ROCKWALL, ROWLETT, WILLS POINT and WAXAHACHIE, Texas — CareTrust REIT Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRE) has acquired four post-acute care facilities in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
The REIT paid $47.6 million for the properties in an off-market transaction for $47.6 million. The portfolio consists of 554 skilled nursing beds and 24 assisted living beds, and is currently leased to operating affiliates of The Ensign Group Inc. The facilities include Beacon Harbor Healthcare & Rehabilitation in Rockwall, Rowlett Health & Rehabilitation Center in Rowlett, Crestwood Health & Rehabilitation in Wills Point and Pleasant Manor Healthcare & Rehabilitation in Waxahachie.
“While underwriting has been significantly complicated by the effects of the current pandemic, the portfolio’s good market, strong lease coverage and especially having Ensign as the tenant gave us significant comfort with the investment,” says Mark Lamb, CareTrust’s chief investment officer.
David Sedgwick, CareTrust’s chief operating officer, notes that Ensign took over the operations just 12 months ago from an operator that was in bankruptcy, and has significantly improved the culture and operating fundamentals despite the pandemic.
CareTrust assumed the seller’s two existing leases in the transaction, with aggregate annual cash rent of approximately $3.8 million and CPI-based escalators. The leases have a remaining term of approximately 14 years with three five-year renewal options and include a tenant option to purchase the properties later in the initial term. The acquisition was funded using a combination of cash on hand and CareTrust’s $600 million unsecured revolving credit facility.