EANS-News: YOUNIQ AG and MPC Capital AG enter into exclusive cooperation and realise first joint transaction
21.07.2011 – 10:03
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joint Ventures/Cooperation/Collaboration Subtitle: Launch of a close-end property fund for student accommodation by MPC Capital AG / YOUNIQ AG sells four projects worth around EUR 63 million to new fund / Establishment of the new "Student Housing" asset class in Germany Frankfurt am Main (euro adhoc) - Frankfurt am Main / Hamburg, July 21, 2011 - YOUNIQ AG, the leading provider of high-quality student apartments in Germany, has today announced that it has entered into an exclusive cooperation agreement with MPC Münchmeyer Petersen Capital AG. The aim of this agreement is to initially issue several close-end funds for Student Housing by the end of 2013. While MPC Capital AG is responsible for the structuring and marketing of the funds as part of the cooperation, YOUNIQ AG will create and manage the high-quality student apartments. The "Student Housing" asset class will become significantly more attractive as a result of this cooperation since this will make it accessible to a broad investor base for the first time. The first transaction to be realised amounts to around EUR 63 million, and includes the sale of a total of four student residential projects to the fund launched by MPC Capital. The placing is set to start in the third quarter of 2011. The fund will bundle the YOUNIQ projects in Greifswald (176 units), Karlsruhe (approx. 370 units), Munich Schleissheimer Strasse (80 units), and a project property in Frankfurt am Main (approx. 250 units). The YOUNIQ student apartments are all located directly next to their relevant universities, are fully furnished, and are distinguished by fresh design and strong added value. This uncomplicated concept for living and learning includes a rent with cost-security and cost-transparency: thus, it includes all ancillary costs such as heating, water, electricity and high-speed Internet connection (all-in rent). Investors in the fund will benefit from YOUNIQ AG's subsequent, general long-term rental of the real estate, and from YOUNIQ AG's management of the properties as part of a general rental agreement for a period of around 15 years. YOUNIQ AG is also strengthening its leading brand for Student Housing in Germany as a consequence. "The fact that we have gained such an experienced partner with MPC Capital shows that we correctly assess demand, and it underscores the attractiveness of our product for investors. We will immediately reinvest the sales proceeds into new projects that we achieve after the relevant transfer of the properties to the fund. This will allow us to successively expand our market leading position," commented Rainer Nonnengässer, CEO of YOUNIQ AG. "Besides this, we will abide by our strategy, and prospectively keep around half of our properties in our own portfolio," Nonnengässer went on to add. A private market in student accommodation is increasingly forming as a result of the growing significance of the education topic at political and social levels, as well as rising student numbers, and the accompanying scarcity of accommodation. Similar to England, the USA and Australia, this area is now also becoming increasingly established as a separate asset class within the real estate market in Germany, and will also become ever more attractive for private investors as a consequence. "The niche Student Housing combined with intelligent concepts convinces investors. The development shows that YOUNIQ consequently continues its growth strategy following the successful realisation of capital increase", says Ralph Winter, Chairman of Corestate Capital AG. With the planned funds, MPC Capital is primarily aiming to offer private investors security-oriented investments in high-quality and already completed residential properties in traditional university cities. Alexander Betz, Management Board member of MPC Capital AG, expressed his pleasure at the conclusion of the cooperation agreement as follows: "With YOUNIQ AG, we have selected the market leader for student accommodation in Germany. Along with security and yield, social and moral values are playing an increasingly greater role when capital investment decisions are made. The "Student Housing" asset class fully satisfies these criteria. For this reason, we regard it as a long-term and sustainable expansion of our real estate segment with a demand trend that is independent of economic cycles, a high degree of diversification, and a broad tenant basis." Company profile YOUNIQ AG YOUNIQ AG has focused on student accommodation since 2009. The company covers a significant range of the student accommodation value chain - ranging from the purchase of real estate and land, through project development including planning, planning permission procurement and construction, all the way through to commercial and technical management. YOUNIQ has developed into a leading provider for this segment with currently 2,494 high-quality apartments under management or under construction. These properties are located at eight sites in Germany, including Munich, Erlangen, Karlsruhe, Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig. YOUNIQ bundles its many years of experience in the project development and asset management areas for largely residential properties. Drawing on its historic business operations, YOUNIQ AG holds an additional portfolio of 1,049 units that generate a stable rental income stream. YOUNIQ AG (ISIN: DE000A0B7EZ7, German Securities Identification Code/WKN: A0B7EZ) is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (General Standard). Further information: www.youniq-group.de Contact: Investor Relations cometis AG Ulrich Wiehle Tel.: +49 (0)611 - 205855-11 Fax: +49 (0)611 - 205855-66 E-mail: wiehle@cometis.de MPC Capital AG As a listed issuing house, MPC Capital has developed, initiated and marketed alternative investments, which it actively manages for investors throughout the entire product cycle, since 1994. Until March 31, 2011 overall 180,000 clients invested approx. EUR 7.8 bn. into 323 capital investment products. The total investment volume amounts to approx. EUR 18.7 bn. Further information: www.mpc-capital.com Contact: Corporate Communication Michael Benninghoff Tel.: +49 (40) 380 22-4458 Fax: +49 (40) 380 22-4878 E-Mail: m.benninghoff@mpc-capital.com Further inquiry note: Kontakt: Investor Relations cometis AG Ulrich Wiehle Tel.: +49 (0)611 - 205855-11 Fax: +49 (0)611 - 205855-66 E-Mail: wiehle@cometis.de end of announcement euro adhoc -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- company: YOUNIQ AG Neue Mainzer Strasse 28 D-60311 Frankfurt am Main phone: +49(0)69 35101480 FAX: +49(0)69 351014890 mail: ir@youniq.de WWW: http://www.youniq-group.de sector: Real Estate ISIN: DE000A0B7EZ7 indexes: stockmarkets: free trade: Berlin, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, regulated dealing/general standard: Frankfurt language: English