Trajano Iberia Buys Alcalá Magna Shopping Centre For €100M

3 February 2017 – Expansión

The Socimi Trajano Iberia, which is managed by the real estate division of Deutsche Asset Management, has purchased the Alcalá Magna shopping centre from Incus Capital, for €100 million.

According to a statement released by the Socimi, the shopping centre is located in one of the main residential areas of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid). It has a commercial surface area of 34,165 m2, spread over two levels, and 1,204 parking spaces, spread over two underground floors.

Its tenants include high profile brands from the Inditex group, led by Zara, as well as several recent arrivals, such as Lefties, H&M, Mango, Mercadona, a Virgin Active gym and restaurant groups.

The space, constructed in 2007, has an occupancy rate of more than 95%, receives almost 5 million visitors a year and generates annual sales of around €64 million.

Following this operation, Trajano Iberia has now made investments amounting to €282 million since its launch in June 2015. It currently has five assets in its portfolio, with a total surface area under management of 151,000 m2.

This new investment takes the company to 100% of its investment capacity once again, following its second capital increase, which was carried out in October, amounting to €47.2 million.

For this transaction, the company was advised by Deloitte, JLL and Garrigues. The vendor was advised by CBRE and Dentons.

Original story: Expansión

Translation: Carmel Drake

Deutsche AM Finances 51% of Neinver & TH RE’s Nassica Purchase

20 December 2016 – Cuatro

Deutsche Asset Management (AM) has granted a loan amounting to €71.5 million to the joint venture between TH Real Estate and Neinver to finance its acquisition of the Nassica shopping and leisure centre in Madrid, whereby contributing 51% of the €140 million that was disbursed for the transaction.

Deutsche AM reported that the financing will be provided through its senior debt real estate fund.

At the beginning of November, TH Real Estate and Neinver completed the purchase of the Nassica shopping centre from the private equity firm KKR for €140 million.

At the beginning of 2015, Neinver and TH Real Estate signed a strategic alliance to create a leading platform of outlet centres in Europe, in which they each hold a 50% stake and through which they own several assets, in addition to the complex located in Getafe.

Constructed in 2002 and located in Getafe, in the south of Madrid, Nassica has a surface area of 53,000 m2, which is divided into 44 spaces for retail, restaurants and leisure.

The property, which was completely renovated in 2015, has a high occupancy rate and a large variety of retail outlets, including a Carrefour, MediaMarkt and Toys R Us, as well as other domestic and international brands.

The shopping centre attracts 6.4 million visitors per year and is easy to access given its strategic location close to two major highways. Moreover, it is next to The Style Outlets, an important shopping centre, which is managed by Neinver. (…).

Recently, Deutsche’s real estate debt investment division completed the €57 million refinancing of a portfolio of investments in Mayfair, London, as well as a new €750 million mandate for a German institutional client.

Deutsche AM’s real estate debt business has a total volume of €2,000 million (as at 7 November 2016).

Original story: Cuatro

Translation: Carmel Drake

Schauinsland-Reisen Buys Two Hotels In Fuerteventura

28 November 2016 – Real Estate Press

The German tour operator Schauinsland-Reisen has acquired Hotel R2 Río Calma and the Maryvent apartment complex, both located in Fuerteventura.

According to a statement issued by the Company, the Canary Islands represent one of the main destinations for the tour operator. For this reason, Schauinsland-Reisen has invested in two very well-known and well-regarded tourist complexes in the Canary Islands. The two buildings are located on the Costa Calma de Fuerteventura and are very popular with the German market, according to the company. The group has acquired 100% of the superior 4-star Hotel R2 Río Calma, which has 416 rooms, and has become the majority shareholder of the Maryvent apartment complex, which is also a 4-star property.

Gerald Kassner, CEO at the company, appeared very happy with the success of the agreements and the incorporation of these hotels into the firm’s portfolio. “We are very happy to be acquiring these two beach-front hotels for the German market and for our clients. Both tourist complexes fit perfectly with the Schauinsland-Reisen portfolio in terms of quality and location”, he said.

The group highlights that the Maryvent apartment complex has a “prime location” right on the beach front at Playa de Costa Calma. Guests stay right next to the 1km-long, shallow beach. (…).

Within the R2 hotel chain complex, the tour operator Duisburgo also exclusively operates the 5-star R2 Romantic Fantasia Suites Design de Bahía Playa, the 4-star R2 Design Hotel Bhía Playa and the 4-star R2 Romantic Fantasia Dream.

In June, the German tour operator bought its first hotel in Mallorca, the Bahía Cala Ratjada, a 4-star property, formerly known as Eva Park.

Original story: Real Estate Press

Translation: Carmel Drake

Neinver & TH Real Estate Buy Nassica Shopping Centre For €140M

8 November 2016 – Real Estate Press

TH Real Estate and Neinver have completed the purchase of the Nassica shopping centre from the private equity firm KKR for €140 million.

At the beginning of 2015, Neinver and TH Real Estate signed a strategic alliance to create a leading platform for outlet centres in Europe. Each company owns a 50% stake in the joint venture, which owns several assets in a portfolio that now also includes the complex located in Getafe (Madrid).

Nassica has a gross leasable area (GLA) of 50,200 m2 and 4,000 parking spaces. The centre receives twelve million visitors per year.

In this way, the joint venture between TH Real Estate and Neinver have acquired the complex in Getafe just two years after KKR purchased it for €100 million.

With operations in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, The Netherlands and the Czech Republic, Neinver has consolidated its position in the European retail sector and now manages 24 centres, covering a GLA of 593,000 m2, housing almost 2,000 stores and more than 1,000 exclusive national and international brands.

Original story: Real Estate Press

Translation: Carmel Drake

Inv’t In Retail Assets Exceeds €1,800M In YTD16

8 September 2016 – Expansión

So far this year, transactions amounting to more than €1,800 million have been completed (in the retail sector). Moreover, the development market is expected to be reactivated.

After years of low and moderate activity in the retail sector, the exit from the crisis represented a turning point and the last two years have been particularly intense in terms of investment in shopping centres and retail parks. In addition, experts forecast that sales growth will continue during 2016, along with the development of new projects.

In this way, whilst investment in the office segment has moderated during 2016, following the significant activity that was registered there last year, activity continues a pace in the shopping centre sector and, records are being broken, such as, for example, with the sale of Diagonal Mar (Barcelona) for €493 million in August.

Growth in income

Thus, during the first eight months of the year, investments amounting to more than €1,800 million have been made. The big four have strengthened their position as advisors to these types of operations. For example, Deloitte was the buy-side advisor in the Diagonal Mar deal, whilst CBRE advised on the sell-side.

Growth in the economy, as well as an improvement in consumption have represented a wake-up call for shopping centres and, in 2016, sales are expected to grow and the promotion of new projects is expected to be reactivated. Moreover, given that sales are growing at a faster rate than the volume of visitors to shopping centres, the ratio of spend per visitor is also improving. Thus, as a result of the good results and the demand for premises, rents in prime shopping centres increased in 2015 for the first time since the outbreak of the crisis, by between 5% and 10% on average, according to a report from CBRE.

Last year, investment in shopping centres and retail parks exceeded all expectations, with a total volume of €2,650 million. In terms of the profile of investors, the Socimis were the major players, with Merlin and Lar leading the charge, along with fund managers.

According to CBRE, although the economic and political uncertainty is concerning buyers, it has not affected investment activity in retail assets. The consultancy firm estimates that 2016 could end with a total investment volume of €2,000 million in the shopping centre sector.

“Opportunistic funds that invested between 2012 and 2014 are busy divesting in 2016, having reached their target returns much sooner than expected. Institutional investors, which have a much lower cost of capital, are now taking over the reins, now that the yield offered by shopping centres in the rest of Europe is lower than in Spain, despite the fact that the evolution of the consumer environment is less favourable than in our country. We have never before enjoyed such a favourable environment for completing transactions in Spain”, explained Javier García-Mateo, Partner in Financial Advisory at Deloitte.

For José Manuel Llovet, the Director of Retail in Spain at Lar, shopping centres have great potential. “Sales are increasing along with consumption, which means that shopping centres are managing to achieve much higher rent increases than offices, which have not ended up experiencing the improvements that were expected at the beginning of the recovery”, explained Llovet.

Original story: Expansión (by Rebeca Arroyo)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Carmila Buys 3 Shopping Centres In Spain For €77M

6 September 2016 – Expansión

Carmila – Carrefour’s real estate subsidiary – has acquired three shopping centres from Hispania Retail Properties for €77 million and has thereby increased the number of assets that it owns in Spain to 69.

Specifically, the company has acquired El Mirador in the province of Burgos, which has a surface area of 9,104 sqm and 3.5 million visitors per year; Montigalà in Badalona, which has a surface area of 10,668 sqm and 3.5 million visitors per year, and Atalayas in the centre of Murcia, which has a surface area of 10,024 sqm and five million visitors per year.

Meanwhile, the company has acquired fourteen stores in the Pince-Vent shopping centre in Ormesson (France) from the company Meyer Bergman. As a result of that transaction, the company has completed its acquisition of the entire shopping centre, which receives 5.1 million visitors each year.

Carmila, which is owned jointly by Carrefour (42%) and several large institutional investors (58%), invests in shopping centres that are adjacent to its Carrefour hypermarkets in Spain, France and Italy.

The Chairman of Carmila, Jacques Ehrmann, explained that with these operations, the Group has increased the value of its asset portfolio to €4,600 million. “The group is maintaining its value creation strategy thanks to a total portfolio of project investment amounting to €1,200 million and the development of innovation projects for the benefit of traders”, said Ehrmann.

Original story: Expansión (by R. Arroyo)

Translation: Carmel Drake

KKR & Neinver Finalise Sale Of Nassica Shopping Centre

8 August 2016 – Expansión

The US investment firm KKR and the real estate company Neinver are finalising the sale of the Nassica shopping centre, located in the Madrilenian town of Getafe, to TIAA Henderson Real Estate.

The price of the transaction, advised by the real estate consultancy Knight Frank, is expected to exceed €100 million.

The transaction is expected to be completed soon, after the due diligence process has been completed. TIAA Henderson also currently owns another Madrilenian shopping centre, Isla Azul.

Nassica, which receives more than 12 million visitors per year, has a gross leasable area (GLA) of 50,200 sqm and 4,000 parking spaces.

The centre includes a 10,700 sqm Carrefour hypermarket. The retail offering is completed by brands such as Conforama, Décimas, Merkal, Toys ‘R’ Us, Worten and Kiwoko. In addition, the site has a The Style Outlets centre with a surface area of almost 21,000 sqm.

In addition, Nassica has a 20-screen cinema, with more than 5,000 seats, as well as an area dedicated to leisure with more than 25 restaurants.

KKR, which created a joint venture with the real estate company Neinver in 2014 to acquire Nassica, will sell the property just two years after it bought it. At the time, the investment fund and the Spanish operator bought the Nassica and Vista Alegre shopping centres, both from the Pillar Retail European Fund, whose majority shareholder is British Land, for around €90 million.

Constructed by Neinver in 2002, the Nassica shopping and leisure centre underwent a makeover in 2015 to renovate and modernise its facilities. The renovation included both the decor of the property as well as changes to the shopping centre’s common areas. In this way, for example, the paving and façade were refurbished and new recreation areas and green spaces were created, and the terraces were made more accessible.

Original story: Expansión (by Rebeca Arroyo)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Lar Acquires Vistahermosa Shopping Centre For €42.5M

20 June 2016 – Efe Empresas

The real estate investment company LAR España Real Estate (LRE) has acquired the Vistahermosa shopping centre, in the province of Alicante, for €42.5 million, as reported to Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV).

The Vistahermosa shopping complex has a gross surface area of 33,550 sqm and is home to several high profile brands including Alcampo, Leroy Merlin and Media Markt.

The Chairman of Lar España, José Luis del Valle, highlighted that the purchase of the shopping centre “strengthens the quality of Lar’s portfolio” and increases its presence in the Mediterranean region, “one of the most attractive areas in Spain”.

Forecasts show that by the end of this year, the complex will receive 6 million visitors per annum.

Following the acquisition, the value of Lar España Real Estate’s assets amounts to €1,003 million, spread over ten autonomous regions. Of the total, €728 million relates to the acquisition of thirteen retail premises; €150 million to the purchase of four office buildings in Madrid and one in Barcelona; €70 million relates to four logistics assets in Guadalajara and one in Valencia; and €55 million corresponds to a residential asset in Madrid.

Original story: Efe Empresa

Translation: Carmel Drake

Lar España Buys ‘El Rosal’ Shopping Centre For €87.5M

9 July 2015 – Info Bierzo

The Socimi Lar España has acquired the ‘El Rosal’ shopping centre in Ponferrada for €87.5 million, according to Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV).

According to Lar, El Rosal has a catchment area of more than 200,000 inhabitants and an occupancy rate of 92%. Moreover, its tenants include high profile brands such as Carrefour, Zara, C&A, H&M and Worten.

Lar has taken out a fifteen year loan with CaixaBank amounting to €87.3 million to finance the transaction. It is the second shopping centre that the Socimi has purchased this year, after it acquired ‘As Termas’ shopping centre in April for €67 million.

“We also note that this is the only shopping centre within a 100km radius, which broadens its appeal even further. The fact that Ponferrada and El Bierzo are surrounded by mountains and hills creates a unique catchment area, in which all roads lead to the town in (the province of) León”, says Miguel Pereda, Director at Lar.

The purchase of El Rosal is the largest transaction that Lar has carried out to date, as part of its strategy to acquire “shopping centres that are located in major catchment areas, with potential for growth and no sizeable shopping centres nearby”.

“The centre received more than 5.4 million visitors in 2014…”, says Pereda. Over the medium term, the real estate company plans to invest €3.4 million in operators and on the building.

With this transaction, Lar now has a total investment assets of €658.4 million, of which €368.4 million has been spent on the acquisition of 7 shopping centres, located in Lugo, Guipúzcoa, Palencia, Albacete, Barcelona and Alicante, and now Ponferrada.

The El Rosal complex opened in October 2007 and has a surface area of more than 151,000 m2 (retail space of 50,800 m2), as well as 2,450 parking spaces.

The British fund Doughty Hanson, which owned the shopping centre until Wednesday has sold 100% of the capital. The British firm sold the ‘Plaza Éboli‘ shopping centre, in Pinto, in June for a reported consideration of €30 million. It paid €120 million for the two shopping centres in El Bierzo and Madrid four years ago.

Original story: Info Bierzo

Translation: Carmel Drake