Company News

Blue Owl Capital Agrees to Acquire Sila Realty Trust for $2.4B

by Taylor Williams April 20, 2026

NEW YORK CITY AND TAMPA, FLA. — Affiliates of Blue Owl Capital (NYSE: OWL), a New York City-based private equity firm, have entered into an agreement to acquire Tampa-based REIT Sila Realty Trust (NYSE: SILA) for $2.4 billion. The deal, which will make Sila a private company, is expected to close late in the second quarter or early in the third quarter of this year. The valuation represents a per-share stock price of $30.38 for Sila. That price constitutes a 19 percent premium over Sila’s closing stock price of $25.53 per share on April 17, the last full day of trading prior to the announcement. The share price also represents a 25.6 percent premium over Sila’s average volume weighted price for the last 30 trading days. BofA Securities is serving as Sila’s exclusive financial advisor, and Hogan Lovells US LLP is acting as Sila’s legal counsel. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. is acting as lead financial advisor to Blue Owl, with Truist Securities Inc. also acting as a financial advisor. Newmark is Blue Owl’s real estate advisor. Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal advisor to Blue Owl. “The Sila team has curated a highly diversified collection of critically important …

April 20, 2026

Company News Development Retail Top Stories

Walmart Plans 650 Remodels, 20 Store Openings in Next 12 Months

by Hayden Spiess April 16, 2026

BENTONVILLE, ARK. — Walmart Inc. (Nasdaq: WMT) has announced plans to invest in more than 650 scheduled remodels of Walmart Supercenter and Walmart Neighborhood Market stores this year. The Bentonville-based retail giant also plans to open roughly 20 new stores throughout the remainder of 2026 and early 2027. Plans include the expansion of a Walmart Supercenter in Tucson, Ariz., as well as the opening of a Supercenter store in Celina, Texas. Earlier this year the retailer opened a new Walmart Supercenter in Eastvale, Calif., as well as three Supercenters and a Neighborhood Market in Florida. Remodeled stores will feature wider aisles and updated layouts; new display designs; expanded pickup and delivery capabilities; updated Vision Centers and pharmacies with private consultation rooms; new digital touchpoints; and refreshed interiors, signage, parking and landscaping. Stores operating under the Neighborhood Market format will also be updated with expanded deli and hot bar areas, enhanced lighting and fixtures, pharmacy delivery options and upgraded online order fulfillment areas. In early 2024, the retail giant announced a commitment to open or convert more than 150 new stores. Store openings in 2025 included locations in Alabama, California, Florida, New Jersey, Texas and Utah. According to the company, fiscal revenue for …

April 16, 2026

Company News Leasing Activity North Carolina Office Southeast

SMBC Group to Bring 2,000 Office Jobs to Charlotte for New Banking Hub

by John Nelson April 14, 2026

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC Group), one of Japan’s largest financial institutions, has announced it is bringing approximately 2,000 new jobs to Charlotte. The Tokyo-based banking firm is investing $50.5 million over the next six years to establish its second North American headquarters, according to the office of North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein. The governor and North Carolina economic development officials met with SMBC leadership at a Tokyo conference in fall 2025 as part of the deal. Specific details of the new hub were not disclosed, but Charlotte Business Journal reports that SMBC Group will occupy more than 200,000 square feet of office space at 301 South College, a 42-story tower in the city’s Uptown district formerly known as One Wells Fargo Center. The outlet reports that SMBC will sublease space that Wells Fargo vacated in 2024.

April 14, 2026

Acquisitions Company News Retail Texas Top Stories Western

Ares to Acquire Whitestone REIT for $1.7B, Take Company Private

by Hayden Spiess April 9, 2026

LOS ANGELES AND HOUSTON — Investment firm Ares Management Corp. (NYSE: ARES) has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Whitestone REIT (NYSE: WSR) to purchase the company. Ares will acquire all outstanding Whitestone common shares and operating partnership units for $19 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at roughly $1.7 billion. Upon closing of the transaction, which is expected in the third quarter, Whitestone will become a private company and will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Houston-based Whitestone is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on open-air neighborhood retail markets. As of March 2026, Whitestone’s portfolio comprised 56 retail properties totaling approximately 3.9 million square feet, including retail centers in Phoenix; Austin, Texas; the Dallas-Fort Worth metro; Houston and San Antonio. “Whitestone’s portfolio provides an attractive opportunity to further diversify Ares Real Estate’s footprint with necessity-based retail centers in high-demand, supply-constrained metro regions across Arizona and Texas,” says David Roth, global head of real estate strategy and growth with Ares Real Estate. Whitestone’s board of trustees unanimously approved the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Whitestone’s shareholders. “We believe this transaction with Ares is a testament to the …

April 9, 2026

Acquisitions Affordable Housing Company News Florida Multifamily North Carolina Southeast Top Stories

Sun Life to Acquire Bell Partners, Combine With BGO Following Buy-Out of Remaining Equity Stake

by John Nelson March 31, 2026

TORONTO, MIAMI AND GREENSBORO, N.C. — Sun Life Financial Inc. (NYSE: SLF), a Toronto-based financial services organization with $1.6 trillion in assets under management as of year-end 2025, has announced it will acquire Bell Partners, a multifamily investment and management firm based in Greensboro. The acquisition was valued at $350 million and is expected to grow Sun Life’s U.S. multifamily segment. Founded in 1976, Bell Partners has approximately $10 billion of assets under management as of March 1 and manages approximately 70,000 apartments in 12 regions across the United States. The firm operates nine U.S. offices and has close to 1,800 employees. Last year, Bell Partners closed more than $1.3 billion in multifamily acquisitions. “This opportunity will extend Bell’s operating and investment expertise across a larger residential platform and strengthen our depth and reach,” says Lili Dunn, CEO and president of Bell Partners. “It is a natural step in our evolution, preserving the essence of what has made us successful, while also opening new opportunities for the future.” In a separate transaction, Sun Life acquired the remaining 44 percent equity stake of Miami-based BGO, a global real estate investment management firm formerly known as BentallGreenOak, in a deal valued at …

March 31, 2026

Company News Georgia Seniors Housing Southeast Student Housing

Landmark Properties Enters Seniors Housing Sector

by John Nelson March 26, 2026

ATHENS, GA. — Landmark Properties, an Athens-based residential developer primarily known for its nationwide portfolio of student housing communities, has announced its expansion into the seniors housing sector. The firm plans to pursue both ground-up development and acquisition opportunities in the senior living space. “Seniors housing sits at an attractive inflection point, having made a meaningful recovery from a unique black swan event and now exhibiting a pronounced supply-demand imbalance,” says Walt Templin, president and chief investment officer of Landmark. “This dynamic creates a compelling entry point for Landmark to leverage its vertically integrated platform.” Landmark has appointed Shashank Goel to lead the company’s entry into seniors housing. Goel will serve as senior director of U.S. seniors housing investment management. Goel, who has more than 10 years of experience in seniors housing, most recently served as assistant vice president at Harrison Street.

March 26, 2026

Acquisitions Company News Georgia Maryland Multifamily North Carolina Southeast Top Stories Virginia

AH Realty Trust Agrees to Sell 11-Property Multifamily Portfolio to Harbor Group for $562M

by John Nelson March 17, 2026

VIRGINIA BEACH AND NORFOLK, VA. — AH Realty Trust (NYSE: AHRT), a Virginia Beach-based real estate investment trust (REIT) that changed its name from Armada Hoffler two weeks ago, has agreed to sell 11 of its 14 apartment properties to Norfolk-based Harbor Group International LLC for $562 million in an all-cash transaction. The deal marks an effort by AH Realty to pivot away from the multifamily sector. Harbor Group has provided a $15 million nonrefundable deposit for the transaction, which the companies say is not contingent on financing. The portfolio sale is expected to close in mid‑2026, subject to customary closing conditions. “HGI is acquiring a strong, stable portfolio that has served our company well,” says Shawn Tibbetts, chairman, president and CEO of AH Realty Trust. “By realizing the value of these assets, AH Realty Trust is able to simplify our business, strengthen our balance sheet and continue executing our strategy with clarity and purpose.” According to multiple media outlets, including the Baltimore Business Journal, the assets in the portfolio include: AH Realty Trust will retain Smith’s Landing, a five-story, 284-unit property in Blacksburg, Va. The firm will also keep The Everly and Solis Gainesville in Gainesville, Ga., with the intention …

March 17, 2026

Company News Industrial Self-Storage Top Stories

Public Storage Agrees to Acquire National Storage Affiliates in $10.5B Deal

by Taylor Williams March 16, 2026

FRISCO, TEXAS AND GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLO. — Public Storage (NYSE: PSA) has entered into an agreement to acquire National Storage Affiliates (NYSE: NSA) in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $10.5 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, which is expected to close in the third quarter, NSA shareholders will receive 0.14 of a share of Public Storage common stock for each NSA share they own. The same arrangement applies to shareholders of operating partnership (OP) units of NSA. The price represents a total consideration of $41.68 per share based on Public Storage’s closing per-share price of $297.72 on March 13, 2026. “Public Storage is the ideal strategic fit for our company given their best-in-class brand, operating platform and future growth profile, said David Cramer, CEO of NSA. “By joining PSA, we ensure that the entrepreneurial spirit of our regional partners is preserved within a global platform capable of driving unprecedented scale.” Immediately prior to closing, Public Storage and limited partners in NSA’s OP will form a joint venture that will consist of 313 properties on NSA’s operating platform comprising 19.6 million rentable square feet across 28 states and Puerto Rico. The estimated value of this joint venture is approximately $3.3 …

March 16, 2026

Acquisitions Company News Top Stories

Savills Agrees to Acquire Eastdil Secured for $1.1B

by Hayden Spiess March 12, 2026

NEW YORK CITY — London-based real estate brokerage firm Savills has entered into an agreement to acquire global advisory firm and real estate investment bank firm Eastdil Secured for roughly $1.1 billion. The transaction is expected to close following the satisfaction of customary regulatory and closing conditions. Under the terms of the agreement, Savills will purchase all of the equity of Eastdil, which has its U.S. headquarters in New York City. Originally founded in 1967 and acquired by Wells Fargo in 1999, Eastdil Realty merged with real estate investment banking firm Secured Capital Corp. in 2006, forming Eastdil Secured. In 2019, Temasek and Guggenheim Investments acquired Eastdil, with Wells Fargo retaining a minority ownership interest. Eastdil Secured will continue to operate its existing business model within Savills Group, serving as the company’s global real estate investment bank and maintaining headquarters in New York City, Santa Monica, California, and London. In connection with the acquisition, Eastdil has announced changes to its executive leadership, effective immediately. Roy March, CEO, has been appointed executive chairman. D. Michael Van Konynenburg has been appointed CEO, and James McCaffrey will now serve as president. Van Konynenburg and McCaffrey will also join the Savills Group executive board. …

March 12, 2026

Company News Georgia Industrial Office Southeast

Yamaha Motor Co. to Move U.S. Headquarters to Kennesaw, Georgia

by John Nelson March 11, 2026

KENNESAW, GA. — Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. has announced plans to move its U.S. headquarters to the northern Atlanta suburb of Kennesaw after nearly 50 years of operation in Cypress, Calif. Yamaha Motor, which manufactures ATVs, boat engines, jet skis and other motorized products, has a strong presence in Georgia already. The Japanese-based company employs 2,300 Georgians at its 1.3 million-square-foot factory in Newnan and its marine and motorsports divisions in Kennesaw, which includes the 75,000-square-foot Marine Innovation Center that opened in 2023. Yamaha Motor Co. will begin its corporate relocation from California to Kennesaw this year and complete the process in 2028.

March 11, 2026

Newer Posts

Older Posts