Tritax upbeat after rents, earnings jump

(Sharecast News) - Tritax Big Box said on Friday it was well-positioned for further growth during 2026, as it continued to push into the booming data centre market. The real estate investment trust saw net rental income rise 10.6% to £305.3m in the year to December end, which Tritax said had been driven by the acquisition of fellow Reit UKCM and "attractive" levels of asset management. Like-for-like estimated rental value growth was 4%.

Excluding additional development management agreement income, adjusted earnings per share rose 4.1% to 8.38p.

Tritax specialises in logistics real estate, but over the past year has looked to break into data centres, with its first due to open at Manor Farm near Heathrow.

Outgoing chair Aubrey Adams said: "In just 12 months, we have assembled a high-quality pipeline and made significant progress, positioning the company to generate exceptional returns for shareholders from the most compelling structural growth opportunity in real estate."

The firm is currently targeting 50% growth in adjusted earnings by the end of the decade.

Looking to current trading, Adams continued: "We enter 2026 very well-positioned, with a clear strategy, multiple organic growth drivers and a support market back drop and a strong balance sheet."

He also flagged an anticipated acceleration in adjusted EPS growth, though did not provide specific guidance.

Adams has been chair since 2017 and will shortly be retiring. The firm said his replacement was expected to be announced by the end of this year.

As at 0845 GMT, the FTSE 250 stock - which is set to join the FTSE 100 next month - was trading 1% higher at 171.2p.

The total portfolio value stood at £7.89bn at the year end, compared to £6.55bn a year previously.