Vornado Spinning Off Strip Shopping Centers, Malls into Separate REIT

Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO) said April 11 that it plans to simplify its business model by spinning off 81 strip shopping centers and four malls into a new stock exchange-listed REIT currently known as “SpinCo.”

“We seek a very clean exit from the retail business… it’s all very, very logical… we are in the business of focusing,” said Steven Roth, chairman and CEO of Vornado, during an April 14 conference call.

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JP Morgan Analyst Discusses REIT Debt Levels, Investment Grade Ratings

Mark Streeter, managing director at JP Morgan Chase, joined REIT.com for a video interview during REITWise 2014: NAREIT’s Law, Accounting and Finance Conference held in Boca Raton, Fla.

Streeter was asked about appropriate debt levels for REITs and how the industry as a whole performs in this area. He noted that since the financial crisis, the REIT industry has been more focused on the metric of debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).

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S&P Credit Analyst Says REIT Debt Financing Growth

Lisa Sarajian, managing director at Standard & Poor’s Ratings Agency, joined REIT.com for a video interview during REITWise 2014: NAREIT’s Law, Accounting and Finance Conference held in Boca Raton, Fla.

Sarajian was asked about the state of the market for the bonds and preferred stocks of REITs.

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Deutsche Strategist Discusses Importance of Sustainability Data

Ari Frankel, head of ESG strategy, real estate, at Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management, joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2014 Leader in the Light Working Forum in San Francisco.

Frankel was asked why gathering sustainability data has become a key project for the REIT industry. He responded that 100 percent of studies that have looked at the connection between sustainability performance and financial performance have demonstrated a positive correlation, which isn’t the case in other asset classes.

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