Argosy sells Waitakere Mega Centre for $45.8M

Argosy sells Waitakere Mega Centre for $45.8M to reduce retail property exposure

By Tina Morrison

Aug. 1 (BusinessDesk) - Argosy Property sold its Waitakere Mega Centre in Henderson, Auckland, for its $45.8 million book value as New Zealand's fourth-largest listed property investor seeks to reduce exposure to retail property.

The sale to an unidentified Christchurch-based investor will reduce Argosy's retail property weighting to within its targeted 15 to 25 percent band, from 28 percent at March 31, the Auckland-based company said. Industrial and office properties each accounted for 36 percent of assets at March 31.

The Waitakere property was designated non-core as part of property strategy reviews this year, the company said. In its 2014 annual report, Argosy had earmarked 10 percent of its $1.23 billion property portfolio for divestment.

Argosy will continue to manage the property until settlement in March. Coles Myer New Zealand Holdings is the property's major tenant and the centre had a weighted average lease term of 4.06 years and a passing yield of 8.47 percent at March 31.

Shares in Argosy slipped 0.5 percent to $1, crimping their gain so far this year to 9.8 percent.

(BusinessDesk)

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