Vistry shifts focus to affordable housing amid UK housing market slowdown

Vistry, a British home construction company recently its decision to pivot its primary attention towards its affordable housing division due to the escalating slowdown in the broader housing market in the UK. This strategic shift led to a remarkable 11% surge in the builder's shares, reaching a level not seen in over a year, at 893 pence during early trading hours. The challenging scenario for British housebuilders is being exacerbated by the Bank of England's 14 consecutive interest rate hikes, impacting profit margins and buyer demand as increased mortgage expenses and affordability issues pose significant challenges.

Various indicators within the industry, including measures like mortgage approvals and housing prices, have experienced declines in recent months. Just last week, the mortgage lender Halifax reported a substantial 4.6% year-over-year decrease in house prices, marking the swiftest decline since 2009.

Vistry has been collaborating with local government entities and housing associations to construct affordable housing units. Notably, this Partnerships division has shown stronger performance compared to its Housebuilding unit, which operates in a manner similar to competing construction companies.

Greg Fitzgerald, the CEO, emphasized that the growing demand for affordable mixed-tenure housing throughout the nation is expanding significantly. He noted that Vistry holds a distinctive leadership position in partnerships housing. The FTSE 250 company announced its intention to combine its Partnerships business with its Housebuilding operations by the conclusion of the 2023 fiscal year. This strategic move aims to prioritize the affordable housing model, characterized as high-return, capital-light, and resilient.

The Simplicity in Motion (Sim Im) strategy eliminates any uncertainty regarding Vistry's mixed housing model. It directs the company's focus toward a less volatile segment of the housing market, one characterized by a significant demand, as stated by analysts at Peel Hunt.

Vistry had strengthened its Partnerships business through the acquisition of rival Countryside for 1.25 billion pounds ($1.56 billion) last September. Furthermore, the company has outlined plans to return 1 billion pounds to its shareholders over the next three years, including the launch of an initial share buyback program valued at up to 55 million pounds in November. Vistry, a major player in the British housebuilding sector in terms of volume, reported an 8% increase in adjusted pretax profit to 174 million pounds for the six-month period ending on June 30th.The company reaffirmed its prediction that its annual pretax profit would surpass 450 million pounds.

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Vistry shifts focus to affordable housing amid UK housing market slowdown

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