ProLogis Forms $1.3 Billion European Properties Fund / Fund Includes Over $1 Billion in Third-Party Equity for European Expansion
16.09.1999, 09:54
DENVER (PROTEXT) - WITH PHOTO -
Total Fund Investment Capacity of $2.7 Billion
ProLogis (NYSE: PLD), a leading global provider of
distribution services and facilities, today announced the
formation of the ProLogis European Properties Fund ("the Fund").
The Fund enables ProLogis to take advantage of the extraordinary
growth opportunity in Europe by accessing third party equity
capital for the expansion of the ProLogis Operating System(TM). A
total of $1.07 billion of third party equity has been committed
by a group of 16 institutional investors through a private
placement, which when combined with ProLogis' equity investment
and debt financings, brings the total committed capitalization of
the Fund to $2.7 billion by year-end 2002.
(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-
bin/prnh/19990420/PROLOGIS )
ProLogis will contribute to the Fund approximately 6.6 million
square feet of stabilized European distribution properties,
valued at $352 million ($171 million in equity, $181 million in
debt). The Fund also will purchase ProLogis' future stabilized
European development properties. The Fund will be managed within
the ProLogis Operating System pursuant to a 20-year management
contract and will enhance ProLogis' ability to provide services
and facilities to its global customer base. ProLogis will have
the largest equity interest in the Fund and will maintain a
minimum equity ownership in the Fund of 20%. The Fund will have a
conservative capital structure and will be operated with a
maximum leverage ratio of 50%.
Fund Enhances Return on Shareholders' Invested Capital
K. Dane Brooksher, ProLogis chairman and chief executive
officer, said, "The ProLogis European Properties Fund allows us
to expand the ProLogis Operating System in Europe, serve our
global customers and maintain long-term management and control of
our pan-European distribution facilities without raising
additional common equity. ProLogis' equity requirement for our
planned expansion in Europe is now complete. In addition, the
Fund will enhance ProLogis' shareholder returns on invested
capital through cash flow generated from the company's ownership
in the Fund, ongoing profits from the sale of development
properties to the Fund, returns on reinvestment of development
profits, and asset management fee income."
Fund to Capture Significant European Growth Opportunity
Jeffrey H. Schwartz, vice chairman for international
operations, said, "The demand for distribution space in Europe
continues to grow rapidly as cross-border trade increases and
many major companies move to consolidate and reconfigure their
distribution networks. This consolidation and the emergence of
dominant regional distribution centers has led many multinational
companies to seek a single source provider that can meet their
distribution facility requirements across Europe. Frequently,
development of new facilities is desired due to the functional
obsolescence of much of the existing space and the limited supply
of new space in European markets. ProLogis has a unique market
position. We are the only company operating on a pan-European
basis, we control over 2,000 acres of land for development and we
have the capital to capture this extraordinary growth
opportunity."
Schwartz added, "The ProLogis European Properties Fund is the
first of its kind in Europe, bringing together institutional
investors from across the globe that historically had not
invested in real estate on a pan-European basis. The overwhelming
response to the Fund from such high-quality institutional
investors demonstrates their support of ProLogis' pan-European
strategy and their confidence in our ability to capture
additional growth opportunities through our expanding
relationships with global customers."
Peter Wittendorp, executive vice president of ABP, the largest
pension fund in Europe and a lead investor in the Fund, said, "We
are very excited to have a significant role in forming the
ProLogis European Properties Fund, which is both at the forefront
of creating pan-European property companies and of satisfying the
tremendous growth in demand for distribution space across Europe.
The unique position of the Fund meets our investment objective,
while ProLogis' development sites and expertise, high quality
properties, strong customer relationships and unique operating
system satisfy our strategic objective to be part of creating the
leading pan-European real estate platform."
ProLogis is a leading global provider of integrated
distribution services, with over 1,575 distribution facilities
owned and operating throughout North America and Europe. ProLogis
has built the industry's first and only global network of
distribution facilities with the primary objective to build
shareholder value by becoming the leading provider of
distribution services. The company expects to achieve this
objective through the ProLogis Operating System(TM), and its
commitment to be "The Global Distribution Solution" by providing
exceptional corporate distribution services and facilities to
meet customer expansion and reconfiguration needs globally. As of
June 30, 1999, ProLogis has over 172.3 million square feet of
distribution facilities operating or under development in 94
global markets.
Additional information on this transaction can be found on the
company's website at www.prologis.com under "Supplemental
Information," or by request at 1-800-820-0181.
This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of ProLogis
European Properties Fund. The offering related to those
securities has been consummated and no further offers or sales
will be made.
In addition to historical information, this press release
contains forward-looking statements under the federal securities
laws. These statements are based on current expectations,
estimates and projections about the industry and markets in which
ProLogis operates, management's beliefs and assumptions made by
management. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties
which are difficult to predict. Actual operating results may be
affected by changes in global, national and local economic
conditions, competitive market conditions, changes in financial
markets or interest rates that could adversely affect ProLogis'
ability to meet its financing needs and obligations, weather,
obtaining governmental approvals and meeting development
schedules, and therefore, may differ materially from what is
expressed or forecasted in this press release. ots Original Text
Service: ProLogis Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact:
Jeffrey H. Schwartz, +011-31-65-323-0176, or Analyst and Media:
Melissa Marsden, 303-576-2622, both of ProLogis, or ProLogis
Investor Relations: 800-820-0181 Photo: NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990420/PROLOGIS PRN Photo
Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467 Web site:
http://www.prologis.com
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