Alibaba’s plan to list Cainiao logistics hub as Reit will ‘unlock’ value, analysts say
The Reit’s underlying asset will be Jiaxing Park, a key Cainiao logistics and fulfilment facility located in Zhejiang province
Alibaba Group Holding’s plan to package a key warehousing hub into a real estate investment trust (Reit) for public listing will benefit the company and its shareholders by redeploying capital into higher-growth opportunities, according to analysts.
“The proposed spin-off reflects a strategic effort by Alibaba to recycle capital and redeploy it into higher-growth opportunities,” said Chelsey Tam, senior equity analyst at investment consultancy Morningstar.
Tam said the move could help the e-commerce giant unlock the underlying value of a mature infrastructure asset while maintaining operational flexibility.
Alibaba said that the Reit’s underlying asset was Jiaxing Park, one of Cainiao’s key logistics and fulfilment facilities located in Jiaxing city in Zhejiang province.
The group has tapped CICC Fund as manager of the Reit, officially known as the CICC Cainiao Logistics Warehouse Infrastructure Reit. The proposal was still subject to approval from the Shenzhen Exchange and China Securities Regulatory Commission, according to the filing.