Why SLB is on a Commercial Real Estate Tear

This Amazon warehouse in Ruskin, FL is one of many the e-commerce giant has opened in recent years.

ORLANDO—When Stern Group set out to expand its Mercedes-Benz dealerships across the Netherlands last year, the automotive company turned to an alternative financing strategy that is seeing strong momentum in the commercial real estate industry. The Dutch company sold 10 of its retail and service sites to W.P. Carey, a REIT specializing in corporate sale leaseback financing and single-tenant net lease acquisitions, for $62.9 million.

As part of the strategy, Stern immediately leased back the retail portfolio in a 17-year triple-net deal with W. P. Carey. Thanks to the newfound liquidity through the sale leaseback—a form of financing that allows companies to maximize the value of real estate assets—Stern reduced expensive bankrolling and is funding new growth of its Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Europe.