Innvesting.com -- SBB shares surged more than 22% in Stockholm on Tuesday—their biggest gain since December 2024—after the Swedish property group announced a strategic deal with Aker Property Group, the real estate arm of Norway’s Aker ASA.
Under the agreement, Aker will acquire stakes in both SBB and Public Property Invest AS, the Norwegian real estate firm where SBB holds a majority position. As part of the deal, SBB will issue 164 million class-B shares to Aker Property Group at 4.25 kronor per share.
The transaction will make Aker SBB’s largest shareholder and is expected to reduce the group’s loan-to-value ratio to below 60%, according to SBB CEO Leiv Synnes.
“Aker Property Group is a strong owner that can help us in this transaction and in the future,” Synnes told Bloomberg. He also noted that the deal increases the likelihood of a dividend payout from Public Property Invest (PPI), which would support SBB’s cash flow as the company now holds a larger stake in the Norwegian unit.
SBB, formally known as Samhallsbyggnadsbolaget i Norden AB, also reported first-quarter results on Tuesday, swinging to a pre-tax profit of 1.9 billion kronor ($194 million) after eleven consecutive quarters of losses. This compares with a revised loss of 1.18 billion kronor in the same period last year.
Net operating income dropped to 510 million kronor from 736 million, but the company said lower costs helped boost income in comparable portfolios, which saw a 4.3% rise.
Additionally, SBB announced the formation of two new wholly-owned units—SBB Samhalle and SBB Utveckling—dedicated to managing its community property assets. Synnes said the new structure would allow for specialized management of different property types.
The company, which owns assets such as hospitals and care homes across Sweden, has been working to reduce debt and stabilize operations following a challenging period for the European real estate sector, marked by rising interest rates and economic headwinds.