Category Archives: Funds

K-REIT Asia to raise stake in Ocean Financial Centre

K-REIT Asia will acquire a 12.39 per cent interest in Ocean Financial Centre for S$228.4 million, raising its stake to 99.9 per cent.

In a filing with the Singapore Exchange, K-REIT Asia said the acquisition wil be funded by bank borrowings and the issue of 60 million new units at S$1.17 per unit. The issue price translates to a 15 per cent premium to K-REIT’s Monday closing price of S$1.02 per unit.

The proposed placement is expected to raise around S$70 million.

K-REIT, sponsored by Keppel Land Ltd., said it expects the acquisition to be immediately yield-accretive and raise its distribution to unit holders.

Ocean Financial Centre is a 43-storey premium Grade A office development located at the Raffles Place and Marina Bay precincts.

Ms Ng Hsueh Ling, CEO of K-REIT Asia Management, said: “Since our first acquisition of Ocean Financial Centre in December last year, we have raised the committed occupancy from 80 per cent to over 90 per cent as at end-March.

The enlarged interest will give us full management control of the property and higher tax transparent income, which will increase the DPU to K-REIT Asia’s unit holders.”

“With this acquisition, approximately 93 per cent of K-REIT Asia’s Singapore assets by value will be located in the prime Singapore central business district, strengthening K-REIT Asia’s position as the key premium office landlord in the Raffles Place and Marina Bay precincts.”

Source : CNA – 2012 Jun 25

FCOT seeks approval to sell KeyPoint

Frasers Centrepoint Asset Management (Commercial), the manager of Frasers Commercial Trust (FCOT), is seeking unitholder’s approval for the proposed sale of KeyPoint, its property at Beach Road, to Bayfront Ventures for S$360 million.

It is also seeking a mandate to buy back units of FCOT in the future without prior approval of unitholders.

Mr Low Chee Wah, chief executive officer of FCOT, said: “The unit buy-back mandate is a flexible and cost-effective way to boost the unitholders’ funds per unit.”

The company said in a statement that the estimated net proceeds from the sale of KeyPoint is about S$357.8 million.

This is after taking into consideration professional and related expenses of S$2.2 million.

It added that the proposed sale will enable FCOT to realise a S$72.8 million gain.

The proceeds will be used to reduce FCOT’s debt, to fund the proposed buy-back of FCOT units and the partial redemption of its Convertible Perpetual Preference Units.

The remainder may be used for general corporate and working capital purposes.

An Extraordinary General Meeting for unitholders will be held on 12 July.

Source : CNA – 2012 Jun 19