Nashville office REIT eyes sector’s first IPO this year

As office REITs in general continue to underperform, growth-focused office landlord Priam Properties is considering an initial public offering.

The Nashville-based company would be the first U.S. REIT to go public this year, according to Bloomberg. Led by CEO Abhishek Mathur, the firm has had discussions with investment banks about selling shares in 2019, sources told Bloomberg. Representatives for Priam did not respond to requests for comment.

Though REITs took a beating in the markets last year, they have slightly outperformed the S&P 500 to start the year, with the Bloomberg U.S. REITs index rising by 12 percent. And with the Federal Reserve deciding to hold off on more interest rate hikes for now, investors are again turning to REIT shares.

As for office REITs in particular, lukewarm demand and increased space efficiency mean that they have continued to trade well below net asset value, and investors such as DWS Group have a negative outlook on office properties.

Priam Properties is focused on high-growth urban areas in the Midwest and Southeast other than the major markets, according to the company’s website. The REIT owns 31 properties in cities like Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Tampa and Orlando, Florida; Richmond, Virginia; and Raleigh, North Carolina. [Bloomberg] — Kevin Sun