Following a robust operational performance for the financial year ended June 30 and with a strong financial position, real estate investment trust (Reit) Hyprop is looking for further growth opportunities.

The company says it has refined its strategic priorities to capitalise on market opportunities and deliver sustainable growth.

It has set four priorities for the 2027 financial year and beyond. These are to ensure its retail offering is connected to marketplaces and communities; to be diversified in assets and geographical focus areas; to ensure it has the right fit of business capabilities and skills; and to maintain a healthy balance sheet.

“With our strong balance sheet, robust liquidity, a clear record of value creation and dominant assets and resilient tenant and shopper bases, Hyprop is poised to seize the right new and organic growth opportunities both in South Africa and Eastern Europe and deliver sustainable risk-adjusted returns.

“We are focused on continuing to improve our portfolio’s performance and I believe Hyprop continues to offer an attractive investment proposition,” CEO Morné Wilken comments in a statement.

For the 2026 financial year, Hyprop’s distributable income per share (DIPS) increased by 11.7% year-on-year, near the upper-end of guidance. Hyprop expects its DIPS for the 2027 financial year to grow by 7% to 9%.

The Reit has announced a 14.4% year-on-year increase in dividends to 351.9c a share.

Meanwhile, the group’s loan-to-value ratio improved to 28.5% for the 2026 financial year, compared with 33.6% in the 2025 financial year.

Hyprop ended the year with R1.7-billion in cash and R2.1-billion in available facilities.

“This strong set of results is the culmination of our focused strategy and ability to execute on our strategic priorities. Both our South Africa and Eastern European portfolios delivered robust operational performance and our financial position puts us firmly on the front foot to capitalise on growth opportunities,” says Wilken.

The Reit states that its retail centres outperformed in challenging, volatile operating conditions during the 2026 financial year.

The South African portfolio’s tenants’ turnover increased by 4.9% to R29.8-billion, with trading density up 5.5% year-on-year. Since June 2022, tenants’ turnover has surged 31.7%.

In Eastern Europe, tenants’ turnover grew by 4.2% to €659-million, with trading density up 3.9% and spend per head up by 3.8%.

Meanwhile, Hyprop sold a 50% stake in Woodlands Boulevard, in Gauteng, for R825-million and, in Eastern Europe, completed the acquisition of Galleria Burgas, in Bulgaria.

Further, the Reit points out that it has continued to increase its investment in renewable-energy capacity, as well as reducing its water consumption and diverting more waste from landfill.

During the 2026 financial year, the group’s installed solar PV capacity increased to 22 921 kW, from 18 773 kW in the 2025 financial year. Following the completion of a 4 991 kW solar PV project at CapeGate in August, the group’s installed solar PV capacity has increased to 27 912 kW.

Further, seven of the group’s South African centres have achieved net zero waste certifications from the Green Building Council of South Africa. Hyprop states that this is the highest number in any single portfolio in the country.

From the 2027 financial year, Hyprop will expand its environment, social and governance (ESG) pillars. Climate resilience will become the fourth ESG pillar, in addition to the existing energy and water security, and waste, pillars.

The Reit says the addition will strengthen its focus to ensure it proactively prepares for and future-proofs its portfolios for climate risk.