a high likelihood of continued occupation beyond the current lease term.

This also represents a significant positive market reversion opportunity for CLW. Turning now to slide 25 and environmental, social, and corporate governance. We remain focused on implementing sustainability initiatives across our portfolio and consider ESG as a driver of long-term value for our investor and tenant customers. As a business, we've taken accelerated climate action. CLW has maintained net zero scope one and two emissions for assets that fall under the operational control of Charter Hall. Additionally, CLW has been focused on clean energy generation with 8.7 MW of solar and 11 MWh of battery capacity installed across its portfolio. CLW's predominantly modern office portfolio features high environmental credentials, including 5.4 star NABERS energy and 4.7 star NABERS water ratings. CLW remains committed to aligning with best practice frameworks to support transparency and disclosure.

The fund achieved a score of 82 in the 2025 GRESB assessment, a four-point increase from last year. These preceding slides demonstrate the resilience and strength of our portfolio. Our portfolio WALE, quality of tenants and proportion of triple net leases provides better downside protection and more resilient income streams for our investors. Turning now to slide 27. In summary, CLW enters FY 2027 with a high-quality portfolio, a strengthened balance sheet, long-dated cash flows, embedded rental growth, and a clear focus on disciplined capital allocation. Active curation and asset recycling continues to enhance portfolio and tenant quality, with recent transaction activity included in the FY 2027 guidance.

Based on information currently available and barring any unforeseen events, CLW provides FY 2027 guidance of operating earnings per security of AUD 0.255 and distributions per security of AUD 0.255. This is a distribution yield of 6.7% based on yesterday's closing price of CLW securities. Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank the teams of people across the Charter Hall platform that contribute to the performance of CLW and the results delivered today. The Charter Hall Group provides the REIT with access to a high caliber team of experts across all areas of the REIT's management and provides CLW with access to a best-in-class management platform. That concludes the presentation, and I would now like to invite questions.

Operator

Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, as a reminder to ask the question, please press star one one on your telephone, then wait for your name to be announced. To withdraw your question, please press star one one again. Please stand by while we compile the Q and A roster. Our first question comes from the line of Solomon Zhang with UBS. Your line is open.

Solomon Zhang
Analyst, UBS

Morning, Avi and Erin. Thanks for your time. First question is just around your 2027 guide and the expiries. You've got 3.7% of the portfolio expiring. Just wondering, what has been de-risked? What is the likely renewal? Do you have any downtime baked into that guidance number?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yes, we do have some expiries in 2027, and we are well progressed in dealing with those. We are hopeful that in the coming weeks we'll be able to provide an update to the market on those. They are factored. We've made some assumptions in our guidance, but we think that they're reasonable in the context of where our negotiations are with tenants in various properties where those expiries exist. I'd love to be able to provide more detail at this stage.

Solomon Zhang
Analyst, UBS

Any dollar number that you could.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Sorry, what was that?

Solomon Zhang
Analyst, UBS

Oh, I was going to ask about a dollar number that you baked in. So maybe just on Telstra, to what extent has that been de-risked, given I think in August they would have fully vacated the Canberra asset?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

That is right. So we are undergoing a capital works program on the building at the moment, notwithstanding Telstra is still in occupation on part of that. But when Telstra vacate the balance of that building in September this year, we have assumed that there is no leasing done there for the balance of FY 2027 in our guidance, which we think is reasonable given we will be doing the capital works and we are underway with our leasing. So I think we are progressing very well with our leasing there, and again, we hope to be able to provide the market with an update in the coming months on that. But yeah, there is no income forecast beyond the current occupation in 2027.

Solomon Zhang
Analyst, UBS

Thanks. Second question was just on the hedge book. You have lifted hedging for FY 2027 to 85%, which is a good outcome from 71%. I just noticed that the swap rate is maintained at 3%. Given market rates are higher than that, could you just comment on how you were able to achieve those attractive hedge rates in second half? Were any capital paid for swaps there?

Erin Kent
Head of Diversified Finance, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Hi, Solomon. Yes, it was a combination of new vanilla interest rate swaps and some restructuring of existing swaps from 2026 into 2027. We also executed on some interest rate caps, predominantly in FY 2028, to effectively manage that interest rate risk while still retaining that ability to participate if rates do come down in 2028. In terms of capital for 2027, it was very immaterial in the context of CLW's hedge book, and any costs we did pay resulted in a corresponding derivative asset capitalized to the balance sheet.

Solomon Zhang
Analyst, UBS

Sure. Thanks, Erin.

Operator

Please stand by for our next question. Our next question comes from the line of Tom Bodor with Jarden. Your line is open.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Good morning, Avi and Erin. Can you please confirm your share of JV debt and also comment on where your look-through gearing would be?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yep. I can comment on that, Tom. We haven't disclosed look-through gearing in the presentation, and the reason we're not doing that is because we no longer have any look-through debt covenants following the transition to the secured debt platform. The debt that is held off balance sheet is non-recourse, and it's specific to each of the JVs and has no cross default. We have about AUD 1.3 billion of debt in our JVs and an average leverage of about 40%-45% for those JVs that are leveraged. We think that that's reasonable in the context of those portfolios like the Endeavour pubs, BP petrol stations, the Telstra exchanges, where we can absorb a higher leverage in those long WALE portfolios, and that they have covenants of 65% or higher. It's very manageable in that context, but that's what we can discuss in relation to that.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Sorry, that AUD 1.3 billion, just to be very clear, is your share of the debt in those JVs?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

That is correct.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Okay, thanks. It would be helpful for you to tell us what that is, because you present the hedging on a look-through basis, and you also present the interest cost in your P&L on a look-through basis.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

I know. I get that. It is very easy to determine from the financial statements, because we have 6.1 billion of assets, and 4.8 billion of total assets on the balance sheet. So the difference is obviously the debt and the JVs.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

And other liabilities too?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yeah.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Yeah. The debt's what drives the interest, the other liabilities don't drive interest.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yeah. Other liabilities are small.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Okay. In regards to that restructure, I think you talked in the presentation about capital being returned to CLW from the refinance within LWIP and BP Australia JVs. Can you just confirm the quantum of capital returned to CLW from those partnerships?

Erin Kent
Head of Diversified Finance, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yeah, sure, Tom. That happened post balance date, and it was AUD 160 million that was returned to CLW's balance sheet from those refinances.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Okay, thanks very much. Just a final one, just be interested in where your marginal cost of debt is.

Erin Kent
Head of Diversified Finance, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Our weighted average cost of debt looking forward into FY 2027 is obviously driven by the hedging assumptions outlined in the pack, with 85% hedging across FY 2027 at a fixed rate of 3%. The balance, we have just assumed market floating rates, which today sit about at 4.6% across the next 12 months. Similar to that—

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

That would be a margin—

Erin Kent
Head of Diversified Finance, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

—4.7% we reported as at June. It will be similar if rates stay where they are over the next 12 months.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Sure. I am more interested in your marginal cost of debt.

Erin Kent
Head of Diversified Finance, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

In terms of spot? That would be closer.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Yeah.

Erin Kent
Head of Diversified Finance, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

In terms of the spot rate today sits at 4.6%, layering on our weighted average credit margin, you get up closer to that 6%.

Tom Bodor
Analyst, Jarden

Okay, thanks.

Operator

Our next question comes from the line of Simon Chan with Morgan Stanley. Your line is open.

Simon Chan
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Hey, good morning, guys. Hey, just following up from the previous chap's question. Erin, keep it simple. What's the change in weighted average cost of debt are you expecting between FY 2026 and FY 2027?

Erin Kent
Head of Diversified Finance, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Simon, obviously we reported the 4.7% weighted average cost of debt, and that's a spot at 30 June 2026. Over the full FY 2026 historic 12 months, it sat closer to 4.5%, so we do expect a marginal 10- 15 basis points headwind coming into 2027.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

That's in our guidance, Simon, already. That's included in our guidance.

Simon Chan
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Yeah. Yes, certainly hope so, Avi. Hey, Mott Street, you have assumed it to be out of action for a period of time in FY 2027. Can you confirm for me that, because it's gonna be undergoing some works, you will be capitalizing—

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yes.

Simon Chan
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

—the value of that asset?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Capitalizing the costs. Yes.

Simon Chan
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

What about the value of the asset? So, if the asset's valued at AUD 100 million, would you be capitalizing the interest of that asset as well and treat the whole thing as a development—

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

That is right. Yeah.

Simon Chan
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

—package?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

All the holding costs and development costs will be capitalized.

Simon Chan
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Excellent. Thanks for clarifying. What is the weighted average cost of debt of the company?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yes.

Simon Chan
Analyst, Morgan Stanley

Terrific. Thanks, mate. That is all I have got. Cheers, guys.

Operator

Thank you. Please stand by for our next question. Our next question comes from the line of David Pobucky with Macquarie Group. Your line is open.

David Pobucky
Analyst, Macquarie Group

Good morning, Avi, Erin, and team. Thanks for taking my questions. Just to follow up on the balance sheet position, with balance sheet gearing now at 27.5%, you are at the lower end of your 25%- 35% balance sheet target range. Just wanting to understand how you think about your capital management strategy from here, and how much capacity do you believe that you have for further acquisitions?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yeah. We are going to manage our capacity within those bands of the 25%- 35% in balance sheet. We have got some capacity for some further acquisitions in that. We will assess those over time as opportunities get presented to CLW. But yeah, that is how we are thinking about it. We have got available debt capacity as well on our balance sheet, having just completed the AUD 2 billion secured debt platform, which I will add, was oversubscribed by the lenders. We had very good take-up of that across 10 different lenders, and it is only drawn to about 1.3 today. So there is capacity there should we want to use it.

David Pobucky
Analyst, Macquarie Group

Thanks. How does that acquisition transaction pipeline look at the moment? Historically, for example, you have demonstrated pretty good value creation through sale and leaseback transactions. So where do you see the best opportunities today?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yeah. Well certainly, the sale and leaseback transactions for us has been a great opportunity set that we've benefited from as we outlined in the slide in the pack. We're fortunate that we do see a good deal flow pipeline in that space, and we continue to do that. That's certainly one area that I think will be active again, and other opportunities that come our way as well across the different sectors. Social infrastructure is one area with Sonic that we've just done, and we're seeing other opportunities there going forward. Industrial, with the Coles DC that we did this year. There'll be other opportunities like that as well, where we create into core high-quality product. It'll be, I think, that's sort of the nature of the type of deals that we'll be participating in the near term.

David Pobucky
Analyst, Macquarie Group

Actually, just a final one from me. Just on 2027 guidance. You've provided a few of the key components already. Have you assumed any accretive transactional activity in your guidance?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

No. No, we haven't.

David Pobucky
Analyst, Macquarie Group

Okay. Thanks, Avi.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Pleasure.

Operator

As a reminder, ladies and gentlemen, it is star one one to ask the question. Our next question comes from the line of Richard Jones with JP Morgan. Your line is open.

Richard Jones
Analyst, JPMorgan

Good afternoon. Just on the balance sheet capacity, why are you carrying AUD 700 million of capacity?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Well, we have recently refied, as Erin highlighted earlier, some JV debt that was returned to the balance sheet that has only just recently happened. It is important to note as well that the nature of the facilities that we are holding that spare capacity in actually have quite low line fees. We are able to benefit from having the capacity, and we are not paying very much at all for that. Look, we will assess that over time. But if we do not have a source for it, we may look at reducing that. But right at this stage, it is good to have the optionality of having that capacity. As I mentioned, the line fees on that are relatively low, so it is not costing us a lot to carry.

Richard Jones
Analyst, JPMorgan

Okay. Is there any JV debt expiring in FY 2027?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

I think a very small amount, but no, nothing material.

Richard Jones
Analyst, JPMorgan

Just one more question. It's not—

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Sorry, I was just going to add, the average maturity across our portfolio, including JV debt, is 4.1 years, so it's quite long. The average maturity of our debt is quite long dated.

Richard Jones
Analyst, JPMorgan

Yep. Something, it's not overly material, but just curious as to why the DRP is active.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Look, we have been through a journey with the DRP. We had it going for quite some years, then we turned it off. And we had a lot of pushback from investors. We decided, we returned it on again last year. I think for the time being, we are going to leave it on just because investors like it, and investors do not like it being turned on and off. So, for the time being, we are going to leave it on. If it becomes a real drag and something that does not work, we can look at that. But at this stage, we have got no intentions of changing it.

Richard Jones
Analyst, JPMorgan

Thanks, Avi.

Operator

Please stand by for our next question. Our next question comes from the line of Suraj Nebhani with Citi. Your line is open.

Suraj Nebhani
Analyst, Citi

Morning team. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Just a couple of quick ones. Firstly, Avi, on the naming of one of the portfolios. You have got data centers in there. Just keen to understand what is changing there, and is there any sort of indications that you guys are looking at data centers now?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

No. Look, that is something that has been in the results, Suraj, for the last few periods. They are the Telstra exchange portfolio that we have, the 36 exchanges that are on long leases to Telstra. Telstra operate a variety of functions out of those properties, both the telephone exchange systems and NBN running through them, as well as looking at opportunities where they can do edge data centers and their own data center storage. So that is the nature of that. We are not looking at expanding into data centers beyond that, but it is really a description of the function of those properties across the Telstra portfolio.

Suraj Nebhani
Analyst, Citi

Understood. Thank you. And just one more question on the divestment yield. That is pretty sharp at 4.7%. Is it possible to break it down, like some of the industrial assets that you have sold post balance sheet—

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yeah.

Suraj Nebhani
Analyst, Citi

—to Veolia and the Cleanaway assets. What sort of yields are you getting—

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Yeah, that is right.

Suraj Nebhani
Analyst, Citi

—on that? Or what sort of yields are you selling that at?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Those Veolia, Cleanaway assets were all sold in the yields in the low 4s. That combined with things like the Coles DC that was sort of five. So the average was sub five across that portfolio that was sold.

Suraj Nebhani
Analyst, Citi

Thank you. Is there further opportunity for recycling there, Avi?

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Oh, absolutely. We're always looking at opportunities across the portfolio where we can recycle from lower yield, lower quality to higher yield, higher quality properties. So it's a constant review that we do and as we've demonstrated over the last few periods, it's something we've been able to do very successfully, and we'll continue to do that.

Suraj Nebhani
Analyst, Citi

Perfect. Thank you so much.

Avi Anger
Diversified CEO and Fund Manager, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT

Thanks, Suraj.