Quality space: People carry shopping bags as they exit a shopping mall in New York City. Blackstone is likely to prevail in the auction for ROIC that has also attracted interest from other private equity firms, including Bain Capital. — AFP
NEW YORK: Blackstone is in advanced talks to acquire Retail Opportunity Investments Corp (ROIC), which owns US shopping centres and has a market value of US$3.4bil including debt, according to people familiar with the matter.
If the talks are successful, a deal could be finalised in the coming weeks, the sources said, requesting anonymity as the matter is confidential.
