The Ruggieri Family Buys Eurosic’s Spanish Socimi

18 October 2017 – El Confidencial

One of the wealthiest families in France has set its sights on Spain’s tourism market. The Ruggieri family, owner of the Batipart Group, reached an agreement in August with the also French firm Eurosic to purchase the Socimi that that firm had created in Spain, and has now renamed the entity Elaia Investment Spain.

After taking over 66% of the vehicle, Batipart has put all of the wheels in motion to enable the company to make its debut on the stock market before the end of the year, just like its previous owner had planned.

In this new business venture, Ruggieri is accompanied by Euler Hermès, owner of 13.81% of the Socimi; Allianz Invest Pierra, owner of another 9.21%; and around twenty individual investors who own the remainder of the share capital.

Elaia owns twelve real estate assets in Spain, primarily hotels and tourist apartments, although it also owns two residential properties in Madrid, on the centric streets Bailén and Atocha.

The Socimi focuses on three-and four-star category hotels and on taking advantage of the boom in tourist apartments. It owns two assets of each type in Mallorca and a hotel and two apartment blocks in Málaga, whilst, in Cataluña, it owns a hotel in Roses (Gerona), one tourist rental building in Barcelona and another in Estartir (Gerona).

In total, the Socimi has invested €145 million so far acquiring its portfolio, although its objective is to reach €280 million. To that end, it is currently holding talks with various investors, whose contributions will range between €10 million and €30 million.

When it debuts on the MAB, Elaia expects to have a market capitalisation of €120 million, a figure that will make it one of the largest Socimis on the market. The company will be managed by Elaia Management Spain, a subsidiary of Batipart, and the plan is to undertake some of its expansion together with Pierre & Vacances, its main partner in Spain.

The Socimi’s roadmap foresees it continuing with its intense asset acquisition policy for the next year or so, before spending the following two years repositioning those assets. The divestment phase is expected to be activated from 2021 onwards and that strategy is expected to be carried out on an asset by asset basis, culminating in 2024, with a forecast rate of return (IRR) of 15%.

Eurosic-Gecina’s heritage

The Batipart Group was founded in 1988 by Charles Ruggieri, who was born in Italy but who settled in France many years ago, where he is one of the top 100 wealthiest people in the country, with a net worth of around €900 million. A historical shareholder of Eurosic, in June, he agreed to sell his 24% in the real estate company to Gecina, in exchange for taking ownership of all of the leisure, health and hotel assets in the portfolio, including Elaia, worth €463 million in total.

That agreement was signed on 29 August, which is when Batipart took control of the Spanish Socimi. Moreover, the group owned by the Ruggieri family also has a presence in the nursing home sector, through the Korian Group, and it owns six hotels in Africa.

Original story: El Confidencial (by Ruth Ugalde)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Invesco & Niöra Acquire Residential Building In Madrid For €30M

18 October 2017 – Eje Prime

Another new partnership has been formed in the real estate sector. Invesco Real Estate, the global real estate investment management firm, and Niöra Real Estate, the real estate investment firm belonging to the Levante Capital Partners Group, have joined forces to purchase the property located at number 7 on Calle Génova, in Madrid. The project will involve a total investment of more than €30 million.

The real estate operation between Invesco and Nïora Real Estate marks the beginning of a collaboration between the two companies to create a series of luxury real estate projects, given that the two entities are already working together on the completion of a second operation before the end of the year.

The building, constructed at the beginning of the last century, is located in the Almagro district of Madrid, one of the wealthiest in the capital. Génova 7 comprises seven above-ground floors and one underground floor, spanning a total surface area of 6,088 m2. The property is going to be completely renovated to create retail premises on the ground floor and luxury residential units on the upper floors. The renovation, which is expected to be completed in 2019, will begin at the end of this year and Niöra Real Estate will be responsible for managing the project.

Niöra Real Estate specialises in originating real estate opportunities based on analysing the fundamentals in the market; repositioning assets, advising on the modification of features to improve their value; and optimising exit strategies and divestments.

Meanwhile, Invesco Real Estate currently has around $65,000 million in assets under management, which it handles through 21 offices around the world. This new acquisition is being incorporated into its European portfolio containing more than 130 assets in 13 countries, worth around $9,000 million.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake

Fergus Incorporates Hotel Club Bahamas (Ibiza) Into Its Portfolio

17 October 2017 – Hosteltur

Fergus Hotels has incorporated the 3-star Hotel Club Bahamas into its portfolio, which will operate from 2019 as a 4-star property under the name: Fergus Style Bahamas. With this agreement, the Mallorca-based chain has made its debut in Playa d’en Bossa, Ibiza, with a project to reposition and increase the star rating of the hotel.

The hotel chain is committed to expansion in the Balearic Islands and will start to manage the latest hotel from November 2018 onwards. The establishment has 528 rooms, an extensive range of restaurants, several swimming pools, a gym, spa and garden areas. It represents the first hotel to be operated by Fergus in Ibiza under its Style brand. The establishment had been managed by Nordotel until now.

The repositioning of the property as the Fergus Style Bahamas will involve the renovation of a large number of the features offered at the hotel. Its location, on the beachfront of Playa d’en Bossa and its proximity to the island’s main leisure, shopping and restaurant areas will allow the hotel’s clients to enjoy a wide variety of activities during their holidays on Ibiza.

Fergus is currently undergoing an expansion phase, incorporating new hotels to join those already in its portfolio. The firm is committed to offering better services and facilities through the repositioning of its hotels and the creation of tailor-made products for its clients. Its short- and medium-term plans include incorporating its first assets outside of the Balearic Islands, within Spain, as well as undertaking its first transactions on the international stage. The chain has focused on the Balearic Islands, in particular, said Bernat Vicens, Director General of the chain, speaking to Hosteltur recently, but Fergus Hotels wants to establish a solid and stable presence beyond the Balearic Islands, he added.

Original story: Hosteltur

Translation: Carmel Drake

Meliá & Starwood Sell 4 Hotels To London & Regional For €230M

10 July 2017 – Expansión

The Meliá Hotel Group is rotating its asset portfolio. Starmel, the joint venture that the Mallorca-based hotel chain controlled by the Escarrer family constituted with Starwood Capital in 2015, has sold four hotels to London & Regional in an operation worth €230 million, according to market sources.

The hotels in question are the Sol Príncipe de Málaga, Sol Lanzarote, Sol House Ibiza and Sol Palmanova in Mallorca. These establishments, which have been renovated recently, contain more than 2,000 rooms between them and will continue to be managed by Meliá following the operation.

This is not the first time that London & Regional and Meliá have crossed paths. In fact, the company owned by Ian Livingstone, one of the greatest real estate entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom, and the Mallorca-based hotel chain have been partners since 2013, when London & Regional purchased 50% of a hotel that Meliá was preparing in Ibiza. That operation opened the doors to the Spanish market for Livingstone.

Meanwhile, the alliance between Meliá and Starwood Capital dates back to 2015, when the hotel group sold seven establishments in the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and Andalucía, worth €176 million, to Starmel. The fund controls an 80% stake in the joint venture, whilst Meliá, which recorded profits of €35 million from that operation, owns the remaining 20%. The partners planned to allocate €30 million to the renovation and repositioning of those hotels, which Meliá will continue to manage for the next 15 years.

In parallel, Starmel is continuing to look for opportunities to acquire new assets, with the focus on holiday resorts in the Mediterranean area. Hotels have become one of the preferred assets for investors.

According to data from the consultancy firm CBRE, investment in hotels exceeded €2,000 million during the first half of this year, which represents an increase of 170% compared to the same period in 2016. During this period, operations involving one hundred establishments have been closed, affecting 14,000 rooms in the Spanish market. In this case, CBRE has advised Starmel in the operation. “The assets are located in key tourist areas. Together with those destinations, Madrid and Barcelona are continuing to attract international investors, which reinforces the strength of the Spanish hotel market as an investment destination for the international investment community”, said Miguel Casas, Director of CBRE Hotels España.

Forecasts

The share price of Meliá Hotels International fell by 0.62% on the stock market on Thursday (following the announcement) to €12.88. The hotel chain, which has a market capitalisation of €2,959 million, has seen its share price rise by 16.25% so far this year.

For the year as a whole, Bloomberg’s analysts forecast that Meliá’s revenues will rise by 6.75% to €1,927 million and the net profit will increase by 12.45% to €116.5 million, according to the experts.

Original story: Expansión

Translation: Carmel Drake

Hispania Buys Hotel Selomar In Benidorm For €16M

20 June 2017 – MB Noticias

Yesterday, Hispania announced the purchase of Hotel Selomar in Benidorm. It is one of the city’s iconic complexes but is in a very bad state after more than 10 years of disrepair and the spectacular fire that almost destroyed it. With 245 rooms in total and located on the Levante beach front, the hotel has been sold for approximately €16 million. Following the acquisition, Hispania has become the largest hotel owner in Spain. It now owns 11,021 rooms in 38 hotels, according to a statement issued by the company.

As part of the strategy to acquire the hotel, Hispania will invest between €17 million and €19 million on its complete renovation. The total investment, including the repositioning, amounts to between €33 million and €35 million. The Barceló Group will be the hotel operator through a lease contract with a fixed and variable component, under the framework agreement that it holds with Hispania.

Benidorm is one of the most established tourist destinations in Spain and has some of the best beaches in the whole Mediterranean. According to Hispania, Benidorm is one of the few year-round destinations in mainland Spain, which along with its significant international tourism component, makes it one of the most attractive destinations for investment in Spain.

“With our entry into the market in Benidorm, Hispania is accessing a strategic market in Spain, given its stable occupancy rate during the course of the year and its high degree of exposure to European tourists. This operation shows, once again, Hispania’s capacity to generate value from individual operations at the same time as we increase our presence in the Mediterranean”, said Concha Osácar, CEO of Hispania.

Original story: MB Noticias

Translation: Carmel Drake

Hispania Buys Hotel Paradise Portinatx In Ibiza For €11M

19 July 2016 – Expansión

The Socimi Hispania Activos Inmobiliarios has acquired 100% of the shares in the company Later Deruser, owner of the Hotel Paradise Portinatx in Ibiza (Balearic Islands), for €11 million, which will now be operated by Barceló.

Hispania has performed the operation through its subsidiary Bay Hotels & Leisure, according to a statement filed with Spain’s National Securities and Markets Commission (CNMV).

Hotel Paradise Portinatx is a three-star facility, with 134 rooms.

As part of its investment strategy, Hispania will undertake a comprehensive refurbishment of the property, spending approximately €8 million, to increase it to an “adult only” 4-star hotel.

The Barceló Group will operate the hotel through a lease contract (with fixed and variable elements) under a framework agreement that covers all of the hotels operated by the group.

The asset is located on Playa de Portinatx, right on the beach. The town of Portinatx, in the north of the island, is seeing a significant upgrade of its hotel offerings.

According to available data about occupancy rates and average revenues per room, Ibiza has established itself as one of the primary destinations in the Mediterranean.

Hispania considers that there are still attractive investment opportunities in the hotel sector, as it gains presence in vacation destinations with growth potential, as well as in privileged locations.

According to the CEO of Hispania, Concha Osácar, this operation shows, once again, that the Balearic Islands – and Ibiza in particular, which is the best performing island in the region – are a key market for Hispania.

Currently, Hispania owns four hotels on the island: the recently repositioned Hotel Barceló Pueblo Ibiza, and three hotels recently purchased in Cala de San Miguel, which will be repositioned in 2017.

Original story: Expansión

Translation: Carmel Drake

Which Hotels Are Most Sought After By The Socimis?

22 June 2016 – Hosteltur.com

Javier Arús, Head of Investments at Hispania, spoke at a conference last week entitled “Spain: Hotspot for international hotel investment”, organised by the Real Estate Alumni Club of Instituto de Empresa at the IE Business School.

There, he highlighted that the number of operations involving asset repositionings are on the rise, such Hispania’s acquisition of the Ibizan hotel chain San Miguel last week for €32 million. That deal involved the purchase of three mid-range hotels in Ibiza, where significant investments will be made to reposition the properties and convert them into premium assets. This type of operation, “with hotels in very attractive destinations and excellent locations, allows us to develop new products, almost from scratch, and obtain very significant resturns on our investments”, said Arús.

The Head of Investments at Hispania also spoke about the contractual relationships that exist between the Socimi and the operators of the hotels it has acquired to date. He stressed his firm’s preference for mixed lease contracts, which guarantee a minimum level of rental income and offer a variable rental income component to complement the fixed revenue stream. (…).

Meliá’s commitment

Meanwhile, Ángel Luis Rodríguez, Vice-President of Portfolio Management at Meliá Hotels International confirmed that the hotel chain is not currently entertaining the possibility of structuring its assets under a Socimi framework. Rather, the firm has committed itself to the creation of a very specialised real estate manager within the existing company structure, without any need to legally separate the hotel manager’s assets. Moreover, it is focusing its efforts on investing in technology and in core assets. 80% of the hotels in its portfolio operate under management frameworks.

Rodríguez agrees with Javier Arús that there are excellent opportunities to be had from “measured” repositioning of vacation hotel assets. By way of example, he described Meliá’s Calviá Beach project and highlighted the increase in value and quality that it has represented for a tourist destination such as Magaluf. There, the chain, which operates 3,200 rooms, has adopted a deliberate strategy that has allowed it to increase RevPar (revenues per available room) in the area by between 70-80% in a short period of time and with a very limited Capex investment.

Its brand-focused strategy is allowing the company to “enjoy a ‘virtuous circle’: brand strategy + investment in repositioning = increase in ARR (average room rate) and RevPar – Greater client satisfaction and loyalty – Increase in asset value – Better segmentation of customers – Higher direct sales – Higher Returns”.

The three speakers (Javier Faus, President of Meridia Capital also spoke), all experts in the hotel sector, agree that Spain may be able to maintain the level of growth in the hotel sector, if its supply is renewed and updated to reflect the expectations of international tourists, who are genuinely very fond of our country. They also highlight the importance of professionalising the operation of assets and investing in technology to deepen client knowledge and loyalty.

Original story: Hosteltur.com

Translation: Carmel Drake