BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MICH. — Taubman Centers Inc. (NYSE: TCO)and Starwood Capital Group have reached an agreement for Starwood, through a controlled affiliate, to purchase a portfolio of seven Taubman malls for $1.4 billion.
The malls in the transaction include MacArthur Center in Norfolk, Va.; Stony Point Fashion Park in Richmond, Va.; Northlake Mall in Charlotte, N.C.; The Mall at Wellington Green in Wellington, Fla.; The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, Texas; The Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township, Mich.; and Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, Mich.
The purchase price of $1.4 billion before transaction costs includes $785 million of cash and $620 million of property-level debt that will be repaid or assumed at closing by the buyer. The sale is part of Taubman’s ongoing strategy to recycle capital, maximize its net operating income growth rate and create net asset value for investors over time.
“Given today’s investor interest in high-quality regional malls, we have taken advantage of the opportunity to further enhance our growth and valuation, while increasing our industry leading productivity and modestly reducing the size of our base,” says Robert Taubman, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Taubman Centers. “As a result of these sale transactions, the company's development and redevelopment pipeline will have an even greater impact on our growth.”
Taubman’s share of cash and property level debt are expected to be $765 million and $595 million, respectively. The transaction, which has been approved by Taubman Centers' Board of Directors, is subject to normal closing conditions. Eastdil Secured LLC represented Taubman in the transaction. Closing is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of this year.
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based Taubman Centers currently owns, leases and/or manages 27 retail properties in 15 states and in South Korea. The company reported mall tenant sales per square foot of $721 in 2013. Upon completion of these transactions, the company expects its mall tenant sales to increase by more than $100 per square foot.
Based on the 2014 budgeted net operating income for the seven properties and the sale price, the cap rate for the transaction is 6.6 percent, according to Taubman Centers.
Taubman said in a conference call this morning that the sale was “bittersweet” because the company developed each of the seven centers, but added that the transaction is a “win-win’ for the shopping center REIT and Starwood Capital Group.
Chicago-based Starwood Capital Group has raised nearly $25 billion of equity capital and acquired more than $52 billion in assets since its inception in 1991. The firm currently has $36 billion of assets under management.
“This acquisition is highly strategic for Starwood and its retail operating platform, Starwood Retail Partners,” says Barry Sternlicht, chairman and chief executive officer of Starwood Capital Group. “These assets will expand SRP's retail portfolio to 28 properties totaling 26.8 million square feet across 15 states. The Taubman portfolio broadens our relationships with higher-end department stores and inline tenants and gives us an excellent opportunity to continue to produce attractive returns for our investors.”
The stock price of Taubman Centers closed at $75.51 per share on Wednesday, June 18, up from $73.92 at the opening of trading.
— Danielle Everson