NEW YORK, July 15 — Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES), a leading global alternative investment manager, announced today that certain Ares Real Estate funds (“Ares”) have completed the previously announced acquisition of all outstanding Whitestone REIT (“Whitestone”) common shares and operating partnership units for $19.00 per share or unit in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion.
The transaction expands Ares Real Estate’s portfolio with 54 high-quality, convenience-focused retail properties totaling approximately 4.8 million square feet across fast-growing markets in the United States, including Phoenix, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
With the completion of the acquisition, Whitestone will no longer be traded or listed on any public securities exchange. Additional information regarding the disbursement of the merger consideration to Whitestone shareholders is available in an 8-K filed by Whitestone with the Securities and Exchange Commission.