Elbit Imaging Announces an Investment in the US Real
Elbit Imaging Announces an Investment in the US Real Estate Market via Macquarie DDR Trust
TEL AVIV, Israel, April 22, 2010- Elbit Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ: EMITF) (“Elbit”) announced today that its
joint subsidiary, EPN GP, LLC (“EPN”) (a real estate investment venture
jointly formed by Elbit Plaza USA, L.P. (a subsidiary of Elbit and Plaza
Centers N.V. (LSE: PLAZ) (WSE: PLAZ/PLAZACNTR)) and Eastgate Property LLC
(“Eastgate”), has entered into a series of agreements for investment in
Macquarie DDR Trust (“MDT” or the “Trust”), an Australian publicly traded
trust (ASX:MDT; (ARSN 106 570 352)), which holds and manages two US REIT
portfolios (Macquarie DDR US Trust Inc.(“REIT I”) and Macquarie DDR US Trust
II Inc. (“REIT II”)) with 41 operating retail properties in REIT I and 37
operating retail properties in REIT II. Altogether approximately 13.3 million
square feet of leaseable area, mainly of community shopping centers
throughout the United States (the “Investment Agreements”).
Under the Investment Agreements, (i) MDT completed a Australian$9.5
million (approximately USD 8.8 million) private placement (“Placement”) to
EPN representing 15% pre-placement; (ii) MDT shall initiate a proposed
recapitalisation of MDT by way of a pro rata entitlement offer (“Entitlement
Offer”) to raise approximately A$200 million (approximately USD 185.5
million) (“Proposed Recapitalisation”). The Entitlement Offer is conditional
on MDT entering into definitive underwriting agreements with professional
underwriters and receiving acceptable standstill agreements from the Trust’s
lenders and derivative counterparties. EPN will participate in and be a
sub-underwriter to the Entitlement Offer; (iii) EPN has acquired from
Macquarie Group Limited 2.6% principal unitholding in the Trust; and (iv)
following the completion of the Entitlement Offer, EPN shall acquire from
Macquarie Group its 50% interest in the entity which is the owner of the
Responsible Entity of the Trust (“US Manager”).
It is intended that the proceeds of the Placement and Proposed
Recapitalisation will be used for the repayment of the amounts outstanding
under MDT’s unsecured debt and derivative liabilities and other senior debt,
and provide enhanced balance sheet stability to MDT.
Following the Placement and acquisition of Macquarie’s interest in MDT,
EPN’s holding in the Trust will be approximately 15.3%. This holding may
increase as a result of the Proposed Recapitalisation.
Half of EPN’s investment under the Investment Agreements shall be
financed by Eastgate and half by Elbit and Plaza. Elbit and Plaza shall
finance their portion in the investments in equal shares.
Private Placement
Under the Placement, MDT has issued to EPN 141.48 million new units at a
price of A$0.067 per unit and A$9.5 million (approximately USD 8.8 million)
in the aggregate, reflecting a premium of 4.7% to the last closing price of
A$0.064 on March 25, 2010. The Placement represents 15% of the Trust’s units
pre issue. The units issued in the Placement will rank equally with existing
MDT units.
Proposed Recapitalisation
In addition to the Placement, the Trust proposes to conduct a pro rata
entitlement offer to raise approximately A$200 million (approximately USD
185.5 million). EPN will participate in and be a sub-underwriter to the
entitlement offer. Other substantial unitholders in the Trust will be offered
the opportunity to participate in the sub-underwriting of the offer. EPN’s
final ownership level in the Trust will depend on the participation level of
MDT’s other unitholders in the offer and the extent of other unitholders
participation in the sub-underwriting of the offer.
The Entitlement Offer is conditional on the Trust entering into
definitive underwriting agreements with professional underwriters and
receiving acceptable standstill agreements from the Trust’s head lenders and
derivative counterparties.
Full details relating to the Entitlement Offer will be set out in a
product disclosure statement for the Entitlement Offer to be issued by MDT to
its unitholders.
Management Arrangements
To facilitate the Proposed Recapitalisation, Macquarie Group has agreed
to sell to EPN its 2.6% principal unitholding in the Trust and, following
thecompletion of the Entitlement Offer, its 50% interest in the entity which
owns the Responsible Entity of MDT, Macquarie DDR Management LLC. (“US
Manager”). In its capacity as such, the Responsible Entity is responsible for
the day-to-day management of MDT, including its investments and investments
strategy management, financing, etc. Developers Diversified Realty
Corporation, an Ohio corporation specializing in real estate investments and
assets management (“DDR”), will remain as a 50% co-owner of the US Manager
and continue to act as property manager for the Trust’s assets. Upon
completion of EPN’s acquisition of the US Manager, the composition of the
board of the Responsible Entity will change such that EPN will appoint at
least half the board members and Macquarie Group will have no
representatives.
Motti Zisser, Executive President, commented: “In the past 15 years Elbit
Imaging has successfully predicted events on the international markets. We
therefore developed and initiated profitable projects in Central and Eastern
Europe as well as in the Indian subcontinent. Over a year ago, we identified
a similar opportunity in North America as a result of the serious global
crisis. We seized the opportunity. After over a year of hard work, we are
proud to present our first US enterprise. It is a large-scale and significant
transaction, and constitutes an important foundation, which, we believe, will
launch lucrative business activity on the US market in the coming years. The
complexity of the transaction, the amount of assets and their diversity and
revenue are of the highest scale and we indeed hope that our future endeavors
will be at least as impressive.”
Dudi Machluf, Chief Executive Officer (Co-CEO), commented: “We
are proud to announce our first transaction in the US, which will constitute
a productive and yielding arm in our entrepreneurial group. For over a year
we examined and studied commercial shopping centers in the US and met with
major players in the field. We then delineated our transaction structure,
including primarily assets and asset portfolios which show significant growth
and profit potential. After examining various assets and companies we located
MDT. We discovered a diverse an asset portfolio comprised of quality property
and a asset mix which allows enhancement and revenue. These findings were
pivotal in our decision to carry out the transaction.
The transaction is indeed a complicated one. We completed its
first stage, which included a 15% private placement, consent to join the
company’s board of directors so that at least one half of it will include
representatives on our behalf, and the purchase of the management firm
responsible for the day to day management of MDT. This transaction, was
enabled by MDT’s debt structure and was achieved thanks to the approval of
all sides involved including Macquarie Group and the banks concerned and DDR.
The fulfillment of the portfolio’s diverse potential requires patience.
Fortunately, endurance is a part of our company’s nature. We expect
that MDT will serve a platform for further US transactions.”
About MDT
Macquarie DDR Trust owns interests in a portfolio of 78 community
shopping centers across 23 states in the US. The Trust’s investment strategy
is to provide investment access to the expanding community shopping centre
market and attracting a diverse range of national discount retailers offering
value and convenience shopping.
The Trust’s tenant focused, active asset management approach aims to
deliver relatively high occupancy levels and a long-term and stable income
stream for investors. The Trust is currently managed by Macquarie DDR
Management Limited - a joint venture between Macquarie Group Limited and
Developers Diversified Realty (DDR).
About EPN
EPN GP, LLC (“EPN”) is a real estate investment venture jointly formed by
Elbit Plaza USA, L.P., a subsidiary of Elbit and Plaza and Eastgate Property
LLC, an established U.S. based international fund manager with assets under
management of over US$3 billion, of which approximately $800 million are
dedicated to real estate. EPN was formed as part of a real estate investment
fund that was jointly established by Elbit, Plaza and Eastgate, with the
objective to raise additional investments from outside investors and which
will focus on investments in the U.S. retail and commercial real estate
sectors (the “Fund”). The Fund in general and EPN in particular, intends to
take advantage of real estate opportunities in the United States, primarily
in the retail sector, through direct acquisitions and joint ventures with
leading real estate operators and owners of relevant assets or portfolios.
Elbit Plaza USA is a joint venture between Elbit Imaging Ltd.
and Plaza Centers N.V. Elbit Imaging Ltd. (“Elbit”) is a global diversified
conglomerate dual listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and NASDAQ Global
Select Market (EMITF), which is active in several principal fields including
shopping and entertainment centers. Plaza Centers N.V. (“Plaza”) is a leading
emerging markets developer of shopping and entertainment centres, which
maintains dual listing on the Main Board of the London Stock exchange (PLAZ)
and on the Warsaw stock exchange (PLZ).
About Elbit Imaging Ltd.
The activities of Elbit Imaging Ltd. are divided into the following
principal fields: (i) Shopping and Entertainment Centers - Initiation,
construction, operation, management and sale of shopping and entertainment
centers and other mixed-use real property projects, predominantly in the
retail sector, located in Central and Eastern Europe and in India; (ii)
Hotels - Hotel ownership, operation, management and sale, primarily in major
European cities; (iii) Image Guided Treatment - Investments in the research
and development, production and marketing of magnetic resonance imaging
guided focused ultrasound treatment equipment; (vi) Residential Projects -
Initiation, construction and sale of residential projects and other mixed-use
real projects, predominantly residential, located in Eastern Europe and in
India; and (v) Other Activities - (a) The distribution and marketing of
fashion apparel and accessories in Israel; (b) venture capital investments;
and (c) investments in hospitals, and farm and dairy plants in India, which
are in the preliminary stages.
Any forward-looking statements in our releases include statements
regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Elbit Imaging Ltd.
and our management about our business, financial condition, results of
operations, and its relationship with its employees and the condition of our
properties. Words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate” and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but
are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Actual results
may differ materially from those projected, expressed or implied in the
forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including, without
limitation, the sucsess of MDT’s Entitlement Offer, the successful
refinancing of MDT’s debt, the limited operating history of Elbit Plaza USA,
the ability to raise additional funds from investors, the ability to find
suitable investment opportunities, the ability to negotiate favorable
investment terms, the availability of financing on favorable terms, risks
associated with development projects, such as delays in construction and
receipt of approvals and permits for zoning and construction, dependence on
key personnel, reliance on partners and other third parties, competition,
environment risks, general economic conditions and the conditions of the U.S.
real estate market in particular, as well as the factors set forth in our
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without
limitation, Item 3.D of our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2008, under the caption “Risk Factors.” Any forward-
looking statements contained in our releases speak only as of the date of
such release, and we caution existing and prospective investors not to place
undue reliance on such statements. Such forward-looking statements do not
purport to be predictions of future events or circumstances, and therefore,
there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statement contained our
releases will prove to be accurate. We undertake no obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements. All subsequent written or oral
forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf
are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set
forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including,
without limitation, Item 3.D of our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2008, under the caption “Risk Factors.”
For Further Information:
Company Contact:
Dudi Machluf
Chief Executive Officer (Co-CEO)
Tel:+972-3-6086024
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Investor Contact:
Mor Dagan
Investor Relations
Tel:+972-3-516-7620
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Source: Elbit Imaging Ltd.
For Further Information: Company Contact: Dudi Machluf, Chief Executive Officer (Co-CEO), Tel:+972-3-6086024, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address); Investor Contact: Mor Dagan, Investor Relations, Tel:+972-3-516-7620, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)