AccorHotels announces long-awaited property spin-off

French hotel group AccorHotels said on Tuesday it had agreed to sell 55 per cent of its AccorInvest property business to a group of sovereign and institutional investors for €4.4 billion.

The company announced plans to sell the majority holding to investors including Saudia Arabia’s PIF and Singapore’s GIC sovereign funds, as well as Credit Agricole Assurances , Colony NorthStar and Amundi.

Paris-based AccorHotels, which has more than 4,000 hotels ranging from luxury Sofitels to the budget Ibis brand, has said the stake sale will give it greater financial leeway to accelerate growth and fight the rising challenges from companies such as Airbnb and online travel agents.

The French group includes the Pullman, Raffles, Novotel and Mercure brands. Accor separated AccorInvest into a separate legal entity last year in order to bring in new investors.

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AccorHotels had said last week that the long-delayed sale was imminent, and hinted that it could trigger a special dividend. – Reuters