12th Dec 2022 11:49
(Alliance News) - Home REIT PLC on Monday declared a payout to investors, as it gave an update on its dispute with short seller Viceroy Research.
The real estate investment trust is an investor in accommodation for homeless people.
It declared an interim dividend of 1.38 pence per share, which takes the total dividend for its financial year 2022 to August 31 to its targeted 5.5p, more than doubled from 2.5p in financial year 2021.
Meanwhile, the firm said it hired additional senior level investment professionals, following the allegations made by Viceroy.
Home REIT is in a weeks-long dispute with Viceroy, which published a report on November 23 that included a number of claims against Home REIT, such as the firm's properties being run by "bad actors".
The report drove a share price slide two weeks ago that pushed the company out of the FTSE 250 index. Home REIT denies the allegations.
Following the report, Home REIT on Monday said that besides hiring additional senior level investment professionals, it will appoint "an experienced and specialist national property management firm, to carry out a full suite of property management services, including rent invoicing and collection and tenant liaison and monitoring."
Further, it aims to recruit a non-executive director with a "particular focus on direct experience in property and environmental, social and corporate governance matters."
Home REIT shares were 4.7% lower at 44.23 pence each on Monday morning in London. The stock is down 46% over the past month.
By Tom Budszus, Alliance News reporter
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