Reports: HCP to Back Purchase of $900 Million UK Senior Living Portfolio

After recent speculation HCP, Inc. (NYSE:HCP) would be a target for acquisition due to inactivity, reports indicated the REIT is ready and waiting to close in on a new deal—a big one. 

According to a United Kingdom report this week by HealthInvestor, HCP is getting ready to back Formation Capital’s acquisition of HC-One, a care home group based in the U.K., in a deal that could top $900 million. 

HCP is said to be providing mezzanine financing for the deal, reportedly valued at £550 million, or roughly US$917 million. 

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The company today disclosed in an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is expanding its revolving credit facility by $500 million to a total of $2 billion; also raising the amount available to be borrowed in foreign currencies to $750 million. 

HC-One was formed in 2011 from properties formerly owned by Southern Cross. Currently, the company owns 241 properties, the HealthInvestor report states, noting that NHP, the parent company of HC-One said last year it was considering a sale. 

The sale has been pending for some time, with the Financial Times reporting in early March that there were five bidders for the portfolio including Patron Capital, Duke Street, Four Seasons, Formation Healthcare, Fondia Investment Management. NHP is holding £1.35 billion of debt, according to the same FT report, which noted the HC-One portion of NHP’s business is “unlikely to sell for more than £450m ($750 million).” 

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Southern Cross was at one time the largest operator in the UK, spanning 750 communities and more than 30,000 residents. 

HCP is no stranger to investment in the U.K.; last year the REIT purchased $264 million of U.K. nursing home chain Barchester’s debt. 

Formation not return a request for comment as of press time.

 Written by Elizabeth Ecker

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