Knowledge Realty Trust Mobilises Rs 1,620 Crore From Anchor Investors Ahead Of Opening

Knowledge Realty Trust, sponsored by realty firm Sattva Group and Blackstone, on Monday garnered Rs 1,620 crore from anchor investors ahead of its REIT public issue opening for public subscription.

Those who have been allotted shares in the anchor round included TATA AIG General Insurance Company, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Nippon India Mutual Fund (MF), Axis MF, Tata MF, Amundi, Wells Capital, Jhunjhunwala Trust and 360 ONE, according to a circular uploaded on BSE's website.

As per the circular, Knowledge Realty Trust has allotted 16.2 crore units to anchor investors at Rs 100 per unit.

Additionally, the company received a strategic allocation of Rs 1,200 crore from institutional investors.

The Rs 4,800-crore REIT initial public offering will be open from August 5-7. The company has set a price band of Rs 95 to Rs 100 per unit.

This initial public offering (IPO) is entirely a fresh issuance of units by Knowledge Realty Trust.

In early March, KRT filed the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with Sebi to launch an IPO and list the REIT on stock exchanges. This is part of a strategy to monetise its 30 prime office assets across major cities.

Initially, the company planned to raise a total of Rs 6,200 through a public issue. In June, it raised Rs 1,400 crore from investors.

Accordingly, the issue size has been reduced to Rs 4,800 crore.

KRT is set to become India's largest REIT by gross asset value (around Rs 62,000 crore). Its net operating income stood at Rs 3,432 crore in the previous financial year.

KRT owns over 46 million sq ft of office assets across 29 assets in six cities, primarily Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

The assets include One BKC and One World Center in Mumbai, Knowledge City, and Knowledge Park in Hyderabad and Cessna Business Park and Sattva Softzone in Bengaluru.

Blackstone and Sattva will continue to own about 80 per cent of the REIT.

At present, there are four listed REITs (real estate investment trusts) in India -- Brookfield India Real Estate Trust, Embassy Office Parks REIT, Mindspace Business Parks REIT, and Nexus Select Trust.

Apart from Nexus Select Trust, the other three REITs are backed by rent-yielding office assets. Nexus owns a large portfolio of retail real estate spaces.

Bengaluru-based Sattva Developers has so far constructed 74 million sq ft across seven Indian cities in commercial, residential, co-living, co-working, hospitality, and data centre sectors.

An additional 75 million sq ft is in the planning and implementation stage.

Blackstone, one of the leading global investment firms, has a huge exposure in the Indian real estate market.

The two sponsors have decided to adopt a brand-neutral strategy to grow the KRT portfolio inorganically through third-party acquisitions.

The existing four REITs have a combined portfolio of over 126 million sq ft of Grade A office and retail space across the country.

Since their inception, these REITs have collectively distributed over Rs 21,000 crore to unitholders.