Tag: operation

Prologis, Blackstone & Deutsche Bank Bid For Colonial’s Logistics Portfolio

20 June 2019 – Cinco Días

Inmobiliaria Colonial has chosen the three finalists who have submitted the highest bids for its logistics portfolio and they are: Prologis, the largest owner of warehouses in Europe; Blackstone, the US fund; and Deutsche Bank, through its manager DWS, according to market sources.

Colonial inherited a sizeable logistics portfolio from Axiare following its takeover of that firm last year, but since the Socimi focuses on offices in prime areas of Madrid, Barcelona and Paris, it put the logistics portfolio up for sale a few weeks ago.

The company has received around a dozen offers, from which it has selected three that exceed €400 million. It is planning to close the operation before the summer.

Original story: Cinco Días (by Alfonso Simón Ruiz)

Translation/Summary: Carmel Drake

Sabadell Revises Down its Price Expectations for the Sale of its Property Developer SDin

21 May 2019 – Cinco Días

Banco Sabadell put its property development arm Solvia Desarrollos Inmobiliarios (Sdin) up for sale several months ago. Initially, the bank was expecting to receive proceeds of around €1 billion for the company, its employees and land. However, in light of the current climate, it is now revising down its expectations.

Investment funds are starting to face problems when it comes to generating returns from their investments in land and property what with many of the large property developers, such as Neinor Homes, slashing their short-term forecasts, the political uncertainty following the recent general election and the general nervousness that the current boom cycle is coming to an end.

As a result, the bank chaired by Josep Oliu (pictured above) is now hoping to receive binding offers amounting to around €900 million, which would considerably reduce the entity’s expected gains from the sale. Nevertheless, SDin owns around 300 prime plots and 130 promotions under development, whose combined valuation amounts to €1.3 billion, according Savills Aguirre Newman.

For the time being, Sabadell has four offers on the table from investment funds, including from Cerberus and Oaktree. The fund Kronos is also still in the running although it is less likely to prove victorious.

Sabadell had initially planned to close this operation by the end of June, but may now wait a little longer.

Original story: Cinco Días (by Ángeles Gonzalo Alconada)

Translation/Summary: Carmel Drake

Atlético de Madrid will Sell the Calderón Land in Q1 2019

2 February 2019 – Expansión

Following the demolition of the stadium, the club will be able to sell the plots where 600 homes are expected to be built.

The project to urbanise the Mahou-Calderón area, which will convert the surface area currently occupied by Atlético de Madrid’s former stadium into homes and tertiary use, has taken a step forward. Within the next few weeks, work is expected to start on the demolition of the Vicente Calderón, which will enable progress to take place with the reparcelling and subsequent sale of the land.

The Madrilenian club, owner of 50% of the surface area, will then be able to proceed with the sale of the land, which has a surface area of 14,866 m2 and a buildability of more than 63,000 m2. On this plot, between 550 and 600 homes may be built, with prices of around €6,000/m2.

Besides the Madrilenian club, the other owner of the land is Mahou San Miguel. The brewery company has not yet taken a decision regarding the sale of its share.

Candidates

Sources at the club have indicated to Expansión that several parties are interested in these plots, which constitute the last major stock of land left inside the M-30. The potential buyers of the plots include investment funds, property developers, joint ventures between the two and cooperatives. “We are holding very advanced negotiations with three of them with the idea of formalising the operation this quarter”, they state.

In terms of the timings, once work has started on the demolition of the stadium, which is expected to begin in the coming days, the reparceling project will continue, which will last for the months of February and March. Once the plots have been registered in the registry, they will be available for sale. The Project will carry out the urbanisation and building work at the same time in such a way that the homes could be ready within three or four years (…).

Original story: Expansión (by R. Arroyo & E. Santos)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Aedas, Neinor & Merlin Properties Put €1bn on the Table for Sabadell’s Land

29 January 2019 – OK Diario

Banco Sabadell has now opened the sales process for Solvia Desarrollos Inmobiliarios, its real estate developer, for which the entity expects to obtain €1 billion. To date, the entity chaired by Josep Oliu has already sent the teaser to almost 30 interested parties. But there has been an important development, and that is that it is not only the typical funds that tend to participate in these types of auctions that are interested in the company, property developers are also keen, including Neinor, Aedas and Merlin Properties.

It is worth remembering that when Sabadell decided to sell Solvia, it separated the house-sale business and the real estate development business into two different companies with the aim of achieving a better offer. The land, which is owned by the second firm, forms part of the bank’s balance sheet and that is what is now up for sale.

According to sources speaking to OK Diario, the deadline for non-binding offers will finish in March; it will be after that when Banco Sabadell will start to receive binding offers. Sources in the know indicate that the operation will be closed in the second quarter. And, moreover, in addition to the aforementioned property developers, funds such as Cerberus, De Shaw, Blackstone, Värde, Apollo and Oaktree have also received the teaser (…).

The main plots of land owned by Solvia Desarrollos Inmobiliarios are in Madrid, Barcelona and several places along the Mediterranean Coast. The portfolio includes plots that the buyer will have to reclassify in order to be able to sell, resell or transform them, as well as plots that are ready for development. It is precisely in those assets that so many property developers have expressed their interest.

Banco Sabadell obtained a profit of €138 million from the sale of 80% of Solvia, its real estate subsidiary, to Lindorff, a company that belongs to the Intrum AB group, for €300 million. With that operation, Sabadell, which has retained ownership of the remaining 20% stake in Solvia, achieved a positive impact on its Common Equity Tier 1 (“fully loaded”) capital ratio of 15 basis points.

The completion of that operation, which is subject to obtaining the corresponding authorisations, is also scheduled for the second quarter of 2019 (…).

Original story: OK Diario (by Borja Jiménez)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Lasalle & Corpfin Buy 4 Assets from Makro for c. €100M

30 July 2018 – Eje Prime

Makro is lightening its property load. The food distribution group has sold four assets in Spain to Lasalle and Corpfin for almost €100 million. Specifically, the fund has acquired three of Makro’s centres in Madrid for €90 million, whilst Corpfin has purchased one asset in Madrid for €8 million, according to Expansión.

The company has sold to Lasalle the buildings in Barajas, Alcobendas and Paseo Imperial, all located in the Community of Madrid, in a sale and leaseback operation brokered by CBRE. Other distribution groups such as Inditex and El Corte Inglés have carried out similar operations over the last year.

On the other hand, Makro has sold 8,000 m2 of retail space, also in Madrid, to Corpfin for €8 million. That operation has been brokered by the consultancy firm Knight Frank.

Makro has 37 centres in Spain, which span a total commercial surface area of 241,744 m2. The chain belongs to the German group Metro, which operates in 35 countries around the world.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake

Union Investment Sells Pórtico Building in Madrid to a French Fund

19 July 2018 – Eje Prime

International operation in the office market in Madrid. The German fund Union Investment has sold the Pórtico building to a leading French investment company. The price of the operation has not been revealed, but it exceeded the valuation.

The building, located at number 2 Calle Mahonia, in the Campo de las Naciones area, spans a surface area of 21,000 m2 spread over seven storeys. Moreover, the asset has 413 parking spaces. The operation has been advised by CBRE.

The tenants of the property, which used to be the headquarters of Marsans for several years, include the cruise company Pullmantur and the liquor company Beam Suntory. The building is almost completely occupied, according to details provided by the last owners, who were asking €130 million for the asset when they put it on the market in January.

Pórtico, designed by the architects SOM and Rafael de La-Hoz, was constructed in 2005 and has formed part of Union Investment’s real estate portfolio since 2008. The asset was included in the group’s Unilmo: Deutschland portfolio.

The operation represents the end of Unilmo: Deutschland’s investments in Spain. Nevertheless, Union Investment is continuing to analyse the commercial property market in Madrid for possible new purchases.

Not in vain, at the beginning of the year, the German fund acquired a commercial asset on central Calle Fuencarral in the Spanish capital. Union Investment also owns two offices buildings in Spain and a hotel in Barcelona, which together have a combined value of approximately €190 million.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake

Sabadell Sells €9.1bn to Cerberus & €2.5bn to Deutsche Bank

19 July 2018 – Voz Pópuli

Banco Sabadell is selling its property to Cerberus and Deutsche Bank. The Catalan entity has agreed with the US fund to transfer 80% of its foreclosed assets, worth €9.1 billion for €3.9 billion. And is finalising the sale of €2.5 billion in real estate loans proceeding from CAM to Deutsche Bank, according to financial sources consulted by Vozpópuli. The entities involved all declined to comment.

The agreement with Cerberus, which this newspaper revealed, includes two of the four large portfolios for sale: “Challenger”, containing assets from the bank – around €5 billion – and “Coliseum”, containing foreclosed assets proceeding from CAM and with public aid from the Deposit Guarantee Fund (FGD).

According to a statement filed with the CNMV, Sabadell values those two portfolios at €9.1 billion and is selling them to a new company for €3.9 billion, equivalent to 42% of the initial appraisal value. Cerberus will own 80% of the new company and Sabadell the remaining 20%, in such a way that the bank will receive around €3.1 billion. The sale requires provisions of €92 million. The Solvia platform was left out of the agreement.

Agreement with Deutsche Bank

Meanwhile, the agreement with Deutsche Bank is for Project Makalu, another of the four portfolios that Sabadell put up for sale. It already sold the first, unsecured, portfolio – Project Galerna – to the fund Axactor.

Of the four portfolios, this is the largest containing loans backed by real estate collateral. And it is protected by the public aid that Sabadell received for the purchase of CAM, at the end of 2011. For that reason, this operation, which may be signed in the next few days, requires the approval of the FGD.

Deutsche Bank has fought off tough competition from Oaktree and Lone Star to acquire this portfolio. The price of the operation could reach between €800 million to €900 million, according to market valuations. The advisor on the sale has been KPMG.

The German bank is one of the typical buyers of these types of portfolio, although until now, it had not purchased anything of this magnitude in Spain. Last year, it closed two operations, one with Sareb amounting to €400 million and the other with CaixaBank amounting to €700 million.

Balance sheet

Following the imminent agreement with Deutsche Bank, the divestment team at Sabadell led by Jaume Oliu and Simon Castellá will have transferred €12.5 billion in problem assets to Cerberus, Deutsche Bank and Axactor.

This latest acquisition by Cerberus is the fourth largest in history in Spain, behind the sale of Popular’s property to Blackstone – €30 billion; the sale of BBVA’s property to Cerberus – €14 billion; and the most recent sale of CaixaBank’s property to Lone Star – €12.8 billion.

Original story: Voz Pópuli (by Jorge Zuloaga)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Minor Buys 26.5% of NH Hoteles from HNA for €622M

5 June 2018 – El País

The Thai company Minor International has purchased the Chinese conglomerate HNA’s 26.46% stake in NH Hotel Group for a total of €662.3 million, and has whereby become the largest shareholder of the Spanish hotel group, according to a statement filed on Tuesday by the Chinese company with Spain’s National Securities and Markets Commission (CNMV).

The operation has been divided into two tranches. On the one hand, HNA has sold a package of 65.85 million shares in the Spanish group, representing 17.64% of NH’s share capital, at a price of €6.40 per share, for a total of €421.4 million. That operation is expected to be closed by the middle of this month.

On the other hand, the Asian group has sold 32.93 million shares, representing 8.83% of NH’s share capital for €6.10 per share, equivalent to a total price of €200.9 million. Nevertheless, this second operation is subject to the execution of the first and is expected to be closed by the middle of September.

Forced takeover

Currently, Minor holds a 10.22% stake in NH, although it only holds 1.66% in shares. It holds the remaining 8.56% through financial instruments. When its acquisition of HNA’s stake is completed, Minor will be obliged to launch a takeover bid for 100% of the Spanish hotel group, as established by the law, as it will exceed the threshold of 30% of its share capital. The minimum price of that bid will have to be €6.40 per share.

Minor acquired its first stake in NH a month ago, with the purchase of 8.6% from the fund Oceanwood for €196 million, when it paid exactly the same price (€6.40 per share) that it will now pay HNA. Following that operation, Minor explained that “no management changes are expected” in NH in relation to its investment in the company, but it left the door open to expand its stake and, therefore, take absolute control over it.

Minor International Public Company Limited (MINT), the company that operates the Minor Hoteles brand, has 160 hotels, 2,000 restaurants and 400 outlets, most of which are located in South-East Asia. The firm’s market capitalisation amounts to around €4 billion.

Original story:El País (by Ramón Muñoz)

Translation: Carmel Drake

MGS Acquires 6,700m2 of Buildable Land in Sant Cugat del Vallés (Barcelona)

 8 May 2018 – Eje Prime

MGS has secured a plot of land in a prime area of Barcelona. The insurance company has purchased a plot with a buildable surface area of 6,700 m2 in Sant Cugat del Vallés. The acquisition of this asset (…) forms part of the company’s real estate investment plan.

The company, which specialises in the supply of insurance products, has been increasing its activity in the real estate sector in recent months, where it is undertaking purchases to increase its portfolio. This operation has been advised by BNP Paribas.

The National Director of the Land Department at the consultancy firm, Araceli Burgos, highlighted that this operation, involving land that may be used for alternative investments, “shows that this market is reaching the same level of maturity that has already been achieved in the rest of Europe”.

Original story: Eje Prime 

Translation: Carmel Drake

Sareb Puts 4 Large Portfolios Worth €3.2bn Up For Sale

12 March 2018 – Eje Prime

Sareb is in a hurry. The bad bank has put four large portfolios of assets up for sale worth €3.2 billion, in a move that sees the company getting ahead of the significant divestments that many of the large Spanish banks are planning to undertake.

Moreover, the company that manages assets inherited from the banks would be willing to add two campaigns to this divestment plan through the loan channel worth €1.25 billion and which, in addition to the portfolios that are coming onto the market, would allow Sareb to place up to €4.5 billion in assets.

Of the projects that it has brought onto the market, the bad bank highlights Dune. Through that operation, whose sale was thwarted in 2017, Sareb is putting up for sale €2.5 billion in mortgage debt, in other words, unpaid loans following the enforcement of real estate loans, according to Vózpopuli.

Two other asset portfolios that the bad bank is seeking to market are Project Nora and Project Bidasoa. The first comprises unpaid loans over residential homes for a value that ranges between €300 million and €400 million. Meanwhile, Bidasoa is a debt linked to land located all over Spain that, in total, amounts to €300 million.

Sources at Sareb, which declined to make any comment in this regard, only point out that the sales made during the first few months of 2018 relate to the company’s plan to “deseasonalise” its activity.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake