Primaris REIT Announces $416 Million Acquisition of Lime Ridge Mall and Concurrent Secondary Offering of REIT Units
The base shelf prospectus is accessible, and the shelf prospectus supplement will be accessible within two business days through SEDAR+
Transaction Highlights of Acquisition
- Aggregate consideration of
$416.0 million is comprised of:$235.0 million of cash;$81.0 million of series A units of the Trust ("REIT Units") at an issue price of$21.40 per REIT Unit (the "Issue Price"), being the NAV** per REIT Unit disclosed in the Trust's most recently published Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A"); and$100.0 million of 6.00% exchangeable preferred units (the "Preferred LP Units") in a new subsidiary limited partnership, which Preferred LP Units shall be exchangeable into REIT Units at an exchange price equal to the Issue Price per REIT Unit, subject to customary adjustments.
-
Lime Ridge Mall is unencumbered; and - Closing is expected on
June 17, 2025 , subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
"
Rags Davloor, Chief Financial Officer added, "Acquiring this high quality asset, while maintaining industry leading credit metrics, is a testament to the strategic advantages provided by Primaris' differentiated financial model. Our commitment to maintain an extremely well capitalized balance sheet positions Primaris as a highly credible transaction counterparty, enabling continued growth."
"With the acquisition of
Proforma Primaris Portfolio
The composition of the consideration payable for the Acquisition allows Primaris to maintain its best-in-class capital structure and financial leverage metrics within the Trust's previously disclosed target range. Upon closing of the Acquisition,
- Based on the REIT's 3.0% to 4.0% 2025 Same Property Cash NOI** growth guidance provided in the MD&A, and assuming a
June 17, 2025 closing, Cash NOI** for the 2025 fiscal year is anticipated to be in the range of$331 million to$337 million (Cash NOI** for the year endedDecember 31, 2024 was$280 million ); - On a net basis, the Acquisition is expected to be modestly accretive to FFO** per average diluted unit; and
- Average Net Debt** to Adjusted EBITDA** is anticipated to remain within target range of 4.0x to 6.0x.
(unaudited) |
|
|
|
|
Proforma
|
Total CRU Sales Volume ($'000)1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Same Store Sales Productivity2 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Trade Area Population |
9,988,900 |
|
806,200 |
|
10,795,100 |
Total Trade Area Average Household Income |
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Mall Traffic3 |
138,100,000 |
|
8,700,000 |
|
146,800,000 |
Approximate Site Coverage |
30 % |
|
30 % |
|
29 % |
1 Commercial retail unit ("CRU") tenants that lease units up to 15,000 square feet and include food court and kiosk tenants. For the rolling twelve-month period ended |
2 For the rolling twelve-month period ended |
3 As at |
Please see the presentation titled "
Potential NOI** Growth
Similar to the Trust's existing portfolio, the Acquisition offers potential NOI** growth over the next few years, as operating and financial performance normalizes, and as Primaris' full-service management platform integrates and operates the properties. Opportunities to increase operating income include:
- Redemise and lease approximately 266,200 square feet of former anchor box space to strong covenant, high-quality national retailers;
- Lease approximately 53,000 square feet of temporary tenanted or vacant CRU space to strong tenants at market rents; and
- Leverage Primaris' scalable management platform to deploy its cost management strategy.
Lime Ridge Mall Highlights
- Leading regional enclosed shopping centre in
Canada's ninth largest population centre,Hamilton, Ontario ; - Located along the
Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway and in proximity to the QEW andHighway 403 ; -
New Lime Ridge Mall transit terminal to commence redesign and expansion in 2025; - 793,000 square foot mall located on 65 acres of land, for an approximate 30% site coverage;
-
$841 per square foot same store sales productivity and total CRU sales volume of$251 million for the twelve month period endingDecember 31, 2024 ; - 58.5% long-term in-place occupancy, 61.3% in-place occupancy, and 62.3% committed occupancy;
- Weighted average lease term of 5 years;
- Approximately
$20 million in capital improvements completed since 2015 including upgrades to roofing, electrical systems, HVAC, elevators, parking lot paving and several tenant units; - BOMA BEST Platinum Certified;
- Large format tenants include Sport Chek, H&M, Urban Planet; and
- Notable CRU tenants include Aritzia,
Sephora , Lululemon, Shoppers, Browns, andJD Sports .
Secondary Offering
Primaris also announced today that it and an affiliate of the Vendor (the "Selling Unitholder") have entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters bookrun by
The closing of the Offering is conditional on the closing of the Acquisition. The REIT Units being offered through the Offering are all of the REIT Units to be issued in connection with the Acquisition, including the REIT Units to be issued on the exchange of the Preferred LP Units by the Selling Unitholder.
The REIT Units will be offered in all provinces and territories of
An electronic or paper copy of the shelf prospectus supplement, the corresponding base shelf prospectus and any amendment to the documents may be obtained, without charge, from:
The REIT Units have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "
About
Primaris is
Forward-Looking Statements and Financial Outlook
Certain statements included in this news release constitute ''forward-looking information'' or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The words "will", "expects", "plans", "estimates", "intends" and similar expressions are often intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Specific forward-looking statements made or implied in this news release include but are not limited to statements regarding: Primaris' future results, performance, prospects and opportunities, including with respect to the closing, costs and benefits of the proposed Acquisition, the timing and completion of the Acquisition, the strategy, plans and the intentions of management with respect to the Acquisition, management's expectations regarding the Trust's leverage and portfolio quality, management's expectations regarding the potential for growth from the continued normalization of operating and financial performance and the opportunities to increase operating income at
Non-GAAP Measures
The Trust's financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). However, Primaris also uses a number of measures which do not have a standardized meaning prescribed under generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in accordance with IFRS. These non-GAAP measures, which are denoted in this news release by the suffix "**" include non-GAAP financial measures and non-GAAP ratios, each as defined in National Instrument 52-112, Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure ("NI 52-112"). None of these non-GAAP measures should be construed as an alternative to financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Furthermore, these non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other real estate entities and should not be construed as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with IFRS. Additional information regarding these non-GAAP measures, including definitions and reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP figure, where applicable, can be found in the MD&A which is available on the Trust's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. See Section 12, "Non-GAAP Measures" of the MD&A for the descriptions of each non-GAAP measure used in this news release and to find a quantitative reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP measure applicable; Section 12, "Non-GAAP Measures" and the related quantitative reconciliations are incorporated by reference herein.
Use of Operating Metrics
Primaris uses certain operating metrics to monitor and measure the operational performance of its portfolio. Operating metrics in this news release include in-place occupancy, committed occupancy, annual mall traffic, weighted average lease term, all store sales volume, CRU sales volume and same store sales productivity. Certain of these operating metrics, including all store sales volume, CRU sales volume and same store sales productivity, may constitute supplementary financial measures as defined in NI 52-112. These supplementary measures are not derived from directly comparable measures contained in the Trust's financial statements but may be used by management and disclosed on a periodic basis to depict the historical or future expected financial performance, financial position or cash flow of the Trust. For an explanation of the composition of all store sales volume, CRU sales volume and same store sales productivity, see "Section 8, "Operational Performance" – "Tenant Sales" in the MD&A, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com, and which section is incorporated by reference herein.
SOURCE