A&G Real Estate Partners has retained the real estate group at Houlihan Lokey to assist the Company in its efforts to seize fast-emerging opportunities in today’s turbulent commercial real estate markets.
The global investment bank is actively searching for investment partners to provide growth capital that will enable A&G to launch complementary new products and offerings.
“A&G ownership is excited and energized about the growth prospects of the business, founded 12 years ago by myself and Co-President Emilio Amendola,” said A&G Co-President Andy Graiser. “Our business is countercyclical. Assisted by Houlihan Lokey, we now have a tremendous opportunity to broaden our products and services and leverage our industry relationships to serve as a true one-stop-shop for our clients.”
“We are dominant in the retail sector and now want to further expand our lodging, office and healthcare offerings, which is a natural evolution of our business given our current robust infrastructure and deep leadership team,” he said. “Given the massive wall of loan maturities and the capital markets dislocation, A&G now has a strong opportunity to accelerate its growth and be optimally positioned to execute as this wave of distress materializes.”
A&G is on the front lines of lease restructuring, lease disposition and portfolio-optimization across all sectors of real estate. Most recently, the New York-based firm has completed or continues to work on successful projects for, among others, Rite Aid, Cineworld (Regal U.S.), Party City, David’s Bridal, Bed Bath & Beyond/buybuy BABY, Sprouts and franchisees for several major restaurant chains, including Burger King, Hardee’s and Denny’s.
Demand for good real estate in distressed situations has continued to fuel A&G’s business in recent years. “One example is our successful marketing campaign, along with Eastdil, of Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Hotel, which sold for a total cash-and-debt price of $96 million,” Amendola noted. “When you consider the turmoil in the real estate industry today, it makes sound strategic sense for A&G to be exploring new capital options to accelerate the growth of our platform, with myself and Andy continuing at the helm.”
In the past decade, A&G has been advisor to over 900 clients and has achieved over $13 billion of tenant lease savings through restructuring. In addition, the Company has executed on the sale of $12 billion in lease and asset sales of all types. A&G continues to diversify, enhance and expand practice on behalf of heathy operators.