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Nextensa SA — Management Reports 2021
Jun 18, 2021
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Management Reports
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LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE
Commanditaire vennootschap op aandelen Openbare gereglementeerde vastgoedvennootschap naar Belgisch recht Zetel: Lenniksebaan 451, 1070 Brussel (Anderlecht), België Ondernemingsnummer: 0436.323.915 RPR Brussel, Nederlandstalige afdeling ("LRE" of de "Vennootschap")
TOELICHTING VAN DE ZAAKVOERDER BIJ DE VOORGESTELDE HERSTRUCTURERING VAN LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE
Deze nota (de "Nota") geeft een toelichting bij de door de Vennootschap beoogde herstructurering, die, samengevat, uit volgende drie stappen bestaat:
- afstand door de Vennootschap van haar GVV-statuut;
- omzetting van de Vennootschap in een naamloze vennootschap met (collegiale) raad van bestuur onder het WVV, en de daarmee gepaard gaande internalisering van het beheer van de Vennootschap door middel van een inbreng in natura van de aandelen in Leasinvest Real Estate Management NV, de statutaire zaakvoerder van de Vennootschap ("LREM" of de "Zaakvoerder"), door Ackermans & van Haaren NV ("AvH") in het kapitaal van de Vennootschap;
- een "business combinatie" met Extensa Group NV ("Extensa"), 100%-dochtervennootschap van AvH, door middel van een inbreng in natura van de aandelen in Extensa door AvH in het kapitaal van de Vennootschap;
met als doel om van de Vennootschap één geïntegreerde vastgoedgroep te maken (de "Transactie").
1. OMSCHRIJVING LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE
De Vennootschap is vergund als openbare gereglementeerde vastgoedvennootschap ("GVV").
De aandelen in de statutaire zaakvoerder van de Vennootschap, LREM, worden aangehouden door AvH. AvH houdt tevens ongeveer 30,01%1 van de aandelen in de Vennootschap aan.
De belangrijkste aandeelhouders van de Vennootschap, naast AvH, zijn AXA Belgium (26,58%1) en AG Insurance (7,36%1).
1 Op basis van de meest recente transparantiekennisgeving.
Op dit ogenblik ziet de structuur van de Vennootschap er als volgt uit2:
De Vennootschap is opgericht in 1999 en is door de jaren heen geëvolueerd in omvang, in activaklassen en geografische focus, met als voornaamste stap de intrede in Luxemburg in 2006. De huidige missie van de Vennootschap is het beheren van een gediversifieerde portefeuille van kwalitatieve en goed gelegen retail vastgoed en kantoren in België, Luxemburg en Oostenrijk.
De Vennootschap is o.a. eigenaar van een aantal iconische gebouwen, zoals het Koninklijk Pakhuis op de Tour & Taxis site in Brussel en het gebouw Hangar 26/27 op het Eilandje in Antwerpen. Naast "rechtstreeks" vastgoed en aandelen in diverse vastgoedvennootschappen, bezit de Vennootschap ook 10,67%3 van de aandelen in Retail Estates, een openbare GVV die hoofdzakelijk belegt in Belgisch en Nederlands perifeer winkelvastgoed, en 100% van de aandelen in Leasinvest Immo Lux SA (LIL), een Luxemburgse SICAV SIF. De onroerende goederen in Luxemburg en Oostenrijk (voornamelijk shoppingcentra) worden (onrechtstreeks) aangehouden door LIL.
De reële waarde van de geconsolideerde vastgoedportefeuille van de Vennootschap bedroeg op 31 maart 2021 ongeveer 1,13 miljard EUR.
2. REDENEN VOOR DE TRANSACTIE
Een aantal recente ontwikkelingen hebben ertoe geleid dat de Vennootschap overweegt om haar businessmodel grondig aan te passen teneinde de verdere groei van de Vennootschap mogelijk te maken:
₋ Het retail vastgoedsegment staat onder druk door e-commerce en een veranderend consumentengedrag. COVID-19 heeft deze evolutie in het retail landschap versneld met de gekende uitdagingen voor shoppingcenters en winkelstraten. Retailparken bieden meer weerstand vanwege de betaalbaarheid van de huur, het gemak voor de klant en de veiligheid (omwille van hun grote oppervlakte);
2 Sterk vereenvoudigd. De percentages zijn gebaseerd op de meest recente transparantiekennisgevingen.
3 Op basis van de meest recente transparantiekennisgeving.
- ₋ Het kantorensegment staat onder druk omwille van technologische revolutie & Home Working/New Way of Working, mobiliteit en de noodzaak om er belevingsplaatsen van te maken;
- ₋ De schuldgraad van de Vennootschap is relatief hoog;
- ₋ De bezettingsgraad van de vastgoedportefeuille van de Vennootschap in Luxemburg staat vandaag op een relatief laag niveau, omwille van herontwikkelingen die een latere meerwaarde zullen creëren;
- ₋ De Zaakvoerder is van oordeel dat de SDG doelstellingen sneller moeten worden geïmplementeerd en bepalend moeten worden voor het verdere beleid van de Vennootschap wat een potentiële rotatie, een duurzame heropfrissing van de bestaande portefeuille en de aankoop- en ontwikkelingsstrategie van de Vennootschap zal bepalen;
- ₋ De Zaakvoerder meent dat verder moet worden ingezet op vastgoedontwikkeling die gefocust moet zijn om hogere returns te activeren.
Het is dan ook de intentie om de Vennootschap om te vormen tot een beursgenoteerde gemengde vastgoedspeler, die enerzijds investeert in vastgoed en anderzijds vastgoed ontwikkelt om ofwel te verkopen ofwel in portefeuille te houden. Dit nieuwe businessmodel impliceert een aantal fundamentele wijzigingen ten opzichte van het kader waarin de Vennootschap op vandaag opereert.
Het vooropgestelde businessmodel is op een aantal punten onverzoenbaar met het GVV-statuut:
- Artikel 41 van de Wet van 12 mei 2014 betreffende de gereglementeerde vastgoedvennootschappen ("GVV-Wet") bevat een verbod op bouwpromotie. Een GVV mag niet, als hoofd- of bijberoep, met uitsluiting van occasionele verrichtingen, gebouwen oprichten of laten oprichten om ze hetzij vóór de oprichting, hetzij tijdens de oprichting, hetzij binnen een termijn van vijf jaar na de oprichting, onder bezwarende titel geheel of ten dele te vervreemden. De Vennootschap wenst in de toekomst vastgoed (m.i.v. residentieel vastgoed) te ontwikkelen, desgevallend met het oog op de onmiddellijke (of op korte termijn) verkoop ervan (anders dan via occasionele verrichtingen). Op de uiterst concurrentiële markt waarop de Vennootschap momenteel actief is, ziet zij hierin een model om verdere groei en waardecreatie te kunnen realiseren, wat op vandaag als GVV niet op dezelfde wijze mogelijk is;
- Een opportunistisch verkoopsplan in functie van de marktomstandigheden of vetustiteit is onderworpen aan stringente beperkingen in een GVV kader;
- De wettelijke uitkeringsverplichting en schuldgraadbeperking onder de GVV-Wetgeving4 beperken de Vennootschap in haar groeimogelijkheden;
- De fiscale transparantie biedt de Vennootschap slechts een beperkt voordeel, aangezien de Vennootschap grotendeels belast in het buitenland investeert.
4 De GVV-Wet en het Koninklijk besluit van 13 juli 2014 met betrekking tot gereglementeerde vastgoedvennootschappen (het "GVV-KB") (samen de "GVV-Wetgeving").
3. STRATEGIE NA DE TRANSACTIE
"Leasinvest 2.0" zal een bewezen trackrecord van een internationale vastgoedinvesteerder combineren met toonaangevende (her)ontwikkelingscapaciteiten.
Dit vloeit voort uit de business combinatie van:
- Leasinvest Real Estate, een vastgoedinvesteerder actief in het kwaliteitsvolle kantoor- en retailsegment, in België, Luxemburg en Oostenrijk; en
- Extensa, een echte specialist in mixed-use stedelijke ontwikkelingen, die grote, bijzonder kwaliteitsvolle, inspirerende en gelauwerde vastgoedprojecten in de Belux realiseert, met name Tour & Taxis in Brussel en Cloche d'Or in Luxemburg
Het samenbrengen van de vastgoedposities en de complementaire expertise van de teams van beide bedrijven zal synergiën creëren en vormt een solide basis voor een strategie gericht op het realiseren en beheren van innovatieve mixed-use stedelijke ontwikkelingen en zo nieuwe stadswijken aan te leggen of bestaande stadswijken te doen heropleven. Met deze focus kan de Vennootschap recurrente huurinkomsten combineren met aantrekkelijke meerwaarden. Deze structuur zal "Leasinvest 2.0" toelaten om sneller te schakelen in de huidige volatiele marktomgeving door gerichte arbitrages in de portefeuille of herontwikkelingen van bestaande gebouwen. Bovendien zal de versterkte balansstructuur toestaan zich proactief op te stellen naar nieuwe opportuniteiten in haar kernmarkten of in nieuwe markten.
Het investeringsverhaal van "Leasinvest 2.0" zal steunen op volgende belangrijke pijlers:
- Markt: Goed gepositioneerd voor groei door sterke aanwezigheid in aantrekkelijke, stabiele en goed ontwikkelde regio's (België, Luxemburg en Oostenrijk)
- Bedrijfsmodel: Uniek bedrijfsprofiel dat een iconische vastgoedportefeuille met hoog rendement (ondersteund door een kwalitatief hoogstaand huurdersbestand) combineert met toonaangevende vastgoedontwikkelingsprojecten
- Team: Multidisciplinair team van gepassioneerde vastgoedprofessionals met de juiste mix van capaciteiten om hoogwaardige vastgoedactiva te ontwikkelen, te commercialiseren én duurzaam te beheren. Dit team heeft een duidelijke commerciële strategie uitgezet, gericht op zowel het proactief binnenhalen en gericht aansturen van toonaangevende (her)ontwikkelingsprojecten als het maximaliseren van de bezettingsgraad aan zeer competitieve voorwaarden
- Financieel profiel: Versterkt financieel profiel dat een solide dividendenstroom combineert met een aanzienlijk opwaarts meerwaardepotentieel. Voorzichtige financiering met oog voor een evenwichtige balans (beoogde LTV van minder dan 45% na integratie).
"Leasinvest 2.0" zal een geconsolideerd balanstotaal hebben van ca. € 1,83 miljard met een eigen vermogen van +/- € 733 miljoen. De gecombineerde investeringsportefeuille zal in hoofdzaak bestaan uit kantoren (45%) en in tweede instantie uit retail (41%). Het gedeelte "overige" omvat enerzijds de resterende logistieke panden uit de Leasinvest portefeuille en anderzijds de gebouwen op de Tour&Taxis site die dienen voor evenementen (The Sheds, Maison de la Poste) en de diverse parkings. Geografisch zijn België en Luxemburg quasi even belangrijk (43-44%) en is de resterende 13% de retailparken te Oostenrijk uit de Leasinvest-portefeuille.
Door het iconisch patrimonium van Tour & Taxis (T&T) met als vlaggenschip "Gare Maritime" te verwerven, gekoppeld aan de CSR-strategie van de Vennootschap, heeft "Leasinvest 2.0" alle troeven in handen om een referentie te zijn inzake duurzaamheid op de vastgoedmarkt.
Het ontwikkelingspotentieel, dat volledig voortkomt uit Extensa, kan als volgt ingedeeld worden:
Ongeveer twee derden van deze ontwikkelingen zijn gepland op de Tour&Taxis site te Brussel, de rest bevindt zich op de Cloche d'Or aan de zuidkant van de stad Luxemburg.
Via de participatie (50%) van Extensa in Grossfeld PAP SA (Cloche d'Or) zal de Vennootschap op haar tweede thuismarkt Luxemburg naast haar activiteiten m.b.t. de verhuur en de ontwikkeling van kantoren en winkels, ook actief worden in residentiële ontwikkelingen.
"Leasinvest 2.0" heeft de ambitie om de EPRA-status te behouden en zou als zodanig een unieke investeringsopportuniteit binnen het Belgische EPRA-universum zijn. Deze business combinatie wordt ondersteund door Ackermans & van Haaren als meerderheidsaandeelhouder op lange termijn met een sterke focus op duurzaam ondernemen, wat bijdraagt tot het vermogen van Leasinvest 2.0 om aandeelhouderswaarde te creëren door middel van innovatieve en kwaliteitsvolle vastgoedoperaties.
4. OMSCHRIJVING VAN DE TRANSACTIE
4.1. Afstand van het GVV-statuut
De Vennootschap overweegt dan ook om vrijwillig afstand te doen van haar geëigend reglementair en fiscaal statuut in België. Het is tevens de bedoeling dat LIL, 100% dochtervennootschap van de Vennootschap, vóór de BAV afstand doet van het SICAV SIF statuut in Luxemburg.
4.2. Business combinatie met Extensa
Bovendien wenst de Vennootschap een business combinatie aan te gaan met de vastgoedontwikkelaar Extensa door middel van een inbreng in natura van de aandelen Extensa in het kapitaal van de Vennootschap.
Extensa is een vastgoedontwikkelaar met een lange track record en is een 100% dochtervennootschap van AvH. De belangrijkste ontwikkelingsprojecten zijn de ontwikkelingen op de Tour & Taxis site in Brussel en Cloche d'Or in Luxemburg (die laatste via de participatie (50%) van Extensa in Grossfeld PAP NV). Daarnaast bezit Extensa een grondbank en houdt zij een aantal vastgoedactiva aan op lange termijn met het oog op verhuur, waarvan de voornaamste gelegen zijn op de Tour & Taxis site.
De Zaakvoerder meent dat een business combinatie met Extensa ervoor kan zorgen dat de gewijzigde strategie van de Vennootschap op een snelle en efficiënte manier kan worden geïmplementeerd. Door een combinatie van de vastgoedportefeuilles van de Vennootschap en Extensa en de ontwikkelingspijplijn van Extensa, en de expertise en het track record van beide teams, kan de Vennootschap zich namelijk op korte termijn ontplooien tot een vastgoedinvesteerder en ontwikkelaar met een uniek en gediversifieerd business profiel, die stabiele recurrente flows uit het beheer van een iconische duurzame vastgoedportefeuille met een hoogwaardige huurdersbasis, combineert met meerwaarden uit de verkoop van residentiële activa en kantoorgebouwen. Een business combinatie met Extensa zou leiden tot een verdere diversificatie van de portefeuille van de Vennootschap in ontwikkelingen in residentieel vastgoed en kantoorgebouwen. De investeringsfocus van de gecombineerde entiteit zou worden gelegd op (i) core plus gebouwen (die kantoor, retail en/of residenteel gebruik combineren) met een duidelijk potentieel om toegevoegde waarde te creëren door middel van herpositionering en herontwikkeling en (ii) duurzame projecten die gericht zijn op het creëren van een betere samenleving (bv. klimaat-aanpasbare gebouwen en mobiliteitsoplossingen) zodat het hoofd kan worden geboden aan voormelde ontwikkelingen.
Overeenkomstig artikel 30 van de GVV-Wet mag een GVV niet meer dan 20% van haar geconsolideerde activa aanhouden in vastgoed of in activa die één enkel "activageheel" vormen (nl. één of meer vaste goederen of activa die als één risico dienen te worden beschouwd). De combinatie van de investeringsportefeuilles van de Vennootschap en van Extensa zou ertoe kunnen leiden dat dit percentage wordt overschreden, gelet op het vastgoed dat beide vennootschappen aanhouden op de site Tour & Taxis in Brussel. Omwille van deze regel, gecombineerd met het verbod op bouwpromotie in de GVV-Wet (art. 41 GVV-Wet), zou een samenvoeging van de activiteiten van de Vennootschap en de (ontwikkelings)activiteiten van Extensa hoe dan ook uitgesloten zijn onder het GVV-statuut.
4.3. Omzetting van de rechtsvorm
In het kader van de herstructurering wenst de Vennootschap ook haar governance model te herbekijken.
Overeenkomstig de wettelijke overgangsregeling van het WVV moet de Vennootschap haar rechtsvorm wijzigen bij de eerste statutenwijziging na 1 januari 2020 en in elk geval tegen 1 januari 20245. Het WVV schaft de huidige rechtsvorm van de Vennootschap, de commanditaire vennootschap op aandelen (Comm.VA), af. Bijgevolg is de Vennootschap verplicht om in het kader van de Transactie een andere rechtsvorm aan te nemen.
De omzetting van de Vennootschap in een naamloze vennootschap (NV) onder het WVV is de meest logische keuze, aangezien de rechtsvorm van een naamloze vennootschap het best aansluit bij die van de afgeschafte commanditaire vennootschap op aandelen. De wettelijke overgangsregeling voorziet er om die reden overigens in dat commanditaire vennootschappen op aandelen op 1 januari 2024 van rechtswege zullen worden omgezet in een naamloze vennootschap, indien zij zich tegen die datum niet vrijwillig hebben omgezet in een rechtsvorm waarin het WVV voorziet6.
Na de omzetting in een naamloze vennootschap kan de Vennootschap geen statutaire zaakvoerder meer hebben, aangezien het WVV niet in deze bestuursvorm voorziet in de naamloze vennootschap (noch in een andere vennootschapsvorm die al haar aandeelhouders de beperkte aansprakelijkheid verleent). De Vennootschap zou in principe wel kunnen worden omgezet in een naamloze vennootschap met een "enige bestuurder". Deze bestuursvorm met een éénhoofdig bestuur, waarin het WVV optioneel voorziet in de naamloze vennootschap (art. 7:101-7:103 WVV), sluit grotendeels aan bij de figuur van de statutaire zaakvoerder in een commanditaire vennootschap op aandelen. In dat geval zou de Zaakvoerder het mandaat van enige bestuurder opnemen en blijven genieten van onder meer een relatieve onafzetbaarheid en een vetorecht voor statutenwijzigingen en dividenduitkeringen. De Zaakvoerder stelt echter voor om de Vennootschap in een naamloze vennootschap met een (collegiale) raad van bestuur om te zetten (de "Omzetting"). 7
De keuze voor een naamloze vennootschap met een (collegiale) raad van bestuur kadert in een globale aanpassing van de controlestructuur van de Vennootschap en de Transactie in haar geheel, in overleg met AvH, huidig referentieaandeelhouder van de Vennootschap en de enige aandeelhouder van de Zaakvoerder.
Vanuit governance oogpunt sluit de keuze voor een naamloze vennootschap met een (collegiale) raad van bestuur perfect aan op de meest transparante rechtsvorm in het Belgisch wetgevend kader voor genoteerde vennootschappen. In een genoteerde naamloze vennootschap met een enige bestuurder dient die laatste immers op zijn beurt een naamloze vennootschap met een collegiaal bestuursorgaan te zijn (art. 7:101, §1 WVV). Deze complexiteit wordt vermeden door de voorgestelde omzetting van de Vennootschap in een naamloze vennootschap met een (collegiale) raad van bestuur.
5 Artikel 39, §1, derde lid van de Wet van 23 maart 2019.
6 Artikel 41, §2 van de Wet van 23 maart 2019.
7 Omwille van de sequentie van de beslissingen die aan de BAV zullen worden voorgelegd, zal de BAV worden verzocht om, louter als tussenstap onmiddellijk na de beslissing tot vrijwillige afstand van het GVV-statuut, de statuten te wijzigen om deze in overeenstemming te brengen met deze beslissing tot afstand en de bepalingen van het WVV. Als gevolg daarvan zal de Vennootschap (in principe slechts voor enkele minuten – tot de goedkeuring door de BAV van de Omzetting, de LREM Inbreng en de Extensa Inbreng) toch een NV met enige bestuurder zijn.
Om onder meer het personeel en de activa van LREM ook in de toekomst ten dienste te stellen van de Vennootschap, wat in het belang van de Vennootschap is, wordt bovendien voorgesteld om in het kader van de Omzetting tevens alle aandelen in LREM door AvH te laten inbrengen in de Vennootschap. LREM blijft bestaan en wordt een 100% dochtervennootschap van de Vennootschap. Op die wijze wordt het beheer van de Vennootschap geïnternaliseerd (dit geheel van transacties, de "Inklap").
Ingevolge de Omzetting zal het mandaat van LREM als statutair zaakvoerder van de Vennootschap beëindigd worden. De vergoeding van LREM voor het lopende boekjaar 2021 zal worden afgerekend met als conventionele afsluitdatum 30 juni 2021. Deze vergoeding is statutair vastgelegd en bedraagt op jaarbasis 0,415% van de geconsolideerde activa (cf. artikel 15 van de huidige statuten). Zoals voormeld, wordt het vennootschapsrechtelijk mandaat niet vervangen door een dienstverleningsovereenkomst met LREM als externe dienstverlener, maar wordt het beheer van de Vennootschap geïnternaliseerd (in een dochtervennootschap) ingevolge de inbreng van de aandelen in LREM in de Vennootschap. De Inklap heeft dus tot gevolg dat de Vennootschap voor de periode na 30 juni 2021 geen vergoeding meer hoeft te betalen aan LREM, terwijl de kostenstructuur van het personeel van LREM voortaan is opgenomen in de consolidatieperimeter van de Vennootschap.
Anderzijds zal de Vennootschap na de Inklap een collegiale raad van bestuur hebben waarin zij verschillende bestuurders zal moeten benoemen (waaronder minstens 3 onafhankelijke bestuurders in de zin van artikel 7:87 WVV). De bedoeling is dat de mandaten van de huidige bestuurders van LREM worden voortgezet op het niveau van de Vennootschap voor een duurtijd die gelijk is aan de resterende looptijd van hun huidige respectieve bestuursmandaten in LREM. Er wordt voorgesteld om de vergoedingsstructuur voor de onafhankelijke bestuurders te behouden en uit te breiden naar de nietuitvoerende bestuurders. De bestuurders zullen dus voortaan (rechtstreeks) worden vergoed door de Vennootschap.
4.4. Hernieuwing machtigingen inkoop eigen aandelen en toegestane kapitaal
De Vennootschap wil daarnaast van de gelegenheid gebruik maken om de BAV (zoals hierna gedefinieerd) te verzoeken om de machtiging tot inkoop van eigen aandelen (in toepassing van artikel 7:215 e.v. WVV) en de machtiging inzake het toegestane kapitaal (in toepassing van artikel 7:198 WVV) te hernieuwen. Zie in dit verband het verslag van de Zaakvoerder overeenkomstig artikel 657 juncto 604 Wetboek van vennootschappen (W.Venn.) en artikel 7:199 WVV over de hernieuwing van het toegestane kapitaal.
4.5. Invoering dubbel stemrecht (loyauteitsstemrecht)
De Vennootschap stelt bovendien voor om het dubbel stemrecht (zgn. loyauteitsstemrecht) in te voeren overeenkomstig artikel 7:53 WVV dat ingeschreven werd in het nieuwe Wetboek van vennootschappen en verenigingen door de wetgever teneinde de lange termijn betrokkenheid van de aandeelhouders te belonen en te stimuleren. De Zaakvoerder is van oordeel dat dit in het belang is van de Vennootschap aangezien dit instrument toelaat loyale aandeelhouders te belonen en te stimuleren en een stabiel aandeelhouderschap de Vennootschap in staat stelt om in te zetten op het uitwerken en implementeren van een lange termijn visie en strategie als geïntegreerde vastgoedgroep. De Zaakvoerder benadrukt dat het dubbel stemrecht toekomt aan alle aandeelhouders die voldoen aan de volgende wettelijke hoedanigheidsvoorwaarden.
Aan de volgestorte aandelen die ten minste twee jaar ononderbroken op naam van dezelfde aandeelhouder in het register van de aandelen op naam zijn ingeschreven, zou een dubbel stemrecht worden verleend in vergelijking met de andere aandelen die een gelijk deel in het kapitaal vertegenwoordigen.
De termijn van twee jaar begint te lopen op de dag waarop de aandelen op naam zijn ingeschreven in het register van aandelen op naam van de Vennootschap, zelfs wanneer die inschrijving is gebeurd vóór de statutaire bepaling die het dubbel stemrecht invoert werd aangenomen. Dat betekent dat alle aandelen in de Vennootschap die op datum van de BAV reeds gedurende twee jaar zonder onderbreking worden aangehouden door dezelfde aandeelhouder in het register van aandelen op naam van de Vennootschap, na de BAV van het dubbel stemrecht zouden genieten zolang deze aandelen niet worden overgedragen (behoudens in beperkte wettelijke uitzonderingsgevallen) of worden gedematerialiseerd. De nieuwe aandelen in LRE die zullen worden uitgegeven in het kader van de LREM-inbreng en Extensa-inbreng (zoals hierna gedefinieerd) zullen slechts van het dubbel stemrecht kunnen genieten twee jaar na de datum van de BAV en op voorwaarde dat de overige voorwaarden zijn vervuld (met name dat deze nieuwe aandelen niet zijn overgedragen (behoudens in beperkte wettelijke uitzonderingsgevallen) of gedematerialiseerd). De 1.778.352 bestaande aandelen in de Vennootschap die worden aangehouden door AvH voldoen aan de voorwaarden om te genieten van een dubbel stemrecht. In totaal zullen, op basis van de inschrijvingen in het register van aandelen op naam van de Vennootschap op datum van deze Nota, na de BAV 1.804.668 bestaande aandelen in de Vennootschap recht geven op een dubbel stemrecht.8
4.6. Overzicht transactie
Concreet zullen de volgende beslissingen worden voorgelegd aan de buitengewone algemene vergadering van de Vennootschap die zal worden gehouden op 19 juli 2021 (de "BAV"):
8 Dit gaat ervan uit dat deze aandelen voorafgaand aan de BAV niet zullen worden overgedragen waardoor niet langer aan de voorwaarden van artikel 7:53 WVV zou zijn voldaan.
- vrijwillige afstand door de Vennootschap van haar statuut als openbare gereglementeerde vastgoedvennootschap in overeenstemming met artikel 62 GVV-Wet (de "Afstand") en daarmee gepaard gaande statutenwijziging (m.i.v. de wijziging van het voorwerp van de Vennootschap);
- ₋ omzetting van de Vennootschap in een naamloze vennootschap met een (collegiale) raad van bestuur onder het WVV (de "Omzetting") en de daarmee gepaard gaande statutenwijzigingen, onder voorbehoud van goedkeuring van de LREM-inbreng en de Extensa-inbreng9 ;
- ₋ goedkeuring van de overeenkomst m.b.t. de inbreng in natura van de aandelen in LREM en beslissing tot inbreng in natura van de aandelen in LREM door AvH in het kapitaal van de Vennootschap (de "LREM-inbreng"), onder voorbehoud van goedkeuring van de Extensainbreng11;
- ₋ inbreng in natura van de aandelen in Extensa door AvH in het kapitaal van de Vennootschap (de "Extensa-inbreng") 10;
- ₋ invoering van het loyauteitsstemrecht11;
- ₋ vernieuwing van de machtigingen inzake het toegestane kapitaal en de inkoop van eigen aandelen11.
Voor meer informatie over deze verrichtingen (m.i.v. informatie over de nieuwe aandelen in LRE die zullen worden uitgegeven in het kader van de LREM-inbreng en Extensa-inbreng (o.m. de uitgifteprijs) en de inbrengwaarde van de aandelen in LREM en Extensa) wordt verwezen naar de verslagen van de Zaakvoerder van 14 juni 2021:
- in toepassing van artikel 657 juncto 559 W.Venn. en artikel 7:154 WVV, over de voorgestelde wijziging van het statutair voorwerp (voorheen "doel");
- in toepassing van artikel 778 W.Venn. en artikel 14:5 WVV, over de voorgestelde omzetting in een naamloze vennootschap met een (monistische) raad van bestuur onder het WVV;
- in toepassing van artikel 657 juncto 602, §1, derde lid W.Venn. en artikel 7:179, §1 eerste lid en 7:197, §1, eerste lid WVV, inzake een kapitaalverhoging bij wijze van inbreng in natura van de aandelen LREM;
- in toepassing van artikel 657 juncto 602, §1, derde lid W.Venn. en artikel 7:179, §1 eerste lid en 7:197, §1, eerste lid WVV, inzake een kapitaalverhoging bij wijze van inbreng in natura van de aandelen Extensa Group NV;
- in toepassing van artikel 657 juncto 604 W.Venn. en artikel 7:199 WVV, over de voorgestelde vervanging van de machtiging inzake het toegestane kapitaal.
9 Deze beslissing zal slechts aan de BAV worden voorgelegd indien de beslissing tot Afstand werd goedgekeurd.
10 Deze beslissing zal slechts aan de BAV worden voorgelegd indien de beslissing tot Afstand, Omzetting en de LREM-inbreng werden goedgekeurd.
11 Deze beslissing zal slechts aan de BAV worden voorgelegd indien de beslissing tot Omzetting, de LREM-inbreng en de Extensa-inbreng werden goedgekeurd.
5. BELANGENCONFLICTEN
5.1. Persoonlijk belangenconflict van de Zaakvoerder
Aangezien de Inklap leidt tot het wegvallen van het mandaat van LREM – en bijgevolg haar remuneratie – als statutair zaakvoerder, heeft de Zaakvoerder een persoonlijk belang van vermogensrechtelijke aard bij de beslissing van de Vennootschap over de Inklap dat strijdig is met het belang van de Vennootschap. Om deze reden zal de beslissing over de Omzetting en de LREM-Inbreng, overeenkomstig artikel 657 juncto 523 W.Venn. en artikel 7:96 WVV12, aan de BAV worden voorgelegd, en zal de BAV worden verzocht om tevens de inbrengovereenkomst met betrekking tot de aandelen in LREM goed te keuren.
5.2. Intra-groepsbelangenconflict
Aangezien AvH de Vennootschap controleert in de zin van het W.Venn. en een verbonden partij is in de zin van de internationale standaarden voor jaarrekeningen die zijn goedgekeurd overeenkomstig Verordening (EG) 1606/2002, wordt de belangenconflictenprocedure van artikel 657 juncto 524 W.Venn en artikel 7:97 WVV12 toegepast op de LREM-inbreng en de Extensa-inbreng.
Het comité van onafhankelijke bestuurders13, bijgestaan door een onafhankelijk expert, Degroof Petercam Corporate Finance, heeft de (voorstellen tot) LREM-inbreng en Extensa-inbreng beoordeeld, overeenkomstig artikel 657 juncto 524 W.Venn en artikel 7:97 WVV. Het advies van het comité van onafhankelijke bestuurders wordt voorgelegd aan de BAV.
De de facto vertegenwoordigers van AvH in de raad van bestuur van LREM, de heren Jan Suykens en Piet Dejonghe, zijn "betrokken" bij de Transactie in de zin van artikel 7:97 WVV, en hebben dus niet deelgenomen aan de beraadslaging en stemming van de raad van bestuur van LREM over de voorstellen tot de LREM-inbreng en de Extensa-inbreng.
6. GEVOLGEN VAN DE TRANSACTIE
6.1. Reglementaire gevolgen
Algemeen
De FSMA heeft, in het kader van de goedkeuring van de statutenwijziging, overeenkomstig artikel 12 van de GVV-Wet, de vergunning van de Vennootschap als GVV geschrapt, onder opschortende voorwaarde en met inwerkingtreding vanaf de goedkeuring van de Afstand door de BAV. Op het ogenblik van de goedkeuring van de Afstand door de BAV en de daarmee gepaard gaande
12 Overeenkomstig artikel 41 §1 van de wet van 23 maart 2019 tot invoering van het Wetboek van vennootschappen en verenigingen en houdende diverse bepalingen (de "Wet van 23 maart 2019"), blijft de Vennootschap zolang zij de rechtsvorm van een commanditaire vennootschap op aandelen heeft (doch uiterlijk tot 1 januari 2024) beheerst door het W.Venn., met dien verstande dat zij vanaf 1 januari 2020 eveneens is onderworpen aan de dwingende bepalingen van het WVV die toepassing vinden op de NV, met uitzondering van de bepalingen van boek 7, titel 4, hoofdstuk 1 (Bestuur), waarbij ingeval van tegenstrijdigheid tussen dwingende bepalingen van het WVV en dwingende bepalingen van het W.Venn. de dwingende bepalingen van het WVV prevaleren. Gelet op deze overgangsregeling, dient de Vennootschap in principe, voor wat de belangenconflicten in hoofde van het bestuursorgaan betreft, enkel de bepalingen van het W.Venn. toe te passen. Het Corporate Governance Charter van de Vennootschap verwijst echter reeds naar artikelen 7:96 en 7:97 WVV, zodat de Vennootschap, voor zover als nodig, de relevante bepalingen van het W.Venn. en het WVV cumulatief heeft toegepast.
13 Het comité van onafhankelijke bestuurders is samengesteld uit alle vijf onafhankelijke bestuurders van de Vennootschap, Dirk Adriaenssen, Eric Van Dyck, Marcia De Wachter, Colette Dierick en Sigrid Hermans.
statutenwijziging (die als eerste agendapunten zijn geagendeerd) zal de Vennootschap dus onmiddellijk haar statuut van GVV verliezen. Bijgevolg zal de Vennootschap vanaf dat ogenblik ook niet langer onderworpen zijn aan de bepalingen van de GVV-Wetgeving.
De LREM-inbreng en de Extensa-inbreng die vervolgens aan de BAV zullen worden voorgelegd, zullen bijgevolg niet langer onderworpen zijn aan de GVV-Wetgeving.
Impact op het dividend
Als GVV is de Vennootschap wettelijk verplicht om ten belope van het bedrag van het positief nettoresultaat van het boekjaar en na aanzuivering van de overgedragen verliezen en na de toevoegingen/onttrekkingen aan/van de reserves14, ten minste het positieve verschil tussen de volgende bedragen uit te keren als vergoeding van het kapitaal:
- i. 80% van het bedrag bepaald volgens het in Hoofdstuk III van Bijlage C opgenomen schema; en
- ii. de nettovermindering, tijdens het boekjaar, van de schuldenlast van de OGVV.15
Ten gevolge van de Transactie, en meer specifiek de Afstand, zal de Vennootschap niet langer onderworpen zijn aan deze wettelijke minimale uitkeringsverplichting. Bij de beslissing m.b.t. de bestemming van de winst over het boekjaar 2021 die zal worden genomen op de gewone algemene vergadering in 2022, geldt er dus geen wettelijke minimale uitkeringsverplichting.
De Vennootschap zal een dividendbeleid nastreven gebaseerd op een uitkering van 40-60% van de EPRA winst gelinkt aan de investeringsportefeuille. Uitgaande van deze basis streeft de Vennootschap bovendien naar een stijging van haar dividend mede dankzij het potentieel van uitzonderlijke gerealiseerde meerwaarden op verkoop van vastgoedbeleggingen of winsten uit ontwikkelingsprojecten.
6.2. Fiscale gevolgen
Indien de BAV de Transactie goedkeurt, zal de Afstand tot gevolg hebben dat de Vennootschap overgaat van het fiscaal afwijkend regime van artikel 185bis van het Wetboek van de Inkomstenbelastingen ("WIB92") naar het standaardregime in de vennootschapsbelasting. De Belgische fiscale gevolgen hiervan voor de Vennootschap en haar Belgische aandeelhouders worden hierna op hoofdlijnen samengevat.
Op het niveau van de Vennootschap zelf heeft de overgang naar het standaardregime in de vennootschapsbelasting als voornaamste fiscaal gevolg dat zij voortaan principieel belastbaar zal zijn op al haar inkomsten. De Belgische huurinkomsten (na afschrijvingen) en de toekomstige meerwaarden op Belgische onroerende goederen zullen dus worden opgenomen in de belastbare basis, terwijl dit niet het geval was onder het afwijkend fiscaal regime. Aangezien LIL niet meer rechtstreeks belegt in vastgoed en ook haar afwijkend fiscaal regime (als SICAV-SIF) opgeeft, zullen de door de Vennootschap ontvangen dividenden van LIL in de toekomst wel in aanmerking komen voor de Definitief Belaste Inkomsten aftrek (DBI-aftrek). Ook de dividenden afkomstig van Extensa zullen in aanmerking
14 Zoals bedoeld in "Punt B. Toevoeging/onttrekking reserves" zoals omschreven in Afdeling 4 van Deel 1 van Hoofdstuk 1 van de Bijlage C bij het GVV-KB.
15 Artikel 13 GVV-KB.
komen voor de DBI-aftrek. De dividenden ontvangen van Retail Estates zullen daarentegen niet (of slechts heel beperkt) voor de DBI-aftrek in aanmerking komen.
Op het niveau van de aandeelhouders-natuurlijke personen (die inwoner van België zijn) zal de Afstand in principe geen directe fiscale impact hebben. Dividenden uitgekeerd door de Vennootschap blijven onderworpen aan een (bevrijdende) roerende voorheffing van 30% en meerwaarden op aandelen blijven principieel belastingvrij (indien ze kaderen binnen het normaal beheer van het privévermogen).
Wat de aandeelhouders-vennootschappen daarentegen betreft, zal er wel een directe fiscale impact zijn. De dividenden die aandeelhouders-vennootschappen op dit ogenblik (onder het GVV-statuut) ontvangen, komen niet (of slechts gedeeltelijk) in aanmerking voor DBI-aftrek omdat niet is voldaan aan de taxatievoorwaarde16 en de eventuele meerwaarden die zij realiseren op de aandelen in de Vennootschap zijn (gedeeltelijk) belastbaar. Vanaf de Afstand zal de Vennootschap evenwel onderworpen zijn aan het standaardregime in de vennootschapsbelasting (zie hoger) zodat vanaf dat ogenblik principieel voldaan zal zijn aan de taxatievoorwaarde. Vanaf de Afstand zullen de dividenden die de Vennootschap uitkeert aan haar aandeelhouders-vennootschappen dan ook principieel wel in aanmerking komen voor DBI-aftrek (op voorwaarde dat ook is voldaan aan de kwantitatieve voorwaarden van de DBI-aftrek17) en zullen eventuele meerwaarden die de aandeelhoudersvennootschappen realiseren op hun aandelen in de Vennootschap (onder dezelfde voorwaarden) principieel vrijgesteld zijn.
Aangezien de overgang van het fiscaal afwijkend regime van artikel 185bis WIB92 naar het standaardregime in de vennootschapsbelasting als zodanig evenwel niet geregeld is in de fiscale wetgeving, heeft de Vennootschap een rulingaanvraag ingediend bij de Dienst Voorafgaande Beslissingen in fiscale zaken. Samengevat, werd middels de voorafgaande beslissing van 1 juni 2021 bevestiging verkregen op drie vlakken:
- Vooreerst werd bevestigd dat de Vennootschap slechts onderworpen zal zijn aan het standaardregime in de vennootschapsbelasting voor de resultaten die zij realiseert vanaf de Afstand zodat voor het boekjaar waarin afstand gedaan wordt van het GVV-statuut, de Vennootschap gedeeltelijk onderworpen is aan het fiscaal afwijkend regime van artikel 185bis WIB92 en gedeeltelijk aan het standaardregime in de vennootschapsbelasting;
- Daarnaast zal de Vennootschap ingevolge de Afstand overgaan van IFRS naar Belgian GAAP (zie verder). In het kader hiervan, werd bevestiging verkregen omtrent de fiscale kwalificatie van de verschillende bestanddelen van het eigen vermogen van de Vennootschap na de Afstand, de fiscale afschrijvingsbasis voor toekomstige afschrijvingen en de fiscale waarde van de activabestanddelen van de Vennootschap met het oog op de berekening van toekomstige meer- of minderwaarden.
- Tot slot werd de fiscale behandeling van toekomstige dividenduitkeringen (DBI-aftrek) bevestigd, zowel voor de dividenduitkeringen die de Vennootschap na de Afstand ontvangt (m.n. van LIL), als de dividenduitkeringen die de Vennootschap na de Afstand verricht aan haar aandeelhouders-vennootschappen.
16 Cf. artikel 203, §1, 2°bis juncto artikel 203, §2, 6e lid WIB92.
17 I.e. de aandeelhouder bezit een deelneming in het kapitaal van de Vennootschap van minstens 10% of met een aanschaffingswaarde van minstens 2,5 MEUR ("participatievoorwaarde"), dewelke gedurende een ononderbroken periode van minstens één jaar in volle eigendom wordt of werd behouden ("permanentievoorwaarde").
6.3. Boekhoudkundige gevolgen van de Transactie
Indien de BAV de Transactie goedkeurt, zal de Vennootschap, ten gevolge van de Afstand, haar enkelvoudige jaarrekening niet langer overeenkomstig de IFRS-normen dienen op te stellen (art. 11 GVV-KB), maar overeenkomstig Belgian GAAP (art. 3:58 KB WVV18).
In het kader van het overleg met de Dienst Voorafgaande Beslissingen (zie hoger) werd de vraag gesteld of er fictieve afschrijvingen geboekt moeten worden voor de periode waarvoor de Vennootschap onderworpen was aan het vastgoedbevak/GVV-regime. Hoewel de vennootschap meent dat dit niet het geval is, werd er beslist om hieromtrent een Individuele Beslissing inzake Boekhoudrecht (IBB) bij de Commissie voor Boekhoudkundige Normen (CBN) te vragen. In deze aanvraag wordt bevestiging gevraagd over de (i) de waarde waartegen het vastgoed van de Vennootschap moet worden opgenomen in de openingsbalans onder Belgian GAAP en (ii) de verwerking van de afschrijvingen op dat vastgoed. De timing voor het bekomen van een antwoord op deze vragen is momenteel onduidelijk omdat de CBN eerst een algemeen advies wenst uit te brengen omtrent deze problematiek alvorens een individuele beslissing af te leveren. Hoewel de CBN op het eerste zicht akkoord lijkt te gaan met de door de Vennootschap voorgestelde boekingswijze (waarbij geen fictieve afschrijvingen in rekening gebracht worden), is het aldus afwachten wat de uitkomst van de aanvraag tot IBB zal zijn. Mocht de CBN alsnog van oordeel zijn dat er fictieve afschrijvingen geboekt moeten worden voor de periode waarvoor de Vennootschap onderworpen was aan het Vastgoedbevak/GVV-regime, is de impact hiervan op de fiscale positie van de Vennootschap beperkt. In de voorafgaande beslissing van 1 juni 2021 bevestigde de Dienst Voorafgaande Beslissingen immers dat eventuele fictieve afschrijvingen enkel een impact zouden hebben op de fiscale afschrijvingsbasis en niet op de berekening van de toekomstige fiscale meerwaarden op het vastgoed.
6.4. Gevolgen voor de financiering van de Vennootschap
De Afstand maakt een event of default uit onder de obligatie die werd uitgegeven door de Vennootschap in 2019 (met een totaal nominaal bedrag van 100 miljoen EUR, coupures van 100,000 EUR, een vaste rentevoet van 1,95% en met vervaldatum 28 november 2026) (de Obligatie), waardoor de obligatiehouders de Vennootschap kunnen verzoeken tot vervroegde terugbetaling van de obligaties. Daarnaast maakt de Afstand eveneens een event of default uit onder de kredieten van de Vennootschap die aanleiding kunnen geven tot een opschorting of beëindiging van de kredieten van de Vennootschap. Ook de wijziging in de aandeelhoudersstructuur geeft het recht aan bepaalde kredietgevers om de relevante kredietovereenkomsten te beëindigen en vervroegde terugbetaling te eisen.
De belangrijkste kredietverstrekkers van de Vennootschap, BNP Paribas Fortis, Belfius en BGL, die instaan voor een bedrag dat 53% vertegenwoordigt van de bankschulden van de Vennootschap, hebben afstand gedaan van hun recht om de kredieten te beëindigen of op te schorten naar aanleiding van de Afstand of meer algemeen, de Transactie.
De Vennootschap heeft bovendien een kredietlijn bekomen van BNP Paribas Fortis ten belope van EUR 350 miljoen ter financiering van de bedragen die desgevallend verschuldigd zouden zijn ten gevolge van (i) de beëindiging van de kredieten door andere kredietinstellingen (EUR 250 miljoen) of (ii) een verzoek tot vervroegde terugbetaling door bepaalde obligatiehouders naar aanleiding van de Transactie (EUR 100 miljoen). Indien de Transactie zou worden ingeroepen als een event of default onder de bestaande kredietlijnen en/of de obligaties van de Vennootschap, zal de Vennootschap via deze
18 Koninklijk besluit van 29 april 2019 tot uitvoering van het Wetboek van vennootschappen en verenigingen.
kredietlijn over voldoende middelen beschikken om de verzoeken tot vervroegde terugbetaling te voldoen.
Tevens is de Vennootschap van plan om op korte termijn een algemene vergadering van obligatiehouders (AVO) bijeen te roepen met het verzoek om de terms and conditions van de Obligatie te wijzigen zodat de Afstand en de Transactie in het algemeen in de toekomst niet langer een opeisbaarheidsgrond van de Obligatie zal uitmaken.
7. INTENTIES VAN DE REFERENTIEAANDEELHOUDER
Voorafgaand aan de Transactie, is AvH zowel de controlerende aandeelhouder van de Vennootschap (via haar participatie in LREM) als van Extensa. Ingevolge de Transactie, m.i.v. de inbreng van LREM en Extensa, zal AvH 58,53% van de aandelen in de Vennootschap aanhouden, en bijgevolg de exclusieve controle uitoefenen over de Vennootschap.
Op die wijze bevestigt AvH haar rol als referentieaandeelhouder van de Vennootschap en wenst ze haar geloof in, en steun met betrekking tot, de strategie van de Vennootschap te benadrukken.
8. PROSPECTUS
In het kader van de toelating tot de verhandeling op de gereglementeerde markt van Euronext Brussels van de nieuwe aandelen die zullen worden uitgegeven aan AvH naar aanleiding van de LREM-Inbreng en de Extensa-Inbreng, zal kort na de BAV een prospectus worden gepubliceerd. De toelating tot de verhandeling van de nieuwe aandelen die werden uitgegeven aan AvH naar aanleiding van de LREM-Inbreng en de Extensa-Inbreng zal worden gevraagd binnen de termijnen voorzien in het Euronext Rulebook.
9. PRO FORMA FINANCIËLE INFORMATIE
De pro forma financiële informatie m.b.t. de Vennootschap is beschikbaar hierna.
Pro forma financial information
1.1. General
The pro forma financial information included in this section has been prepared for the period ending 31 December 2020, including the financial information in respect of Extensa Group NV ("Extensa") and Leasinvest Real Estate Management NV ("LREM") which may be acquired by Leasinvest Real Estate NV ("Leasinvest" or the "Company") as part of the Transaction1 through a contribution in kind of all shares in Extensa and LREM (the "Contributions"), subject to approval of the general meeting of shareholders of the Company on 19 July 2021 ("the EGM").
This information is based on the consolidated financial statements of Leasinvest and the consolidated financial statements of Extensa, both for the period ending 31 December 2020 and in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards and IFRIC interpretations effective on 31 December 2020, as approved by the European Commission, and on the statutory financial statements of LREM for the period ending 31 December 2020, in accordance with Belgian GAAP. The Belgian GAAP financial statements of LREM are in line with IFRS as there are no material IFRS-adjustments.
The pro forma financial information is established to indicate how the Contributions would affect the assets and liabilities and earnings of Leasinvest, if the Contributions would have been completed on 1 January 2020 (in respect of the pro forma consolidated P&L statement) or on 31 December 2020 (in respect of the pro forma consolidated balance sheet). Because of its nature, the Pro Forma Financial Information addresses a hypothetical situation and, therefore, does not represent the Company's actual financial position or results for the period after the Transaction (if it would be completed). It has been prepared for illustrative purposes only.
The pro forma financial information has not been audited by an external auditor. However, the Statutory Auditor, EY Bedrijfsrevisoren BV, represented by Mr. Joeri Klaykens, shall issue a report on the compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information as of 31 December 2020 in the framework of the listing prospectus that will be published shortly after the EGM and which will include this pro forma financial information.
1.2. General comments and assumptions
The pro forma consolidated balance sheet is presented as if the Contributions would have been completed on 31 December 2020, which corresponds to the closing of the most recently completed financial period of Leasinvest.
The pro forma consolidated statement of profit and loss is presented for the one-year period starting 1 January 2020 and ending 31 December 2020, as if the Contributions would have been completed on 1 January 2020.
Basis of preparation
The pro forma financial information has been established on the basis of:
a. The audited consolidated balance sheet accounts of Leasinvest for the period ending 31 December 2020.
1 "Transaction" means "(i) the renunciation by Leasinvest of its regulatory status both in Belgium (as public regulated real estate company ("RREC")) and in Luxemburg (the SICAV-SIF status of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Leasinvest Immo Lux SA, (ii) the conversion of the Company from a partnership limited by shares into a public limited liability company with a (collegiate) board of directors followed by a capital increase by means of the contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in LREM by Ackermans & van Haaren NV ("AvH") in consideration for the issuance of 45,833 new shares without nominal value (the "LREM New Shares"), (iii) a capital increase by means of the contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in Extensa by AvH in consideration for the issuance of 4,029,625 new shares without nominal value (the "Extensa New Shares" and together with the LREM New Shares, the "New Shares"), and (iv) the admission to trading on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels of the New Shares."
- b. The audited consolidated profit and loss accounts of Leasinvest for the period starting 1 January 2020.
- c. The audited consolidated balance sheet accounts of Extensa for the period ending 31 December 2020 and the audited profit and loss accounts of Extensa for the period starting 1 January 2020.
- d. The audited statutory balance sheet accounts of LREM for the period ending 31 December 2020 and the audited profit and loss accounts of LREM for the period starting 1 January 2020.
Basis of presentation
The pro forma financial information has been consistently prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards and IFRIC interpretations by Leasinvest and Extensa.
Contributions in kind of the shares in Extensa and LREM qualify as a Business Combination under Common Control
In preparing the proforma consolidated financial statements, Leasinvest has considered whether the Contributions would qualify as a Business Combination under Common Control, that is a combination in which all of the combining companies or businesses are ultimately controlled by the same party, both before and after the combination.
All three companies (Leasinvest, Extensa and LREM) are ultimately controlled by AvH, the controlling company, both before and after the transaction. Such combinations are outside the scope of IFRS 3 Business Combinations.
Based upon the description of the components of a business, Leasinvest concluded that the contributions of the shares in Extensa and LREM both qualify as a business combination under common control:
- Business components of Extensa:
- Inputs: investment property, real estate inventory, contract assets (residential and offices), employees
- Processes: operational management of the business units (real estate developments, investments and operations)
-
Output: real estate revenue (rental income, proceeds of sales of real estate development and revenue on events)
-
Business components of LREM:
-
Inputs: employees, cars, management know how
- Processes: management of the investment property of Leasinvest
- Output: fee income
Accounting treatment of the business combinations under common control:
- IFRS 3 scopes out business combinations under common control. Entities should therefore develop an accounting policy that results in relevant and reliable information by applying IAS 8 – Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors.
- Leasinvest applied the "Book value method" (also called 'Pooling of interest method') which provides the most relevant information to all shareholders, lenders and other creditors of the receiving company (Leasinvest) as well as the Controlling Entity (AvH). The method also provides the most reliable information to stakeholders as it reflects the continuation of the activities that are controlled by the same entity, albeit in a different legal form.
- As a result of that method, the carrying amounts of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed of Extensa and LREM (as recorded in the consolidated financial statements of AvH) are used/retained in the financial statements of Leasinvest. No adjustments are made to reflect fair values, or recognise any new assets or liabilities, at the date of the combination that would otherwise be done under the acquisition method.
- Any difference between the consideration transferred (valuation of the Contribution in kind of Extensa and LREM) and the acquired net assets (the carrying amounts in the consolidated financial statements of AvH) are adjusted against equity.
| Leasinvest | Leasinvest | LREM | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| balance | (post | Extensa | balance | Inter | |||||||
| sheet | Contribution in | Contribution | Transaction | contributions | balance sheet | Elimination | sheet | Elimination | company | ||
| Consolidated balance sheet ('000 EUR) | (audited) | kind Extensa | in kind LREM | costs | in kind) | (audited) | Extensa | (audited) | LREM | elimination | TOTAL |
| 31/12/2020 | (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | Subtotal | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | |
| ASSETS | |||||||||||
| I. Non-current assets | 1.223.098 | 290.133 | 3.300 | 0 | 1.516.531 | 324.283 | -290.133 | 129 | -3.300 | 0 | 1.547.509 |
| Investment properties | 1.141.190 | 1.141.190 | 272.867 | 0 | 0 | 1.414.057 | |||||
| Intangible and tangible assets | 1.554 | 1.554 | 2.969 | 129 | 0 | 4.651 | |||||
| Non-current financial assets | |||||||||||
| - Consolidated participations | 290.133 | 3.300 | 293.433 | -290.133 | -3.300 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| - at fair value through Profit or loss | 80.321 | 80.321 | 0 | 0 | 80.321 | ||||||
| - Equity accounted | 0 | 0 | 31.447 | 0 | 31.447 | ||||||
| - Other | 33 | 33 | 9.248 | 0 | 0 | 9.281 | |||||
| Deferred tax assets | 0 | 0 | 7.752 | 0 | 0 | 7.752 | |||||
| II. Current assets | 17.450 | 0 | 0 | -1.500 | 15.950 | 274.142 | 0 | 3.744 | 0 | -2.285 | 291.551 |
| Inventory | 0 | 0 | 112.589 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 112.589 | |||
| Contract assets | 0 | 0 | 82.266 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82.266 | |||
| Trade receivables | 10.229 | 10.229 | 5.285 | 2.285 | -2.285 | 15.514 | |||||
| Tax receivables and other current assets | 3.217 | 3.217 | 47.163 | 0 | 0 | 50.380 | |||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 2.745 | -1.500 | 1.245 | 23.932 | 1.347 | 0 | 26.524 | ||||
| Deferred chargees and accrued income | 1.259 | 1.259 | 2.907 | 112 | 0 | 4.278 | |||||
| TOTAL ASSETS | 1.240.548 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 1.532.481 | 598.425 | -290.133 | 3.873 | -3.300 | -2.286 | 1.839.060 |
| TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS'EQUITY | 487.211 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 779.144 | 254.053 | -290.133 | 2.695 | -3.300 | 0 | 742.459 |
| I. Shareholders'equity - group share | 487.211 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 779.144 | 243.633 | -290.133 | 2.695 | -3.300 | 0 | 732.038 |
| Capital and Share premium account | 259.367 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 551.300 | 15.939 | -15.939 | 62 | -62 | 0 | 551.299 |
| Consolidated reserves | 242.849 | 0 | 242.849 | 227.416 | -273.916 | 2.633 | -3.238 | 0 | 195.743 | ||
| Hedging reserves | -22.676 | -22.676 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -22.676 | |||||
| Translation differences | 0 | 0 | 278 | -278 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Purchased of treasury shares | -12 | -12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12 | |||||
| Net result of the financial year | 7.683 | 7.683 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.683 | |||||
| II. Minority interests | 0 | 0 | 10.420 | 0 | 0 | 10.420 | |||||
| LIABILITIES | 753.337 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 753.337 | 344.371 | 0 | 1.179 | 0 | -2.285 | 1.096.601 |
| I. Non-current liabilities | 519.135 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 519.135 | 286.737 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 805.872 |
| Provisions | 11 | 11 | 1.951 | 0 | 0 | 1.962 | |||||
| Non-current financial debts | 460.478 | 460.478 | 256.022 | 0 | 0 | 716.500 | |||||
| Other non-current financial liabilities | 38.713 | 38.713 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38.713 | |||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | 19.933 | 19.933 | 28.763 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48.697 | |||
| II. Current liabilities | 234.201 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 234.201 | 57.634 | 0 | 1.179 | 0 | -2.285 | 290.729 |
| Provisions | 0 | 0 | 6.118 | 0 | 0 | 6.118 | |||||
| Current financial debts | 205.022 | 205.022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 205.022 | |||||
| Trade debts | 17.807 | 17.807 | 32.447 | 1.179 | -2.285 | 49.147 | |||||
| Current tax payables | 0 | 0 | 9.127 | 0 | 0 | 9.127 | |||||
| Other current liabilities | 1.672 | 1.672 | 7.944 | 0 | 0 | 9.616 | |||||
| Accrued charges and deferred income | 9.701 | 9.701 | 1.998 | 0 | 0 | 11.699 | |||||
| TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES | 1.240.548 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 1.532.481 | 598.425 | -290.133 | 3.873 | -3.300 | -2.286 | 1.839.060 |
Explanations on the pro forma adjustments of the balance sheet
- 1) The audited consolidated balance sheet of Leasinvest for the period ending 31 December 2020.
- 2) Contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in Extensa.
- 3) Contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in LREM.
- 4) Transaction costs are estimated at EUR 1,5 million and deducted from the capital. In accordance with IFRS, the transaction costs directly related to the capital increase should be deducted from the issued capital. In accordance with (IAS 32.35; IAS 32.37-39) the other costs associated with the transaction will be expensed.
- 5) The audited consolidated balance sheet account of Extensa for the period ending 31 December 2020. Extensa is a real estate developer whose main assets on its balance sheet are the Tour & Taxis ("T&T") site in Brussels (100% ownership) and a 50% stake in the major development project at the Cloche d'Or site in Luxembourg. The main components are described below.
-
Investment properties relate to "The Estate" on the T&T site, including the historic buildings, i.e. Gare Maritime (offices, retail), 'Openbaar Pakhuis' and Maison de la Poste (Events), Hôtel des Douanes (development) and Parking lots (outside and underground).
-
Equity accounted joint ventures mainly relate to the residential and office development projects on the Cloche d'Or site: residential projects 'D South' (12.700 m2) and 'D Nord' (14.100 m2) and 4 office buildings under construction (of which 3 are pre-let and sold).
- Inventory: the (undeveloped) land portfolio of the T&T site (residential and offices).
- Contract assets: the development of the residential Zone C1 on the T&T site (319 units) and the quasi-finished first residential phase Ilot A on the Cloche d'Or site (Ilôt A was developed by a 100% subsidiary of Extensa and therefore not included in the above mentionned 50% stake in Cloche d'Or, included in the equity accounted joint ventures).
- Tax receivables and other current assets include a.o. the advances paid by Extensa to its joint ventures in Luxemburg.
- Cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 24 million.
- Shareholders' equity group share is composed of EUR 16 million capital and EUR 227 million accumulated profits.
- Minority interests: include the accumulated profits of the first residential project on the Cloche d'Or site which will be distributed to the minority shareholder at short notice
- Provisions (non-current and current) are set up in the context of real estate transactions.
- Financial liabilities (non-current and current): Extensa's financial debts amount to EUR 256 million at the end of 2020 with maturity dates between 2022 and 2025, composed of bank loans (EUR 172 million, variable interest rates) and bonds (EUR 84 million, fixed interest rate 3% to 3,38%).
- Deferred tax assets/liabilities: arise from temporary differences on revenue recognition (fair value adjustments on investment property or percentage of completion revenue recognition in real estate development projects) and from purchase price allocations from past acquisitions.
- 6) Elimination of the acquisition price Extensa (consolidation)
- 7) The audited Statutory balance sheet account of LREM for the period ending 31 December 2020.
- 8) Elimination of the acquisition price LREM (consolidation)
- 9) The intercompany eliminations are limited to the fee, payable by Leasinvest to LREM for the exercise of the statutory manager mandate.
| Reclass - | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leasinvest | regrouping of | Extensa | ||||
| Profit and loss accounts per 31-12-2020 ('000 EUR) | (audited) | costs | (audited) | LREM (audited) Eliminations | Total | |
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | |||
| NET RENTAL INCOME | 59.848 | 0 | 7.170 | 0 | -133 | 66.885 |
| Recovery of property charges, taxes & other | 103 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 103 | |
| Other rental-related income and expenditure | -1.886 | 0 | 0 | 5.079 | -5.079 | -1.886 |
| Property charges | -10.201 | 5.079 | -3.402 | 0 | -8.524 | |
| INVESTMENT PROPERTY OPERATING RESULT | 47.864 | 5.079 | 3.768 | 5.079 | -5.212 | 56.578 |
| Revenue | 27.583 | 27.583 | ||||
| Property development expenses | -20.644 | -20.644 | ||||
| Other development income | 7.332 | 7.332 | ||||
| DEVELOPMENT OPERATING RESULT | 0 | 0 | 14.271 | 0 | 0 | 14.271 |
| INVESTMENT PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT RESULT | 47.864 | 5.079 | 18.038 | 5.079 | -5.212 | 70.849 |
| Corporate operating charges (-) | -2.065 | -5.079 | -9.537 | -3.788 | 5.212 | -15.257 |
| Other operating charges and income (+/-) | 401 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 494 |
| OPERATING RESULT BEFORE RESULT ON THE PORTFOLIO | 46.201 | 0 | 8.501 | 1.384 | 0 | 56.086 |
| Result on disposal of investment properties (+/-) | 2.211 | 0 | 0 | 2.211 | ||
| Changes in fair value of investment properties (+/-) | 29.286 | 0 | 2.110 | 0 | 31.396 | |
| Share in the net profit (loss) of equity accounted investments | 0 | 0 | 20.165 | 0 | 20.165 | |
| OPERATING RESULT | 77.698 | 0 | 30.776 | 1.384 | 0 | 109.858 |
| Financial income (+) Net interest charges (-) |
5.946 -14.791 |
0 0 |
5.208 -4.462 |
0 0 |
0 | 11.154 -19.253 |
| Other financial charges (-) | -1.240 | 0 | -412 | -13 | -1.665 | |
| Changes in fair value of financial assets and liabilities (+/-) | -59.450 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -59.450 | |
| FINANCIAL RESULT | -69.535 | 0 | 334 | -13 | 0 | -69.214 |
| PRE-TAX RESULT | 8.163 | 0 | 31.110 | 1.372 | 0 | 40.644 |
| TAXES | -480 | 0 | -758 | -361 | 0 | -1.599 |
| NET RESULT | 7.683 | 0 | 30.351 | 1.011 | 0 | 39.046 |
| Attributable to: | ||||||
| Minority interests | 0 | 0 | 4.438 | 0 | 4.438 | |
| Net result – Group share | 7.683 | 0 | 25.913 | 1.011 | 0 | 34.607 |
The pro forma consolidated statement of profit and loss is presented for the one-year period starting 1 January 2020 and ending 31 December 2020, as if the Contributions would have been completed on 1 January 2020.
- 1) We would like to draw attention to a number of exceptional elements in the Leasinvest profit and loss accounts of 2020: the Corona pandemic has had an impact on its results, both in terms of rental income and in terms of revaluation results on the participation in Retail Estates.
- Changes in fair value of investment properties (EUR 29.3 million) were impacted by the restructuring of Luxembourg activities. A recent change in the law has led to placing the Luxembourg activities in a number of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) which are subject to ordinary Luxembourg corporate taxes. The contribution to the SPVs was based on external valuation reports drawn up in connection with these contributions. This resulted in a positive non-realized portfolio result. On the other hand, negative fair value adjustments were booked on the Knauf shopping centers in Luxembourg.
- The write-down on the 10.7%-participation in Retail Estates amounted to EUR -33.5 million, based on the share price at the balance sheet date in accordance with IFRS standards.
- Early repayment of derivatives: within the framework of its hedging strategy, it was decided to lower the hedge ratio from 90% to the previously defined percentage of 75% for the 5 following years. In particular, interest rate swaps were cancelled for a nominal amount of EUR 115 million, which corresponds to a payment of EUR 20 million, an exceptional cost included in "Changes in fair value of financial assets and liabilities".
Reference is made to the Annual Financial Report 2020 (Activity report p. 38-39 and Comments on the consolidated income statement and balance sheet p. 46-47) for further details.
- 2) The management fee paid by Leasinvest to LREM for its statutory manager mandate is reclassed in order to present all 'Corporate operating charges' of Leasinvest, Extensa and LREM on 1 lineitem.
- 3) The insourcing of the property management (through the full consolidation of LREM) results in recurrent savings of approximately EUR 1 million per year, and this at least until 2026, the end date of the (extendable) mandate of the statutory manager.
- 4) Elimination in consolidation of the management fee revenue/expenses and rental income/expenses (office leased by Extensa in "Koninklijk Pakhuis" owned by Leasinvest).
Pro Forma Profit and Loss accounts - description of the main components of Extensa
- Rental income from The Estate amounted to EUR 7.2 million in 2020. Rental income in 2020 related to leased offices in the Gare Maritime, operating income generated by Events (the Sheds, Maison de la Poste) and rental income from the car parks. Gare Maritime and Parking Maritime were completed during the course of 2020 and hence, not generating income for the entire year. Further, the events segment (as well as the parkings associated to the events segment) was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions, with nearly all events and conferences being cancelled.
- Development operating result mainly relates to the residential development projects of the T&T site (Park Lane I) and the first quasi-finished project at the Cloche d'Or site (Ilot A). In accordance with IFRS 15 Revenue recognition, Extensa recognises development projects at cost, increased by a part of the expected development margin according to the "Percentage Of Completion" ("POC") of the project in question. The POC is not only applied in accordance with the incurred costs, but also in accordance with the sold units of the project.
- Corporate operating charges are mainly related to services, salaries and depreciation on the limited (in)tangible assets. For the preparation of this pro forma P&L, a cost allocation on the two business units 'Investment property' and 'Development' was made to the best of our ability.
- Changes in fair value of the investment properties relate to The Estate.
- The share in the net profit (loss) of equity accounted investments is almost entirely attributable to the development projects on the Cloche d'Or site (offices and the 2nd phase residential), which is being developed in joint control.
- Financial income mainly relates to interest income on loans provided to development (jointly controlled) entities.
- Net interest charges are interests paid on financial debt (bank loans and bonds).
We only report on those items that may have an impact on Leasinvest's future consolidated financial statements.
The renunciation of the RREC status would result in Leasinvest switching from the special tax regime pursuant to Article 185bis of the Income Tax Code ("WIB92") to the standard regime of corporate income tax. The main tax consequence is that Leasinvest's full income would in principle be taxable (see the Explanatory Note for more information).
- The rental income (after taking into account all costs such as depreciation, staff, general costs) and future capital gains on properties would thus be included in the taxable base, whereas this is not the case as long as Leasinvest is a RREC.
- Statutory depreciation results in a lower current tax provision. In the consolidated statements, these statutory depreciations are cancelled (to return to fair value) and a deferred tax liability is set up that neutralises the current tax provision.
- The dividends received from Retail Estates would not (or only to a very limited extent) qualify for the DRD regime.
- Leasinvest's results for the financial year ending on 31 December 2020 have not been restated retrospectively in the above pro forma statements, as the impact of the renunciation of the RREC status only relates to future results.
LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE
Limited partnership by shares Public regulated real estate company under Belgian law Registered office: Route de Lennik 451, 1070 Brussels (Anderlecht), Belgium Enterprise number: 0436.323.915 RLE Brussels, Dutch division ("LRE" or the "Company")
EXPLANATORY NOTE OF THE MANAGER ON THE PROPOSED RESTRUCTURING OF LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE
This note (the "Note") explains the restructuring envisaged by the Company, which, in summary, consists of the following three steps:
- renunciation by the Company of its BE-REIT status;
- conversion of the Company into a public limited liability company with a (collegial) board of directors under the CCA, and the corresponding internalisation of the management of the Company through a contribution in kind of the shares in Leasinvest Real Estate Management NV/SA, the statutory manager of the Company ("LREM" or the "Manager"), by Ackermans & van Haaren NV/SA ("AvH") into the capital of the Company;
- a "business combination" with Extensa Group NV/SA ("Extensa"), a 100% subsidiary of AvH, by means of a contribution in kind of the shares in Extensa by AvH in the capital of the Company;
with the aim of transforming the Company into one integrated real estate group (the "Transaction").
1. DESCRIPTION OF LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE
The Company is licensed as a public regulated real estate company ("BE-REIT").
The shares in the statutory manager of the Company, LREM, are held by AvH. AvH also holds approximately 30.01% of the shares in the Company.1
The most important shareholders of the Company, apart from AvH, are AXA Belgium (26.58%2 ) and AG Insurance (7.36%3 ).
At this moment, the structure of the Company is as follows4 :
1 Based on the most recent transparency notification.
2 Based on the most recent transparency notification.
3 Based on the most recent transparency notification.
4 Highly simplified. The percentages are based on the most recent transparency notifications.
The Company was founded in 1999 and has over the years evolved in size, asset classes and geographical focus, the main step being the entry into Luxembourg in 2006. The current mission of the Company is to manage a diversified portfolio of quality and well located retail properties and offices in Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria.
Amongst other things, the Company owns a number of iconic buildings, such as the Royal Warehouse on the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels and the Hangar 26/27 building on the Eilandje in Antwerp. In addition to "direct" real estate and shares in various real estate companies, the Company also owns 10.67%5 of the shares in Retail Estates, a public regulated real estate company that mainly invests in Belgian and Dutch peripheral retail property, and 100% of the shares in Leasinvest Immo Lux SA ("LIL"), a Luxembourg SICAV SIF. The real estate properties in Luxembourg and Austria (mainly shopping centres) are (indirectly) held by LIL.
The fair value of the Company's consolidated real estate portfolio as at 31 March 2021 was approximately EUR 1.13 billion.
2. REASONS FOR THE TRANSACTION
A number of recent developments have led the Company to consider making fundamental changes to its business model in order to enable further growth of the Company:
- ₋ The retail real estate segment is under pressure from e-commerce and changing consumer behaviour. COVID-19 has accelerated this evolution in the retail landscape with the well-known challenges for shopping centres and high streets. Retail parks are offering more resistance because of the affordability of rent, convenience for the customer and security (because of their large surface area);
- ₋ The office segment is under pressure because of the technological revolution & Home Working/New Way of Working, mobility and the need to turn them into places of experience;
5 Based on the most recent transparency notification.
- ₋ The debt ratio of the Company is relatively high;
- ₋ The occupancy rate of the Company's property portfolio in Luxembourg is at a relatively low level today, due to redevelopments that will create added value at a later stage;
- ₋ The Manager is of the opinion that the SDG objectives must be implemented more quickly and must become a determining factor for the Company's further policy which will determine a potential rotation, a sustainable refurbishment of the existing portfolio and the acquisition and development strategy of the Company;
- ₋ The Manager believes that more attention should be paid to property development which should be focused to trigger higher returns.
It is therefore the Company's intention to transform itself into a listed integrated real estate player, investing in real estate on the one hand and developing real estate to either sell or hold in portfolio on the other. This new business model implies a number of fundamental changes compared to the framework in which the Company operates today.
The proposed business model is incompatible with the BE-REIT status on a number of points:
- Article 41 of the Act of 12 May 2014 on regulated real estate companies ("BE-REIT Act") contains a prohibition on building promotion. A regulated real estate company may not, as its main or secondary occupation, with the exception of occasional operations, erect buildings or have them erected with a view to disposing of them, either before their establishment or during their establishment, or within a period of five years after their establishment, in whole or in part, for a consideration. The Company wishes to develop property (including residential property) in the future, if necessary with a view to selling it immediately (or in the short term) (other than through occasional transactions). In the highly competitive market in which the Company currently operates, it sees in this a model to realise further growth and value creation, which is not possible in the same way as a regulated real estate company today;
- An opportunistic sales plan in function of the market circumstances or building ageis subject to strict limitations in a BE-REIT framework;
- The profit distribution obligation and debt ratio limitation under the BE-REIT Legislation6 restrict the Company in its growth possibilities;
- The tax transparency offers the Company only a limited advantage as the Company largely invests abroad under tax.
3. STRATEGY AFTER THE TRANSACTION
"Leasinvest 2.0" will combine a proven track record of an international real estate investor with leading (re)development capabilities.
6 The BE-REIT Act and the Royal Decree of 13 July 2014 on regulated real estate companies (the "BE-REIT RD") (together, the "BE-REIT Legislation").
This results from the business combination of:
- Leasinvest Real Estate, a real estate investor active in the high-quality office and retail segment, in Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria; and
- Extensa, a true specialist in mixed-use urban developments, which has realised large, particularly high-quality, inspirational and award-winning real estate projects in the BeLux, namely Tour & Taxis in Brussels and Cloche d'Or in Luxembourg.
Bringing together the real estate positions and the complementary expertise of the teams of both companies will create synergies and form a solid basis for a strategy aimed at realising and managing innovative mixed-use urban developments, thus creating new urban districts or revitalising existing ones. With this focus the Company can combine recurring rental income with attractive capital gains. This structure will allow "Leasinvest 2.0" to move faster in the current volatile market environment through targeted arbitrage of the portfolio or redevelopment of existing buildings. In addition, the strengthened balance sheet structure will allow it to proactively pursue new opportunities in its core markets or in new markets.
The investment story of "Leasinvest 2.0" will be based on the following key pillars:
- Market: Well positioned for growth through strong presence in attractive, stable and welldeveloped regions (Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria)
- Business model: Unique business profile combining an iconic high-yield real estate portfolio (supported by a high-quality tenant base) with leading real estate development projects
- Team: Multidisciplinary team of passionate real estate professionals with the right mix of skills to develop, commercialise and sustainably manage high-quality real estate assets. This team has set out a clear commercial strategy, aimed at both the proactive acquisition and targeted management of leading (re)development projects and the maximisation of the occupancy rate at highly competitive conditions
- Financial profile: Strengthened financial profile combining a solid dividend stream with significant upside potential. Prudent funding with an eye on a balanced balance sheet (target LTV of less than 45% after integration).
"Leasinvest 2.0" will have a consolidated balance sheet total of approximately € 1.83 billion with an equity capital of +/- € 733 million. The combined investment portfolio will consist primarily of offices (45%) and secondarily of retail (41%). The "other" part consists on the one hand of the remaining logistic buildings from the Leasinvest portfolio and on the other hand of the buildings on the Tour&Taxis site that serve for events (The Sheds, Maison de la Poste) and the various car parks. Geographically, Belgium and Luxembourg are almost equally important (43-44%), and the remaining 13% are the retail parks in Austria from the Leasinvest portfolio.
By acquiring the iconic heritage of Tour & Taxis (T&T) with its flagship "Gare Maritime", coupled with the Company's CSR strategy, "Leasinvest 2.0" has all the assets to be a reference in terms of sustainability in the real estate market.
The development potential, which stems entirely from Extensa, can be categorised as follows:
Approximately two-thirds of these developments are planned on the Tour&Taxis site in Brussels, while the remainder are located on the Cloche d'Or in the southern part of the city of Luxembourg.
Through Extensa's participation (50%) in Grossfeld PAP SA (Cloche d'Or), the Company will also become active in residential developments on its second home market Luxembourg, in addition to its activities relating to the rental and development of offices and shops.
"Leasinvest 2.0" has the ambition to keep its EPRA status and as such would be a unique investment opportunity within the Belgian EPRA universe. This business combination is supported by Ackermans & van Haaren as a long-term majority shareholder with a strong focus on sustainable entrepreneurship, which contributes to the ability of Leasinvest 2.0 to create shareholder value through innovative and high-quality real estate operations.
4. DESCRIPTION OF THE TRANSACTION
4.1. Exit from the BE-REIT status
The Company is therefore considering to voluntarily renounce its specific regulatory and tax status in Belgium. It is also envisaged that LIL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, will renounce its SICAV SIF status in Luxembourg prior to the EGM.
4.2. Business combination with Extensa
In addition, the Company wishes to enter into a business combination with the real estate developer Extensa by means of a contribution in kind of the Extensa shares in the capital of the Company.
Extensa is a real estate developer with a long track record and is a 100% subsidiary of AvH. The most important development projects are the developments on the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels and Cloche d'Or in Luxembourg (the latter through the participation (50%) of Extensa in Grossfeld PAP SA). In addition, Extensa owns a land bank and holds a number of real estate assets for long-term rental, the majority of which are located on the Tour & Taxis site.
The Manager believes that a business combination with Extensa can ensure that the modified strategy of the Company can be implemented in a fast and efficient manner. Indeed, by combining the real estate portfolios of the Company and Extensa and the development pipeline of Extensa, as well as the expertise and track record of both teams, the Company can quickly evolve into a real estate investor and developer with a unique and diversified business profile, combining stable recurring flows from the management of an iconic sustainable real estate portfolio with a high-quality tenant base, and capital gains from the sale of residential assets and office buildings. A business combination with Extensa would lead to further diversification of the Company's portfolio into residential and office developments. The investment focus of the combined entity would be on (i) core plus buildings (combining office, retail and/or residential use) with a clear potential to create added value through repositioning and redevelopment and (ii) sustainable projects aimed at creating a better society (e.g. climate adaptable buildings and mobility solutions) to cope with the aforementioned developments.
Pursuant to Article 30 of the BE-REIT Act, a regulated real estate company may not hold more than 20% of its consolidated assets in real estate or in assets constituting a single "asset base" (i.e. one or more fixed assets or assets that must be considered as a single risk). The combination of the investment portfolios of the Company and Extensa could lead to this percentage being exceeded, given the real estate that both companies hold on the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels. Because of this rule, combined with the prohibition on building promotion in the BE-REIT Act (Article 41 BE-REIT Act), a combination of the activities of the Company and the (development) activities of Extensa would in any case be excluded under the BE-REIT status.
4.3. Conversion of legal form
In the context of the restructuring, the Company also wishes to review its governance model.
In accordance with the statutory transitional regime of the CCA, the Company must change its legal form with the first amendment of the articles of association after 1 January 2020 and in any case by 1 January 20247. The CCA abolishes the current legal form of the Company, the limited partnership by shares (Comm.VA/SCA). Consequently, the Company is obliged to adopt another legal form as part of the Transaction.
The conversion of the Company into a public limited liability company (NV/SA) under the CCA is the most logical choice, as the legal form of a public limited liability company best approximates that of the abolished limited partnership by shares. For that reason, the statutory transitional regime provides that
7 Article 39, §1, third paragraph of the Act of 23 March 2019.
on 1 January 2024 limited partnerships by shares will be converted into a public limited liability company by operation of law if they have not converted voluntarily into a legal form provided for by the CCA by that date8.
After the conversion into a public limited liability company, the Company can no longer have a statutory manager, as the CCA does not provide for this form of management in the public limited liability company (nor in any other form of company granting limited liability to all of its shareholders). However, the Company could in principle be converted into a public limited company with a "sole director". This form of management with a management body consisting of one single person, which the CCA optionally provides for in the public limited liability company (Articles 7:101-7:103 CCA), largely corresponds to the figure of the statutory manager in a limited partnership by shares. In that case, the Manager would assume the mandate of the sole director and continue to enjoy, among other things, an almost absolute protection against involuntary dismissal and a right of veto for amendments to the articles of association and dividend payments. However, the Manager proposes to convert the Company into a public limited liability company with a (collegial) board of directors (the "Conversion")9.
The choice for a public limited liability company with a (collegial) board of directors is part of a global adjustment of the control structure of the Company and the Transaction as a whole, in consultation with AvH, current reference shareholder of the Company and the sole shareholder of the Manager.
From a governance point of view, the choice for a public limited liability company with a (collegial) board of directors perfectly matches the most transparent legal form in the Belgian legislative framework for listed companies. After all, in a listed public limited liability company with a sole director, the latter must in turn be a public limited liability company with a collegial board of directors (Article 7:101, §1 CCA). This complexity is avoided by the proposed conversion of the Company into a public limited liability company with a (collegial) board of directors.
Moreover, in order to ensure that the personnel and assets of LREM continue to serve the Company in the future, which is in the interest of the Company, it is proposed that, in the context of the Conversion, all shares in LREM will be contributed to the Company by AvH. LREM will continue to exist and will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. In this way, the management of the Company is internalised (this set of transactions, the "Fold-In").
As a consequence of the Conversion, LREM's mandate as statutory manager of the Company will be terminated. LREM's remuneration for the current financial year 2021 will be settled with 30 June 2021 as conventional cut-off date. This remuneration is stipulated in the articles of association and amounts to 0.415% of the consolidated assets on an annual basis (cf. article 15 of the current articles of association). As mentioned above, the corporate mandate will not be replaced by a service agreement with LREM as external service provider, but the management of the Company will be internalised (in a subsidiary) pursuant to the contribution of the shares in LREM into the Company. As a result of the Fold-In, for the period after 30 June 2021, the Company no longer has to pay any remuneration to LREM,
8 Article 41, §2 of the Act of 23 March 2019.
9 Because of the sequence of decisions that will be submitted to the EGM, the EGM will be asked, merely as an interim step immediately following the decision to voluntarily renounce its BE-REIT status, to amend the articles of association to bring them in line with this renunciation decision and with the provisions of the CCA. As a result, the Company will nonetheless (but in principle only for a few minutes – until the approval by the EGM of the Conversion, the LREM Contribution and the Extensa Contribution) be a public limited company with a sole director.
while the cost structure of LREM's personnel is henceforth included in the Company's consolidation perimeter.
On the other hand, after the Fold-In, the Company will have a collegial board of directors in which it will have to appoint several directors (including at least three independent directors within the meaning of Article 7:87 CCA). It is envisaged that the mandates of the current directors of LREM will be continued at the level of the Company for a duration equal to the remaining term of their respective mandates in LREM. It is proposed to retain the remuneration structure for the independent directors and to extend it to the non-executive directors. Thus, the directors will henceforth be remunerated (directly) by the Company.
4.4. Renewal of the authorisation to purchase own shares and of the authorised capital
The Company would also like to seize the opportunity to request the EGM (as defined below) to renew the authorisation to acquire own shares (pursuant to Article 7:215 and following of the CCA) and the authorisation regarding the authorised capital (pursuant to Article 7:198 and following of the CCA). See in this respect the report of the Manager in accordance with Article 657 juncto 604 of the old Companies Code and Article 7:199 CCA on the renewal of the authorised capital.
4.5. Introduction of a double voting right (loyalty voting right)
The Company also proposes to introduce a double voting right (so-called "loyalty voting right") in accordance with Article 7:53 CCA as introduced in the new Code of Companies and Associations by the legislator in order to reward and stimulate the long term involvement of shareholders. The Manager is of the opinion that this is in the interest of the Company as this instrument rewards and stimulates loyal shareholders and a stable shareholding enables the Company to focus on the development and implementation of a long-term vision and strategy as an integrated real estate group. The Manager emphasises that the double voting right is granted to all shareholders who meet the following legal conditions.
Fully paid up shares which have been registered in the register of registered shares continuously for at least two years in the name of the same shareholder would be granted a double voting right compared to the other shares representing an equal part of the capital.
The two-year period starts on the day the registered shares are registered in the register of registered shares of the Company, even if such registration has taken place before the adoption of the provision in the articles of association introducing the double voting right. This means that all shares in the Company that have already been held by the same shareholder in the register of registered shares of the Company for two years without interruption on the date of the EGM would enjoy a double voting right after the EGM as long as these shares are not transferred (subject to limited legal exceptions) or dematerialised. The new shares in the Company that will be issued within the framework of the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution (as defined below) will only enjoy a double voting right two years after the date of the EGM and provided that the other conditions are fulfilled (in particular that these new shares have not been transferred (subject to limited legal exceptions) or dematerialised). The 1,778,352 existing shares in the Company which are held by AvH fulfil the conditions to benefit from a double voting right. In total, based on the registrations in the register of registered shares of the Company on the date of this Note, 1,804,668 existing shares in the Company will be entitled to a double voting right after the EGM.10
4.6. Transaction overview
After completion of the Transaction, the structure of the Company would be as follows:
More precisely, the following resolutions will be submitted to the extraordinary general meeting of the Company which will be held on 19 July 2021 (the "EGM"):
- voluntary renunciation by the Company of its status as a public regulated real estate company in accordance with Article 62 BE-REIT Act (the "Renunciation") and corresponding amendment of the articles of association (including the change of the Company's object);
- conversion of the Company into a public limited liability company with a (collegial) board of directors under the CCA (the "Conversion") and the corresponding amendment of the articles of association, subject to approval of the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution11;
- approval of the agreement concerning the contribution in kind of the shares in LREM and the decision to contribute in kind the shares in LREM by AvH into the capital of the Company (the "LREM Contribution"), subject to approval of the Extensa ContributionError! Bookmark not defined.;
- contribution in kind of the shares in Extensa by AvH into the capital of the Company (the "Extensa contribution")12;
- introduction of the loyalty voting right13;
10 This assumes that these shares will not be transferred prior to the EGM, as a result of which the conditions of Article 7:53 CCA would no longer be met.
11 This decision will only be submitted to the EGM if the Renunciation has been approved.
12 This decision will only be submitted to the EGM if the Renunciation, Conversion and the LREM contribution have been approved.
13 This decision will only be submitted to the EGM if the Renunciation and Conversion have been approved.
- renewal of the authorisations regarding the authorised capital and the purchase of own sharesError! Bookmark not defined..
For more information on these transactions (including information on the new shares in the Company to be issued within the framework of the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution (including the issue price) and the contribution value of the shares in LREM and Extensa), reference is made to the reports of the Manager dated 14 June 2021:
- in application of Article 657 juncto 559 old Companies Code and Article 7:154 CCA, on the proposed amendment of the Company object (formerly "purpose") set forth in the articles of association;
- in application of Article 778 old Companies Code and Article 14:5 CCA, on the proposed conversion into a public limited liability company with a (one-tier) board of directors under the CCA;
- in application of Article 657 juncto Article 602, §1, third paragraph old Companies Code and Article 7:179, §1, first paragraph, and 7:197, §1, first paragraph CCA, concerning a capital increase by way of contribution in kind of the shares in LREM;
- in application of Article 657 juncto 602, §1, third paragraph old Companies Code and Article 7:179, §1, first paragraph and 7:197, §1, first paragraph CCA, concerning a capital increase by way of contribution in kind of the shares in Extensa Group NV/SA;
- in application of Article 657 juncto 604 old Companies Code and Article 7:199 CCA, concerning the proposed replacement of the authorisation concerning the authorised capital.
5. CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS
5.1. Personal conflict of interest of the Manager
As the Fold-In leads to the elimination of the mandate of LREM - and consequently its remuneration as statutory manager, the Manager has a personal interest of a patrimonial nature in relation to the decision of the Company on the Fold-In that is contrary to the interest of the Company. For this reason, the decision on the Conversion and the LREM contribution will, in accordance with Article 657 juncto 523 old Companies Code and Article 7:96 CCA14, be submitted to the EGM, and the EGM will also be requested to approve the contribution agreement concerning the shares in LREM.
5.2. Intra-group conflict of interest
As AvH controls the Company within the meaning of the old Companies Code and is a related party within the meaning of the international accounting standards approved in accordance with Regulation
14 In accordance with Article 41 §1 of the Act of 23 March 2019 on the introduction of the Code of Companies and Associations and containing various provisions (the "Act of 23 March 2019"), the Company shall remain governed by the old Companies Code for as long as it has the legal form of a limited partnership by shares (but no later than until 1 January 2024), on the understanding that, as of 1 January 2020, it shall also be governed by the mandatory provisions of the CCA that apply to the public limited liability company, with the exception of the provisions of Book 7, Title 4, Chapter 1 (Management), whereby, in the event of a conflict between mandatory provisions of the CCA and mandatory provisions of the old Companies Code, the mandatory provisions of the CCA shall prevail. In view of this transitional regime, the Company should, in principle, only apply the provisions of the CCA, as far as conflicts of interest of the managing body are concerned. However, the Corporate Governance Charter of the Company already refers to Article 7:96 and 7:97 CCA, so that the Company, to the extent necessary, has cumulatively applied the relevant provisions of the old Companies Code and the CCA.
(EC) 1606/2002, the procedure for conflicts of interest of Article 657 juncto 524 of the old Companies Code and Article 7:97 CCA15 is applied to the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution.
The committee of independent directors16, assisted by an independent expert, Degroof Petercam Corporate Finance, has assessed (the proposals for) the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution in accordance with Article 657 juncto 524 old Companies Code and Article 7:97 CCA. The advice of the committee of independent directors will be submitted to the EGM.
The de facto representatives of AvH in the board of directors of LREM, Mr Jan Suykens and Mr Piet Dejonghe, are "involved" in the Transaction within the meaning of Article 7:97 CCA, and therefore did not participate in the deliberation and vote of the board of directors of LREM concerning the proposals for the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution.
6. CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRANSACTION
6.1. Regulatory consequences
General
Within the framework of the approval of the amendment of the articles of association, the FSMA has, in accordance with Article 12 of the BE-REIT Act, cancelled the licence of the Company as a BE-REIT, subject to the condition precedent and with effect as from the approval of the Renunciation by the EGM. Thus, at the time of the approval of the Renunciation by the EGM and the related amendment of the articles of association (which are the first items on the agenda), the Company will immediately lose its status as a BE-REIT. Consequently, from that moment onwards, the Company will no longer be subject to the provisions of the BE-REIT Legislation.
As a consequence, the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution which will subsequently be submitted to the EGM will no longer be subject to the BE-REIT Legislation.
Impact on the dividend
As a BE-REIT, the Company is legally obliged to distribute up to the net positive result of the financial year and after deduction of the losses carried forward and additions to/removals from the reserves17, as a remuneration of the capital, at least the positive difference between:
15 In accordance with Article 41 §1 of the Act of 23 March 2019 on the introduction of the Code of Companies and Associations and containing various provisions (the "Act of 23 March 2019"), the Company shall remain governed by the old Companies Code for as long as it has the legal form of a limited partnership by shares (but no later than until 1 January 2024), on the understanding that, as of 1 January 2020, it shall also be governed by the mandatory provisions of the CCA that apply to the public limited liability company, with the exception of the provisions of Book 7, Title 4, Chapter 1 (Management), whereby, in the event of a conflict between mandatory provisions of the CCA and mandatory provisions of the old Companies Code, the mandatory provisions of the CCA shall prevail. In view of this transitional regime, the Company should, in principle, only apply the provisions of the CCA, as far as conflicts of interest of the managing body are concerned. However, the Corporate Governance Charter of the Company already refers to Article 7:96 and 7:97 CCA, so that the Company, to the extent necessary, has cumulatively applied the relevant provisions of the old Companies Code and the CCA.
16 The committee of independent directors is composed of all five independent directors of the Company: Dirk Adriaenssen, Eric Van Dyck, Marcia De Wachter, Colette Dierick and Sigrid Hermans.
17 As referred to in "Item B. Addition/deduction of reserves" as defined in Section 4 of Part 1 of Chapter 1 of Schedule C to the BE-REIT RD.
- i. 80% of the amount determined in accordance with the schedule included in Chapter III of Annex C; and
- ii. the net reduction, during the financial year, of the indebtedness of the public regulated real estate company. 18
As a result of the Transaction, and more specifically the Renunciation, the Company will no longer be subject to this statutory minimum distribution requirement. Thus, when deciding on the allocation of the profit for the financial year 2021 that will be decided at the annual general meeting in 2022, there will be no legal minimum distribution requirement.
The Company will pursue a dividend policy based on a distribution of 40-60% of the EPRA profit linked to the investment portfolio. On this basis, the Company also aims to increase its dividend thanks to the potential of exceptional capital gains realised on the sale of investment properties or profits from development projects.
6.2. Tax consequences
If the EGM approves the Transaction, the Renunciation will have the effect of causing the Company to switch from the tax regime of article 185bis of the Income Tax Code ("ITC92") to the standard corporate income tax regime. The Belgian tax consequences for the Company and its Belgian shareholders are summarised below.
At the level of the Company itself, the main tax consequence of the switch to the standard corporate income tax regime is that the Company will from now on be taxable in principle on all of its income. The Belgian rental income (after depreciation) and future capital gains on Belgian properties will therefore be included in the taxable base, whereas this was not the case under the specific tax regime. As LIL no longer invests directly in real estate and also abandons its specific tax regime (as a SICAV-SIF), the dividends received by the Company from LIL will in future be eligible for the Definitively Taxed Income deduction ("Definitief Belaste Inkomsten Aftrek") (DTI-deduction). The dividends received from Extensa will also be eligible for the DTI-deduction. The dividends received from Retail Estates, on the other hand, will not (or only to a very limited extent) be eligible for the DTI-deduction.
At the level of the shareholders-natural persons (residing in Belgium), the Renunciation will in principle have no direct tax impact. Dividends paid by the Company will remain subject to a 30% withholding tax and capital gains on shares will in principle remain tax free (if they fall within the scope of the normal management of private assets).
For shareholders-companies, however, there will be a direct tax impact. The dividends that the shareholders-companies currently receive (under the BE-REIT status), are not (or only partially) eligible for DTI-deduction because the taxation condition19 is not met and any capital gains they realise on the shares in the Company are (partially) taxable. However, as from the Renunciation, the Company will be subject to the standard corporate income tax regime (see above) so that, in principle, the taxation condition will be met as from that moment. As from the Renunciation, the dividends paid by the Company to its shareholders-companies will in principle be eligible for DTI-deduction (provided that the
18 Article 13 BE-REIT RD.
19 Cf. Article 203, §1, 2°bis juncto Article 203, §2, 6° ITC92.
quantitative conditions of the DTI-deduction are also met20) and any capital gains realised by the shareholders on their shares in the Company will in principle be exempt (subject to the same conditions).
However, since the transition from the specific tax regime of article 185bis ITC92 to the standard regime of corporate income tax is not regulated as such in the tax legislation, the Company filed a ruling request with the Ruling Administration in tax matters. To summarise, by means of the ruling decision of 1 June 2021, confirmation was obtained in three areas:
- Firstly, it was confirmed that the Company will only be subject to the standard corporate income tax regime for the results it realises as from the Renunciation, so that for the financial year in which the BE-REIT status is renounced, the Company will be subject partly to the specific tax regime of article 185bis ITC92 and partly to the standard corporate income tax regime;
- In addition, as a result of the Renunciation, the Company will convert from IFRS to Belgian GAAP (see below). In this context, confirmation was obtained regarding the tax classification of the various components of the Company's equity after the Renunciation, the tax base for future depreciation and the tax value of the Company's asset components for calculating future capital gains or losses.
- Finally, the tax treatment of future dividend distributions (DTI-deduction) was confirmed, both for dividend distributions received by the Company after the Renunciation (particularly from LIL) and for dividend distributions made by the Company to its shareholders-companies after the Renunciation.
6.3. Accounting consequences of the Transaction
If the EGM approves the Transaction, the Company will, as a result of the Renunciation, no longer have to prepare its statutory financial statements in accordance with IFRS standards (Article 11 BE-REIT RD) but in accordance with Belgian GAAP (Article 3:58 CCA RD21).
Within the framework of the conversations with the Ruling Administration (see above), the question was raised whether fictitious depreciations should be booked for the period for which the Company was subject to the property investment fund ("vastgoedbevak")/BE-REIT regime. Although the Company is of the opinion that this is not the case, it was decided to request an Individual Decision on Accounting Law ("Individuele Beslissing inzake Boekhoudrecht") (IDAL) from the Commission for Accounting Standards ("Commissie voor Boekhoudkundige Normen") (CAS) in this respect. In this application, confirmation is requested regarding (i) the value at which the Company's real estate should be included in the opening balance sheet under Belgian GAAP and (ii) the carrying out of depreciation on that real estate. The timing for obtaining an answer to these questions is currently unclear, as the CAS first wishes to issue a general recommendation on this issue before issuing an individual decision. Although at first sight the CAS seems to agree with the accounting method proposed by the Company (whereby no fictitious depreciation is taken into account), it is therefore necessary to wait and see what the outcome of the application for IDAL will be. If the CAS is still of the opinion that notional depreciation must be booked for the period during which the Company was subject to the property investment fund ("vastgoedbevak")/BE-REIT regime, the impact on the Company's tax position will be limited. Indeed, in the ruling decision of 1 June 2021, the Ruling Administration confirmed that any notional depreciation
20 I.e. the shareholder owns a participation in the capital of the Company of at least 10% or with an acquisition value of at least EUR 2.5 million ("participation condition"), which is or has been held in full ownership for an uninterrupted period of at least one year ("permanence condition").
21 Royal decree of 29 April 2019 implementing the Code of Companies and Associations.
would only have an impact on the tax depreciation base and not on the calculation of future taxable gains on the property.
6.4. Consequences for the financing of the Company
The Renunciation constitutes an event of default under the bonds issued by the Company in 2019 (with an aggregate nominal amount of EUR 100 million, denominations of EUR 100,000, a fixed interest rate of 1.95% and maturing on 28 November 2026) (the Bonds), which allows bondholders to request the Company for early redemption of the bonds. In addition, the Renunciation also constitutes an event of default under the Company's credit facilities that may give rise to a suspension or termination of the Company's credit facilities. Also, the change in the shareholder structure gives the right to certain lenders to terminate the relevant credit agreements and to demand early repayment.
The Company's main lenders, BNP Paribas Fortis, Belfius and BGL, representing an amount of 53% of the Company's bank debts, have waived their right to terminate or suspend the credit facilities as a result of the Renunciation or, more generally, the Transaction.
In addition, the Company has obtained a credit line from BNP Paribas Fortis for an amount of EUR 350 million to finance the amounts that could become payable as a result of (i) the termination of the credit facilities by other credit institutions (EUR 250 million) or (ii) a request for early repayment by certain bond holders in connection with the Transaction (EUR 100 million). Should the Transaction be invoked as an event of default under the Company's existing credit lines and/or bonds, the Company will have sufficient funds available through this credit line to meet the early repayment requests.
The Company also intends to convene a general meeting of bondholders (GMO) in the near future with a request to amend the terms and conditions of the Bonds so that the Renunciation and the Transaction in general will no longer constitute a ground for redemption of the Bonds in the future.
7. INTENTIONS OF THE REFERENCE SHAREHOLDER
Prior to the Transaction, AvH is the controlling shareholder of both the Company (through its participation in LREM) and Extensa. As a result of the Transaction, including the contribution of LREM and Extensa, AvH will hold 58.53% of the shares in the Company and consequently exercise exclusive control over the Company.
In this way, AvH confirms its role as reference shareholder of the Company and wishes to emphasise its belief in, and support for, the Company's strategy.
8. PROSPECTUS
In connection with the admission to trading on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels of the new shares that will be issued to AvH in connection with the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution, a prospectus will be published shortly after the EGM. The admission to trading of the new shares that were issued to AvH in connection with the LREM contribution and the Extensa contribution will be requested within the time limits set out in the Euronext Rulebook.
9. PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The pro forma financial information relating to the Company is available hereafter.
Pro forma financial information
1.1. General
The pro forma financial information included in this section has been prepared for the period ending 31 December 2020, including the financial information in respect of Extensa Group NV ("Extensa") and Leasinvest Real Estate Management NV ("LREM") which may be acquired by Leasinvest Real Estate NV ("Leasinvest" or the "Company") as part of the Transaction1 through a contribution in kind of all shares in Extensa and LREM (the "Contributions"), subject to approval of the general meeting of shareholders of the Company on 19 July 2021 ("the EGM").
This information is based on the consolidated financial statements of Leasinvest and the consolidated financial statements of Extensa, both for the period ending 31 December 2020 and in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards and IFRIC interpretations effective on 31 December 2020, as approved by the European Commission, and on the statutory financial statements of LREM for the period ending 31 December 2020, in accordance with Belgian GAAP. The Belgian GAAP financial statements of LREM are in line with IFRS as there are no material IFRS-adjustments.
The pro forma financial information is established to indicate how the Contributions would affect the assets and liabilities and earnings of Leasinvest, if the Contributions would have been completed on 1 January 2020 (in respect of the pro forma consolidated P&L statement) or on 31 December 2020 (in respect of the pro forma consolidated balance sheet). Because of its nature, the Pro Forma Financial Information addresses a hypothetical situation and, therefore, does not represent the Company's actual financial position or results for the period after the Transaction (if it would be completed). It has been prepared for illustrative purposes only.
The pro forma financial information has not been audited by an external auditor. However, the Statutory Auditor, EY Bedrijfsrevisoren BV, represented by Mr. Joeri Klaykens, shall issue a report on the compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information as of 31 December 2020 in the framework of the listing prospectus that will be published shortly after the EGM and which will include this pro forma financial information.
1.2. General comments and assumptions
The pro forma consolidated balance sheet is presented as if the Contributions would have been completed on 31 December 2020, which corresponds to the closing of the most recently completed financial period of Leasinvest.
The pro forma consolidated statement of profit and loss is presented for the one-year period starting 1 January 2020 and ending 31 December 2020, as if the Contributions would have been completed on 1 January 2020.
Basis of preparation
The pro forma financial information has been established on the basis of:
a. The audited consolidated balance sheet accounts of Leasinvest for the period ending 31 December 2020.
1 "Transaction" means "(i) the renunciation by Leasinvest of its regulatory status both in Belgium (as public regulated real estate company ("RREC")) and in Luxemburg (the SICAV-SIF status of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Leasinvest Immo Lux SA, (ii) the conversion of the Company from a partnership limited by shares into a public limited liability company with a (collegiate) board of directors followed by a capital increase by means of the contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in LREM by Ackermans & van Haaren NV ("AvH") in consideration for the issuance of 45,833 new shares without nominal value (the "LREM New Shares"), (iii) a capital increase by means of the contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in Extensa by AvH in consideration for the issuance of 4,029,625 new shares without nominal value (the "Extensa New Shares" and together with the LREM New Shares, the "New Shares"), and (iv) the admission to trading on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels of the New Shares."
- b. The audited consolidated profit and loss accounts of Leasinvest for the period starting 1 January 2020.
- c. The audited consolidated balance sheet accounts of Extensa for the period ending 31 December 2020 and the audited profit and loss accounts of Extensa for the period starting 1 January 2020.
- d. The audited statutory balance sheet accounts of LREM for the period ending 31 December 2020 and the audited profit and loss accounts of LREM for the period starting 1 January 2020.
Basis of presentation
The pro forma financial information has been consistently prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards and IFRIC interpretations by Leasinvest and Extensa.
Contributions in kind of the shares in Extensa and LREM qualify as a Business Combination under Common Control
In preparing the proforma consolidated financial statements, Leasinvest has considered whether the Contributions would qualify as a Business Combination under Common Control, that is a combination in which all of the combining companies or businesses are ultimately controlled by the same party, both before and after the combination.
All three companies (Leasinvest, Extensa and LREM) are ultimately controlled by AvH, the controlling company, both before and after the transaction. Such combinations are outside the scope of IFRS 3 Business Combinations.
Based upon the description of the components of a business, Leasinvest concluded that the contributions of the shares in Extensa and LREM both qualify as a business combination under common control:
- Business components of Extensa:
- Inputs: investment property, real estate inventory, contract assets (residential and offices), employees
- Processes: operational management of the business units (real estate developments, investments and operations)
-
Output: real estate revenue (rental income, proceeds of sales of real estate development and revenue on events)
-
Business components of LREM:
-
Inputs: employees, cars, management know how
- Processes: management of the investment property of Leasinvest
- Output: fee income
Accounting treatment of the business combinations under common control:
- IFRS 3 scopes out business combinations under common control. Entities should therefore develop an accounting policy that results in relevant and reliable information by applying IAS 8 – Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors.
- Leasinvest applied the "Book value method" (also called 'Pooling of interest method') which provides the most relevant information to all shareholders, lenders and other creditors of the receiving company (Leasinvest) as well as the Controlling Entity (AvH). The method also provides the most reliable information to stakeholders as it reflects the continuation of the activities that are controlled by the same entity, albeit in a different legal form.
- As a result of that method, the carrying amounts of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed of Extensa and LREM (as recorded in the consolidated financial statements of AvH) are used/retained in the financial statements of Leasinvest. No adjustments are made to reflect fair values, or recognise any new assets or liabilities, at the date of the combination that would otherwise be done under the acquisition method.
- Any difference between the consideration transferred (valuation of the Contribution in kind of Extensa and LREM) and the acquired net assets (the carrying amounts in the consolidated financial statements of AvH) are adjusted against equity.
| Leasinvest balance |
Leasinvest (post |
Extensa | LREM balance |
Inter | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sheet | Contribution in | Contribution | Transaction | contributions | balance sheet | Elimination | sheet | Elimination | company | ||
| Consolidated balance sheet ('000 EUR) | (audited) | kind Extensa | in kind LREM | costs | in kind) | (audited) | Extensa | (audited) | LREM | elimination | TOTAL |
| 31/12/2020 | (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | Subtotal | (5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | |
| ASSETS | |||||||||||
| I. Non-current assets | 1.223.098 | 290.133 | 3.300 | 0 | 1.516.531 | 324.283 | -290.133 | 129 | -3.300 | 0 | 1.547.509 |
| Investment properties | 1.141.190 | 1.141.190 | 272.867 | 0 | 0 | 1.414.057 | |||||
| Intangible and tangible assets | 1.554 | 1.554 | 2.969 | 129 | 0 | 4.651 | |||||
| Non-current financial assets | |||||||||||
| - Consolidated participations | 290.133 | 3.300 | 293.433 | -290.133 | -3.300 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| - at fair value through Profit or loss | 80.321 | 80.321 | 0 | 0 | 80.321 | ||||||
| - Equity accounted | 0 | 0 | 31.447 | 0 | 31.447 | ||||||
| - Other | 33 | 33 | 9.248 | 0 | 0 | 9.281 | |||||
| Deferred tax assets | 0 | 0 | 7.752 | 0 | 0 | 7.752 | |||||
| II. Current assets | 17.450 | 0 | 0 | -1.500 | 15.950 | 274.142 | 0 | 3.744 | 0 | -2.285 | 291.551 |
| Inventory | 0 | 0 | 112.589 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 112.589 | |||
| Contract assets | 0 | 0 | 82.266 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82.266 | |||
| Trade receivables | 10.229 | 10.229 | 5.285 | 2.285 | -2.285 | 15.514 | |||||
| Tax receivables and other current assets | 3.217 | 3.217 | 47.163 | 0 | 0 | 50.380 | |||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 2.745 | -1.500 | 1.245 | 23.932 | 1.347 | 0 | 26.524 | ||||
| Deferred chargees and accrued income | 1.259 | 1.259 | 2.907 | 112 | 0 | 4.278 | |||||
| TOTAL ASSETS | 1.240.548 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 1.532.481 | 598.425 | -290.133 | 3.873 | -3.300 | -2.286 | 1.839.060 |
| TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS'EQUITY | 487.211 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 779.144 | 254.053 | -290.133 | 2.695 | -3.300 | 0 | 742.459 |
| I. Shareholders'equity - group share | 487.211 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 779.144 | 243.633 | -290.133 | 2.695 | -3.300 | 0 | 732.038 |
| Capital and Share premium account | 259.367 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 551.300 | 15.939 | -15.939 | 62 | -62 | 0 | 551.299 |
| Consolidated reserves | 242.849 | 0 | 242.849 | 227.416 | -273.916 | 2.633 | -3.238 | 0 | 195.743 | ||
| Hedging reserves | -22.676 | -22.676 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -22.676 | |||||
| Translation differences | 0 | 0 | 278 | -278 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Purchased of treasury shares | -12 | -12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12 | |||||
| Net result of the financial year | 7.683 | 7.683 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.683 | |||||
| II. Minority interests | 0 | 0 | 10.420 | 0 | 0 | 10.420 | |||||
| LIABILITIES | 753.337 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 753.337 | 344.371 | 0 | 1.179 | 0 | -2.285 | 1.096.601 |
| I. Non-current liabilities | 519.135 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 519.135 | 286.737 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 805.872 |
| Provisions | 11 | 11 | 1.951 | 0 | 0 | 1.962 | |||||
| Non-current financial debts | 460.478 | 460.478 | 256.022 | 0 | 0 | 716.500 | |||||
| Other non-current financial liabilities | 38.713 | 38.713 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38.713 | |||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | 19.933 | 19.933 | 28.763 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48.697 | |||
| II. Current liabilities | 234.201 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 234.201 | 57.634 | 0 | 1.179 | 0 | -2.285 | 290.729 |
| Provisions | 0 | 0 | 6.118 | 0 | 0 | 6.118 | |||||
| Current financial debts | 205.022 | 205.022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 205.022 | |||||
| Trade debts | 17.807 | 17.807 | 32.447 | 1.179 | -2.285 | 49.147 | |||||
| Current tax payables | 0 | 0 | 9.127 | 0 | 0 | 9.127 | |||||
| Other current liabilities | 1.672 | 1.672 | 7.944 | 0 | 0 | 9.616 | |||||
| Accrued charges and deferred income | 9.701 | 9.701 | 1.998 | 0 | 0 | 11.699 | |||||
| TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES | 1.240.548 | 290.133 | 3.300 | -1.500 | 1.532.481 | 598.425 | -290.133 | 3.873 | -3.300 | -2.286 | 1.839.060 |
Explanations on the pro forma adjustments of the balance sheet
- 1) The audited consolidated balance sheet of Leasinvest for the period ending 31 December 2020.
- 2) Contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in Extensa.
- 3) Contribution in kind of 100% of the shares in LREM.
- 4) Transaction costs are estimated at EUR 1,5 million and deducted from the capital. In accordance with IFRS, the transaction costs directly related to the capital increase should be deducted from the issued capital. In accordance with (IAS 32.35; IAS 32.37-39) the other costs associated with the transaction will be expensed.
- 5) The audited consolidated balance sheet account of Extensa for the period ending 31 December 2020. Extensa is a real estate developer whose main assets on its balance sheet are the Tour & Taxis ("T&T") site in Brussels (100% ownership) and a 50% stake in the major development project at the Cloche d'Or site in Luxembourg. The main components are described below.
-
Investment properties relate to "The Estate" on the T&T site, including the historic buildings, i.e. Gare Maritime (offices, retail), 'Openbaar Pakhuis' and Maison de la Poste (Events), Hôtel des Douanes (development) and Parking lots (outside and underground).
-
Equity accounted joint ventures mainly relate to the residential and office development projects on the Cloche d'Or site: residential projects 'D South' (12.700 m2) and 'D Nord' (14.100 m2) and 4 office buildings under construction (of which 3 are pre-let and sold).
- Inventory: the (undeveloped) land portfolio of the T&T site (residential and offices).
- Contract assets: the development of the residential Zone C1 on the T&T site (319 units) and the quasi-finished first residential phase Ilot A on the Cloche d'Or site (Ilôt A was developed by a 100% subsidiary of Extensa and therefore not included in the above mentionned 50% stake in Cloche d'Or, included in the equity accounted joint ventures).
- Tax receivables and other current assets include a.o. the advances paid by Extensa to its joint ventures in Luxemburg.
- Cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 24 million.
- Shareholders' equity group share is composed of EUR 16 million capital and EUR 227 million accumulated profits.
- Minority interests: include the accumulated profits of the first residential project on the Cloche d'Or site which will be distributed to the minority shareholder at short notice
- Provisions (non-current and current) are set up in the context of real estate transactions.
- Financial liabilities (non-current and current): Extensa's financial debts amount to EUR 256 million at the end of 2020 with maturity dates between 2022 and 2025, composed of bank loans (EUR 172 million, variable interest rates) and bonds (EUR 84 million, fixed interest rate 3% to 3,38%).
- Deferred tax assets/liabilities: arise from temporary differences on revenue recognition (fair value adjustments on investment property or percentage of completion revenue recognition in real estate development projects) and from purchase price allocations from past acquisitions.
- 6) Elimination of the acquisition price Extensa (consolidation)
- 7) The audited Statutory balance sheet account of LREM for the period ending 31 December 2020.
- 8) Elimination of the acquisition price LREM (consolidation)
- 9) The intercompany eliminations are limited to the fee, payable by Leasinvest to LREM for the exercise of the statutory manager mandate.
| Reclass - | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leasinvest | regrouping of | Extensa | ||||
| Profit and loss accounts per 31-12-2020 ('000 EUR) | (audited) | costs | (audited) | LREM (audited) Eliminations | Total | |
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | |||
| NET RENTAL INCOME | 59.848 | 0 | 7.170 | 0 | -133 | 66.885 |
| Recovery of property charges, taxes & other | 103 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 103 | |
| Other rental-related income and expenditure | -1.886 | 0 | 0 | 5.079 | -5.079 | -1.886 |
| Property charges | -10.201 | 5.079 | -3.402 | 0 | -8.524 | |
| INVESTMENT PROPERTY OPERATING RESULT | 47.864 | 5.079 | 3.768 | 5.079 | -5.212 | 56.578 |
| Revenue | 27.583 | 27.583 | ||||
| Property development expenses | -20.644 | -20.644 | ||||
| Other development income | 7.332 | 7.332 | ||||
| DEVELOPMENT OPERATING RESULT | 0 | 0 | 14.271 | 0 | 0 | 14.271 |
| INVESTMENT PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT RESULT | 47.864 | 5.079 | 18.038 | 5.079 | -5.212 | 70.849 |
| Corporate operating charges (-) | -2.065 | -5.079 | -9.537 | -3.788 | 5.212 | -15.257 |
| Other operating charges and income (+/-) | 401 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 494 |
| OPERATING RESULT BEFORE RESULT ON THE PORTFOLIO | 46.201 | 0 | 8.501 | 1.384 | 0 | 56.086 |
| Result on disposal of investment properties (+/-) | 2.211 | 0 | 0 | 2.211 | ||
| Changes in fair value of investment properties (+/-) | 29.286 | 0 | 2.110 | 0 | 31.396 | |
| Share in the net profit (loss) of equity accounted investments | 0 | 0 | 20.165 | 0 | 20.165 | |
| OPERATING RESULT | 77.698 | 0 | 30.776 | 1.384 | 0 | 109.858 |
| Financial income (+) Net interest charges (-) |
5.946 -14.791 |
0 0 |
5.208 -4.462 |
0 0 |
0 | 11.154 -19.253 |
| Other financial charges (-) | -1.240 | 0 | -412 | -13 | -1.665 | |
| Changes in fair value of financial assets and liabilities (+/-) | -59.450 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -59.450 | |
| FINANCIAL RESULT | -69.535 | 0 | 334 | -13 | 0 | -69.214 |
| PRE-TAX RESULT | 8.163 | 0 | 31.110 | 1.372 | 0 | 40.644 |
| TAXES | -480 | 0 | -758 | -361 | 0 | -1.599 |
| NET RESULT | 7.683 | 0 | 30.351 | 1.011 | 0 | 39.046 |
| Attributable to: | ||||||
| Minority interests | 0 | 0 | 4.438 | 0 | 4.438 | |
| Net result – Group share | 7.683 | 0 | 25.913 | 1.011 | 0 | 34.607 |
The pro forma consolidated statement of profit and loss is presented for the one-year period starting 1 January 2020 and ending 31 December 2020, as if the Contributions would have been completed on 1 January 2020.
- 1) We would like to draw attention to a number of exceptional elements in the Leasinvest profit and loss accounts of 2020: the Corona pandemic has had an impact on its results, both in terms of rental income and in terms of revaluation results on the participation in Retail Estates.
- Changes in fair value of investment properties (EUR 29.3 million) were impacted by the restructuring of Luxembourg activities. A recent change in the law has led to placing the Luxembourg activities in a number of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) which are subject to ordinary Luxembourg corporate taxes. The contribution to the SPVs was based on external valuation reports drawn up in connection with these contributions. This resulted in a positive non-realized portfolio result. On the other hand, negative fair value adjustments were booked on the Knauf shopping centers in Luxembourg.
- The write-down on the 10.7%-participation in Retail Estates amounted to EUR -33.5 million, based on the share price at the balance sheet date in accordance with IFRS standards.
- Early repayment of derivatives: within the framework of its hedging strategy, it was decided to lower the hedge ratio from 90% to the previously defined percentage of 75% for the 5 following years. In particular, interest rate swaps were cancelled for a nominal amount of EUR 115 million, which corresponds to a payment of EUR 20 million, an exceptional cost included in "Changes in fair value of financial assets and liabilities".
Reference is made to the Annual Financial Report 2020 (Activity report p. 38-39 and Comments on the consolidated income statement and balance sheet p. 46-47) for further details.
- 2) The management fee paid by Leasinvest to LREM for its statutory manager mandate is reclassed in order to present all 'Corporate operating charges' of Leasinvest, Extensa and LREM on 1 lineitem.
- 3) The insourcing of the property management (through the full consolidation of LREM) results in recurrent savings of approximately EUR 1 million per year, and this at least until 2026, the end date of the (extendable) mandate of the statutory manager.
- 4) Elimination in consolidation of the management fee revenue/expenses and rental income/expenses (office leased by Extensa in "Koninklijk Pakhuis" owned by Leasinvest).
Pro Forma Profit and Loss accounts - description of the main components of Extensa
- Rental income from The Estate amounted to EUR 7.2 million in 2020. Rental income in 2020 related to leased offices in the Gare Maritime, operating income generated by Events (the Sheds, Maison de la Poste) and rental income from the car parks. Gare Maritime and Parking Maritime were completed during the course of 2020 and hence, not generating income for the entire year. Further, the events segment (as well as the parkings associated to the events segment) was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions, with nearly all events and conferences being cancelled.
- Development operating result mainly relates to the residential development projects of the T&T site (Park Lane I) and the first quasi-finished project at the Cloche d'Or site (Ilot A). In accordance with IFRS 15 Revenue recognition, Extensa recognises development projects at cost, increased by a part of the expected development margin according to the "Percentage Of Completion" ("POC") of the project in question. The POC is not only applied in accordance with the incurred costs, but also in accordance with the sold units of the project.
- Corporate operating charges are mainly related to services, salaries and depreciation on the limited (in)tangible assets. For the preparation of this pro forma P&L, a cost allocation on the two business units 'Investment property' and 'Development' was made to the best of our ability.
- Changes in fair value of the investment properties relate to The Estate.
- The share in the net profit (loss) of equity accounted investments is almost entirely attributable to the development projects on the Cloche d'Or site (offices and the 2nd phase residential), which is being developed in joint control.
- Financial income mainly relates to interest income on loans provided to development (jointly controlled) entities.
- Net interest charges are interests paid on financial debt (bank loans and bonds).
We only report on those items that may have an impact on Leasinvest's future consolidated financial statements.
The renunciation of the RREC status would result in Leasinvest switching from the special tax regime pursuant to Article 185bis of the Income Tax Code ("WIB92") to the standard regime of corporate income tax. The main tax consequence is that Leasinvest's full income would in principle be taxable (see the Explanatory Note for more information).
- The rental income (after taking into account all costs such as depreciation, staff, general costs) and future capital gains on properties would thus be included in the taxable base, whereas this is not the case as long as Leasinvest is a RREC.
- Statutory depreciation results in a lower current tax provision. In the consolidated statements, these statutory depreciations are cancelled (to return to fair value) and a deferred tax liability is set up that neutralises the current tax provision.
- The dividends received from Retail Estates would not (or only to a very limited extent) qualify for the DRD regime.
- Leasinvest's results for the financial year ending on 31 December 2020 have not been restated retrospectively in the above pro forma statements, as the impact of the renunciation of the RREC status only relates to future results.