FOG CUTTER CAPITAL GROUP INC. REPORTS REAL ESTATE SALE BY BOURNE END SUBSIDIARY
October 15, 2003
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FOR:
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FOG CUTTER CAPITAL GROUP INC.
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CONTACT:
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Fog Cutter Capital Group Inc.
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(503) 721-6500 Andrew A. Wiederhorn, Chairman and CEO
(503) 721-6500 Robert Rosen, President
(503) 721-6500 R. Scott Stevenson, Chief Financial Officer
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For Immediate Release
FOG CUTTER CAPITAL GROUP INC. REPORTS REAL ESTATE SALE BY BOURNE END SUBSIDIARY
PORTLAND, Oregon— October 15, 2003 – Fog Cutter Capital Group Inc. (Nasdaq: FCCG), reports that Bourne End Properties PLC ("Bourne End") has sold the Loreburne Shopping Center, a 97,000 square foot shopping center located in Dumfries, Scotland. The sales price for the Dumfries property was approximately GBP 23.5 million ($39.0 million).
In December, 2000, Fog Cutter Capital Group organized and led a group of investors to purchase all of the outstanding capital stock of Bourne End, a specialist investor in retail property. The Company made its investment through its wholly owned subsidiary, BEP Islands Limited, along with partners Merrill Lynch (Jersey) Holdings Limited (a subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.) and Greenbau Estuary Limited (an affiliate of Catalyst Capital LLP, formerly known as The Greenwich Group International). At the time of the acquisition, Bourne End had approximately GBP 169.6 million ($245.1 million) of assets and GBP 123.1 million ($177.9 million) of debt. The real estate assets consisted of 1.7 million square feet in fifteen shopping centers.
Bourne End has now sold twelve of its fifteen properties since the acquisition by Fog Cutter and its partners. These sales have been consistent with the group’s strategy to reposition each of the centers, including new capital expenditures on existing space and new development on excess or adjoining land, with the goal of reselling the properties. Based on square footage, the sales to date represent 71% of the original Bourne End portfolio and are in line with the acquiring group’s business plan. Bourne End currently owns three remaining town shopping centers located in England. The remaining centers range in size from 74,000 square feet to 330,000 square feet.
The Loreburne Centre serves the city of Dumfries, which is 75 miles south of Glasgow. The center provides 97,000 square feet of retail space, comprised of 36 retail units. With the nearest competing facility over 35 miles away, the Loreburne Centre offers the only convenient shopping location for the 150,000 population of Dumfries. The value of the center was dramatically enhanced by Bourne End through the completion of a long-term anchor lease agreement with Next, a major clothing retail chain in the UK. Next had its grand opening in Dumfries earlier this summer.
Fog Cutter Capital Group Inc. focuses on investing, structuring and managing a wide range of financial assets, including the acquisition of debt or equity positions in companies requiring assistance in restructuring their operations; investments in mortgage-backed securities and other real estate related assets; provision of corporate mezzanine financing and other similar investments. The Company invests where its expertise in intensive asset management, credit analysis and financial structuring can create value and provide an appropriate risk-adjusted rate of return. The Company maintains a flexible approach with respect to the nature of its investments, seeking to take advantage of opportunities as they arise or are developed.
The Company recently announced the completion of a $6 million investment and financing package for Fatburger Holdings, Inc. (“Fatburger”). Fatburger operates or franchises 51 hamburger stands located in California, Nevada, Arizona and Washington. The company has plans to open an additional 124 restaurants including expansion into Oregon, Louisiana, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, New Jersey, Florida, and Michigan. Known for their cook to order gourmet hamburgers, the 50's-style restaurants also offer a variety of side orders and other sandwiches, including turkey and chicken. Franchisees own and operate about half of the company's locations. In 1952, Lovie Yancey opened the first Fatburger stand in Los Angeles when "fat" was used as slang for "good." There are more than 500 employees working at various company owned and franchise locations. Fog Cutter’s investment and financing package for Fatburger included the purchase of common stock and redeemable preferred stock.
Forward Looking Statements
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for forward-looking statements so long as those statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in such statements.
All of the statements contained in this release, which are not identified as historical, should be considered forward-looking.
In connection with certain forward-looking statements contained in this release and those that may be made in the future by or on behalf of the company which are identified as forward-looking, the company notes that there are various factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in any such forward-looking statements.
Such factors include but are not limited to, the real estate market, the specialty retail market, the availability of financing, interest rates, and European markets.
Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements contained in this release will be realized or that actual results will not be significantly higher or lower.
The forward-looking statements have not been audited by, examined by, or subjected to agreed-upon procedures by independent accountants, and no third party has independently verified or reviewed such statements.
Readers of this release should consider these facts in evaluating the information contained herein.
The inclusion of the forward-looking statements contained in this release should not be regarded as a representation by the company or any other person that the forward-looking statements contained in this release will be achieved.
In light of the foregoing, readers of this release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained herein.
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