Real Estate M&A

In 2002 Ascom Holding AG controlled a heterogeneous industrial portfolio and found itself in a financially critical situation. The Board of Administration approved various restructuring measures and mandated UBS with the sale of its partially self occupied real estate portfolio with a vacancy rate of 33%.

In 2003 Real Estate M&A successfully placed nine buildings with five private and institutional investors at a total price amounting to CHF 96mn. These sales allowed Ascom to create liquidity, realize an accounting profit and reduce debt levels. According to Juhani Anttila (Chairman/CEO) these real estate sales were an important step in Ascom's divestiture and debt reduction program. Based on this improved position, an increase of equity capital soon followed.

The coordination of the sell side due diligence along with the services that UBS was able to provide in the sense of a "one-stop-shop" from a financial as well as real estate specific perspective contributed to the successful completion of this transaction in November 2003.