Blackstone & Santander Finalise the Transfer of Popular’s Portfolio

22 March 2018 – Eje Prime

Blackstone and Santander are signing their agreement. Sources close to the operation have explained that the two groups are on the verge of sealing the deal that will see Blackstone take control of 51% of the share capital of the new company that is going to be created with the €30 billion in real estate assets from Popular. The new entity is going to be known as Quasar.

The US fund is also going to be responsible for managing the new company and its CEO is going to be Eduard Mendiluce, who is also the most senior executive at Anticipa, the other large real estate company that the fund owns in Spain, according to Expansión. Santander will own the remaining 49% of the shares in Quasar.

The new Project Quasar Investments has agreed to take out a syndicated loan for €7.3 billion from a group led by Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank. Blackstone itself is participating in the loan, through one of its subsidiaries, which will see it contribute €1 billion or 14% of the financing.

In parallel, the fund and Santander are going to contribute €3 billion in share capital to the company, which will amount to more than €10 billion. It is worth remembering that Popular’s non-performing loans were appraised at €10 billion, the book value at which they have been registered on the bank’s balance sheet after the clean-up carried out by Santander.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake