Blackstone Considers Buying Neinver from the Losantos Family for €500M

23 January 2019 – El Confidencial

Neinver, a property developer and operator of shopping centres, specialising in outlets – focused on offering discounted products – is up for sale and the US fund Blackstone is one of the buyers that is evaluating the operation. The Losantos family is asking around €500 million for the company, which has become one of the major operators in the shopping centre sector in Europe, and which would fit well into Blackstone’s portfolio given the stable rents generated by its properties and land, according to explanations provided by sources in the real estate sector.

Spokespersons from Neinver consulted about the negotiations indicated that “they decline to comment on rumours” regarding the sale operation, one of the largest underway in the sector in Spain this year from a corporate perspective.

Nevertheless, other financial sources have assured that the Losantos family has entrusted the sale of the company to Credit Suisse, which has drawn up a sales book that it has been promoting since the end of the year and which is being considered by several funds.

Blackstone is the favourite because it has already acquired assets from Neinver. In November last year, the property developer placed a package of industrial warehouses and logistics assets with Blackstone for €290 million. Therefore, this fund, the largest overseas investor in the Spanish real estate sector, is an old acquaintance of the Losantos family.

Neinver is chaired by José María Losantos del Campo. It is the largest operator of outlet centres in Spain and Poland, where it operates under two own brands: The Style Outlets and Factory. It has developed some of its assets in association with the fund TH Real Estate. In total, it has promoted and managed 16 outlet centres, and six shopping centres and retail parks (…). It has a presence in seven countries, including France, Italy, Germany, Portugal and the Czech Republic.

Neinver in numbers

Neinver recorded revenues of €93.6 million in 2017, according to the consolidated accounts filed with the Mercantile Registry. That figure represented an increase of 27% compared with the previous year.

Nevertheless, the strong performance in terms of sales was not reflected in its profits. Neinver is selling more but earning less. In 2017, its net consolidated profit amounted to €4.7 million, a third of the €16.1 million that it earned in 2016. The decrease in profitability was due in large part to the projects underway and its indebtedness.

According to the group’s consolidated accounts, the gross debt at the end of last year amounted to €466.3 million, €30 million more than during the previous year, “due to debts stemming from the new companies incorporated into the Neptune joint venture”. Neptune is the joint venture owned by Neinver and TH Real Estate.

Valuations

The €500 million asking price is without the debt. The book value of the company’s assets amounts to €913 million, according to Neinver’s own accounts. The main appeal of the company is the revenue stream stemming from the rental of its assets (…).

Original story: El Confidencial (by Marcos Lamelas)

Translation: Carmel Drake