As we discussed back in November 2015, Starboard Value Partners, led by the brash Jeffrey Smith, had acquired a stake in Macy’s(M) and pushed for a spinoff of the real estate into a REIT(Real Estate Investment Trust). Now, with the stock down 60% from Starboard’s purchase price and longtime Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren stepping down, the plan may… Read More »
Hilton Worldwide Holdings(HLT) announced this morning that it has filed Form 10 registration statements for two previously announced spinoffs of its real estate and timeshare businesses. CEO Christopher J. Nassetta said the spins will be completed later this year. Following the transactions, Nassetta will continue to lead Hilton, which will be an asset-lite fee-based business. On a pro forma… Read More »
Congress is working hard trying to pass a comprehensive spending bill and a tax package extending numerous tax breaks. According to the WSJ, buried in these proposals is a bid to end companies’ ability to spinoff property into REITs: The bill from Rep. Kevin Brady (R., Texas), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, would prevent… Read More »
A subclass of spinoff that has proven popular, especially under activist pressure has been the spinoff of real estate assets into a publicly traded REIT. Civeo’s (CVEO) spin from Oil States (OIS) was one example, though the company has now opted against REIT status, as was Penn National Gaming’s (PENN) spin of Gaming & Leisure Properties (GLPI). Now,… Read More »
REITs have been extremely popular investments over the past few years as investors desperately thirst for yield. Not surprisingly, the space has attracted the interest of some ‘non traditional’ companies including data storage titan Iron Mountain (IRM), whose board of directors just approved REIT conversion plans following a favorable IRS ruling. Some other ‘non traditional’ companies, such as billboard… Read More »
Delays could be on the horizon for CBS’ (CBS) upcoming North & South American outdoor advertising spinoff. The IRS has apparently formed an ‘internal working group’ to study its current standards of what type of companies can qualify for REIT status. The news came out late last week when both Lamar Advertising (LAMR) and data storage company Equinix Inc… Read More »
Barry Sternlicht of Starwood Capital has a long history of real estate success. Nearly two decades ago, he built Starwood Hotels(HOT) from scratch into one of the world’s largest hotel companies. More recently, as Chairman and CEO of Starwood Propert Trust(STWD) he has assembled the country’s largest commercial mortgage REIT. The firm has financed some of the most… Read More »
Canadian Tire Corporation(CTC-A) announced plans yesterday to spin off its real estate as a REIT. The company anticipates selling 10-20% of the new REIT in an IPO this fall, and retaining the rest. The new REIT will have approximately 18 million square feet of real estate valued at approximately C$3.5 billion. The company has no announced plans to… Read More »
General Growth Properties (GGP) is an unusual story, delivering profits to pre-bankruptcy shareholders and featuring several investing luminaries among its shareholders. It has now completed its second spinoff in a little more than a year, as Rouse Properties (RSE) begins trading regular way tomorrow. Rouse completes trading on a when-issued basis at $11.30. Rouse, which we previously wrote… Read More »
Image via Wikipedia Amidst the turmoil of 2009, my alma mater hosted a small gathering for its alumni working on Wall Street. Typically, these events involve a fair amount of drinking, active networking, soliciting of donations and the inevitable token ‘brief’ remarks from someone in the industry. That evening’s guest of honor was none other than Bill Ackman,… Read More »