Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

London property merger to create $6 billion West End powerhouse

Published 16/06/2022, 07:24
Updated 16/06/2022, 11:17
© Reuters.

© Reuters.

By Aby Jose Koilparambil

(Reuters) -Two of London's biggest property companies agreed to merge on Thursday to create a 5 billion pound ($6 billion) estate with sites in tourist hotspots including Covent Garden, Carnaby Street and Soho that are battling to recover from the pandemic.

Shaftesbury and Capital & Counties Properties combined property portfolio will comprises about 2.9 million square feet of lettable space in high-profile destinations in London's West End.

"The merged business will have an exceptional portfolio, located in popular and busy parts of London's vibrant West End, and an experienced and innovative team drawn from both businesses," Shaftesbury CEO Brian Bickell said.

London landlords heavily exposed to non-essential retailers and hospitality firms are on a slow recovery path after coronavirus lockdowns.

Under the terms of the all-share deal, Shaftesbury shareholders will get 3.356 new Capital & Counties Properties (Capco) shares for each share held, valuing Shaftesbury at about 1.96 billion pounds ($2.37 billion) including the 25.2% stake Capco already owns.

Reuters calculated the valuation based on Capco's closing price on Wednesday.

For Capco shareholders, the deal is expected to be earnings accretive immediately, while for Shaftesbury shareholders, the merger is expected to be modestly earnings dilutive in the first two years after completion.

Shaftesbury shares fell more than 8% to 534 pence in morning trade, while Capco stock was down 0.1%.

Existing shareholders in Shaftesbury will own 53% of the combined group - Shaftesbury Capital Plc. Capco shareholders will own the rest.

The newly created group will be led by Shaftesbury's Jonathan Nicholls as non-executive chairman and Capco's Ian Hawksworth as chief executive.

Shaftesbury CEO Bickell and Capco's Chairman Henry Staunton will retire once the deal is completed.

The combined group will retain Capco's listings on the London Stock Exchange as well as the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

($1 = 0.8254 pounds)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.