EDMONTON, Alberta, Feb. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Melcor Real Estate Investment Trust ("Melcor REIT" or the "REIT") (TSX: MR.UN) today announces steps to strengthen its financial position and maximize unitholder value, including commencement of a strategic review process and a suspension of its monthly distribution.
Strategic Review Process
The Board of Trustees (the "Board") of Melcor REIT has established an Independent Committee (the "Independent Committee") to oversee a broad-based strategic review with a focus on unlocking unitholder value. The Independent Committee will retain a financial advisor to evaluate a broad range of strategic alternatives to maximize unitholder value. DLA Piper (Canada) LLP has been retained as legal counsel to the Independent Committee.
There can be no assurance that the strategic review process will result in the REIT pursuing or consummating any transaction or alternative, nor any assurance as to its outcome or timing. The Independent Committee has not set a completion date for the culmination of the strategic review process and the REIT does not intend to comment further on the review until it determines that additional disclosure is appropriate or required.
Distribution Suspension
In the normal course, the REIT reassesses its distribution policy. In light of the uncertainties surrounding the current capital and property market conditions, management and the Board carefully conducted a comprehensive review of the REIT's capital structure and operations in order to ensure the long-term viability of the REIT's cash flow and preserve value for its unitholders. As a result, the REIT has determined that a suspension of the distribution is warranted at this time.
The Board believes this decision is prudent and in the best interests of the REIT and its unitholders. The distribution suspension is expected to enable the REIT to retain approximately $1.2 million of cash, monthly, improving the REIT's financial flexibility as it continues advancing its short and long-term objectives. The Board and management will continue to monitor the REIT's financial performance, operating environment, and strategic review process to determine an appropriate time to provide additional clarity on cash flows or to reinstate a regular cash distribution.
2023 Annual Results
Melcor REIT results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023 are scheduled to be released on March 5, 2024. Management will host a conference call at 11:00am ET (9:00 am MT) on March 6, 2024.
Conference Call Details:
Toronto & Area: 1-416-915-3239
Toll Free: 1-800-319-4610
Webcast & Replay:
The call will also be webcast (listen only) https://www.gowebcasting.com/13130. A replay of the call will be available at the same URL shortly after the call is concluded.
About Melcor REIT
Melcor REIT is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust. Melcor REIT owns, acquires, manages and leases quality retail, office and industrial income-generating properties in western Canada. Its portfolio is currently made up of interests in 38 properties representing approximately 3.15 million square feet of gross leasable area located across Alberta and in Regina, Saskatchewan and Kelowna, British Columbia. For more information, please visit www.melcorREIT.ca.
Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by such terms such as "may," "might," "will," "could," "should," "would," "occur," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "schedule," or the negative thereof or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding, among others, the REIT's distribution policy and the Independent Committee's strategic review process.
The REIT has based these forward-looking statements on factors and assumptions about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect its financial condition, financial performance, business strategy and financial needs. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, those relating to the REIT being able to achieve its operating results and cash flows, interest rates remaining stable or decreasing, the REIT's properties continuing to perform, and the outcome of potential strategic transaction alternatives.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon assumptions that management of the REIT believe are reasonable based on information currently available to management, there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the REIT's control, including, among other things, the risk that the REIT's business will be unable to generate the income needed to sustain the new distribution, no transaction or other changes will result from the strategic review process and other risks identified in materials filed under the REIT's profile at www.sedar.com from time to time. The forward-looking statements in this news release relate only to events or information as of the date hereof. Except as required by applicable Canadian securities laws, the REIT undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
