Corporate Advisory and Equities

Real Estate

We have significant financial advisory and capital markets experience in real estate, covering a broad spectrum of clients including REITs, fund managers, operating real estate businesses and real estate alternates.

We have consistently executed the highest volume of real estate transactions (by number) in the Australian market and are ranked number one over the last five years in real estate M&A advisory league tables, real estate equity capital markets league tables and real estate IPO league tables.*

^{*2018-December 2022. Dealogic, mergermarket, Refinitiv, ASX.}

Mergers and acquisitions

Partnering with our clients, we evaluate some of their most strategic and complex decisions. With a breadth of sector experience and technical capability spanning local and international markets, we collaborate with our strategic partner, Moelis & Company, to deliver mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, activisms and spin-offs. Notable transactions include:

• Primewest’s $600m sale to Centuria Capital Group
• Varde, KKR and Deutsche Bank’s $8.2bn acquisition of GE Capital Australia & New Zealand Consumer Finance
• Hitachi’s $976m acquisition of Bradken
• Burra Food’s $300m sale to China Mengniu Dairy 
• Archer Capital’s $110m sale of Browne Dairy 
• Defence advisor to Grays eCommerce Group, in relation to its $179m acquisition of Eclipx Group Limited
• SABMiller’s $11.1bn acquisition of the Fosters Group.

Equity Capital Markets

MA Financial Group offers capital market solutions for clients looking to raise capital either via the listed or unlisted market. We provide access to a unique platform that places your objectives first, without interference from internal conflict or competing interests. Since inception, the firm has raised over $12 billion of equity capital for our clients and advised on more than $25bn worth of transactions.

Transactions of note include:

• The simultaneous follow-on offer for VGI Partners Global Investments to raise $300m, and IPO of VGI Partners to raise $75m at a market capitalisation of $369m
• The IPO of Redcape Hotel Group to raise $50m at a market capitalisation of $615m
• The simultaneous follow-on offers for Centuria Metropolitan REIT to raise $276m and Centuria Capital Group to raise $100m
• The $230 million equity raising for Johns Lyng Group in December 2021, and sole advisor on its related acquisition of US-based Reconstruction Experts
• The IPO of MAAS Group Holdings to raise $146m with a market capitalisation of $530m and subsequent placement to raise $79m
• IPO of FINEOS Corporation to raise $211m with a market capitalisation of $713m, follow-on raise $155m
• IPO of SCA Property Group to raise $472m with a market capitalisation of $820m and subsequent placements, buybacks and DRP underwrites totalling over $480m.

IPOs

In IPOs, we provide guidance on preparation, advice on key decisions, and manage the syndicate banks. We have extensive experience with Australian companies and assisting international companies with listing on the ASX.

Notable IPOs include: FINEOS ($712m), Updater ($101m), Newmark Property REIT ($128m) and Redcape ($623m).

Debt Advisory

Our debt advisory engagements include syndicated debt, debt capital markets, and bespoke debt arrangements. We take pride in our enduring relationships with both bank lenders and non-bank lenders active in the Australian debt market.

Restructuring and recapitalisations

We offer highly tailored advice and solutions to our corporate and investor clients in all types of liability-driven capital structure situations and challenges. Debt reduction, covenant modifications, maturity extensions, liability management, distressed sales and corporate strategy are just a few of our services. Since formation, our team has advised on over $27bn in credit recapitalisation and restructuring, including a number of high-profile client transactions.

Previous engagements include:

• The $1.2bn debt restructuring of Speedcast
• The $364m restructure and recapitalisation of Freedom Foods
• Restructuring of Centro Properties Group worth $9.7bn
• The acquisition and re-financing of Nine Entertainment by Oaktree Capital and Apollo for $3.4bn
• The recapitalisation and refinancing of Reliance Rail worth $2.0bn
• The TPG-led consortium on the re-structure of Alinta Energy for $1.5bn
• The re-structure of Bis Industries worth $1.1bn
• The merger and re-capitalisation of Orionstone, Emeco and Andy’s Earthmovers worth $663m.