Keppel DC REIT plans to divest its Kelsterbach Data Centre in Frankfurt for 50 million euros, or $70.6 million. Part of the proceeds will be used to pare debt. On a pro forma basis, the REIT's aggregate leverage will improve by 0.3 percentage points to 31.2%.
The sale is expected to be completed in 1HFY2025, leaving Keppel DC REIT with one data centre in Germany, also near Frankfurt.
Following the sale, Keppel DC REIT's portfolio occupancy will remain high at 96.6%, while the weighted average lease expiry (WALE) by lettable area will improve from 6.3 years to 7.4 years.
“The divestment of Kelsterbach Data Centre aligns with the REIT's strategy to concentrate on the hyperscale data centre market where demand trends match Keppel DC REIT’s core competencies, says Loh Hwee Long, CEO of the manager.
"This further strengthens the resilience of our portfolio, which is firmly anchored by hyperscale clients with overall high occupancy and long WALE," says Loh.
"Our proactive portfolio management strategy enables us to unlock value and redeploy capital into higher-yielding data centre assets, that will further optimise returns to our Unitholders," he adds.
See also: To raise US$165 mil by mid-year, what will MUST divest next?
Keppel DC REIT units closed at $2.10 on Feb 14, down 2.78%.
