Digital Realty Trust: Digital Realty Completes Acquisition Of Ascenty (Press Release)

May 20, 2021 | Posted by Eric Bell

SAN FRANCISCO, May. 20, 2021 -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions, announced today its Brazilian subsidiary, Stellar Participações Ltda., has completed the previously announced acquisition of Ascenty, the leading data center provider in Brazil, from private equity firm Great Hill Partners in a transaction valued at approximately $1.8 billion. 

Digital Realty has separately entered into an independent bilateral equity commitment letter with Brookfield Infrastructure, an affiliate of Brookfield Asset Management, one of the largest owners and operators of infrastructure assets globally, under which Brookfield has committed to fund half of the equity investment, estimated at approximately $613 million, excluding Brookfield's share of the transaction costs, in exchange for 49% of the total equity interests in a joint venture entity expected to ultimately own Ascenty.  Digital Realty's agreement with Brookfield is subject to certain closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019.  

"This landmark transaction immediately establishes Digital Realty as the premier data center provider in the rapidly growing Latin America region, and particularly in Brazil, the hub of Latin America's future technological transformation," said Digital Realty Chief Executive Officer A. William Stein.  "This acquisition is a significant extension of our global platform and strengthens our position as the premier global data center solutions provider."  

Financing Details
The transaction was initially funded with $600 million of proceeds from a non-recourse, five-year secured term loan; the roll-forward of the substantial majority of Ascenty management's equity interests in exchange for $300 million of Digital Realty Operating Partnership Units; and approximately $1 billion of unsecured corporate borrowings.  Digital Realty expects to finalize the permanent capital structure for Ascenty in the first quarter of 2019, in conjunction with closing the joint venture with Brookfield.