Ares Management to acquire Whitestone REIT for $19.00 per share, or $1.7B

Whitestone REIT (WSR) and Ares Management (ARES) announced that Whitestone has entered into a definitive merger agreement with certain Ares Real Estate funds pursuant to which Ares will acquire all outstanding Whitestone common shares and operating partnership units for $19.00 per share or unit in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7B. The purchase price represents a 12.2% premium to Whitestone’s closing stock price on April 8, 2026, the last full trading day prior to the transaction announcement, and a 26.5% premium to the unaffected share price prior to the March 5, 2026 Reuters article announcing the company had engaged advisors to explore a sale. Whitestone’s portfolio as of March 31, 2026 comprises 56 high-quality, convenience-focused retail properties totaling approximately 4.9M square feet in some of the country’s fastest growing markets including Phoenix, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the Whitestone Board of Trustees, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by the company’s shareholders. The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. Upon completion of the transaction, Whitestone will become a private company and shares of Whitestone’s common stock will be de-registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and no longer trade on the NYSE.