Business

Thursday April 19, 2007

Macquarie CountryWide buys shopping centres in Europe



SYDNEY: Macquarie CountryWide Trust, an Australian real estate investment trust, agreed to buy shopping

centres in Germany and Poland for 351mil euros (US$477mil) in its first foray into Europe.

The purchases will be funded by debt, and about A$160mil (US$134mil) in stock sales to institutional and existing investors, the Sydney-based company said in a statement.

The deal includes five malls in Poland and two in Germany.

The acquisition is the first major transaction for Chief executive officer Stephen Sewell, who took over in September.

The trust has flagged buying assets in Europe or Asia to accelerate profit growth, after establishing itself in the US through a venture with Regency Centers Corp. Australian trusts are looking offshore amid a lack of opportunities at home, where most investment-grade property is already owned by funds.

The trust is managed by Macquarie Bank Ltd, Australia's largest securities firm.

To finance the acquisition, Macquarie CountryWide plans to sell about 58 million shares at A$2.07 apiece, 5.9% below closing price on Tuesday.

Proceeds from the sale of supermarkets in New Zealand in, debt of 251mil euros as well as a share purchase plan for existing shareholders of between A$30mil and A$40mil will also help fund the deal, the company said.

Australian real estate investors spent A$12bil last year buying international properties, mostly in Germany and Britain, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.

“We are very excited about establishing an initial presence in Europe,'' Sewell said.

The properties to be bought are anchored by Carrefour SA, Europe's biggest retailer, and German supermarket operator REWE Handelsgruppe AG, the company said.

“The portfolio is attractive, with secure income streams anchored by international retailers,'' Richard Jones, a real

estate analyst at Macquarie Bank, wrote in a note to clients. – Bloomberg


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