Blackstone Inc. - BX STOCK NEWS

Blackstone announced that its non-listed business development company, Blackstone Private Credit Fund (BCRED), has raised approximately $814 million in net proceeds as part of its continuous public offering, which broke escrow on January 7, 2021. With leverage, BCRED may offer around $1.8 billion in investable capital. Blackstone Credit, managing about $135 billion in assets, aims to provide income-focused individual investors access to private credit. The initial response to BCRED indicates a strong demand for income solutions in the current low-interest rate environment.

Blackstone (NYSE:BX) has appointed Joe Dowling, previously the CEO of Brown University's Investment Office, as Global Co-Head of Blackstone Alternative Asset Management (BAAM). Dowling, who has a strong track record in hedge fund investment and capital allocation, will lead BAAM’s investment activities, joining John McCormick, who oversees business functions. BAAM manages $78 billion in assets and focuses on hedge fund allocations and diversified investment strategies. This leadership change is expected to enhance BAAM's growth and performance, benefiting investors.

Byron R. Wien and Joe Zidle of Blackstone have presented their Ten Surprises of 2021, marking the 36th year of Wien's predictions on economic and financial events. The surprises include former President Trump's television network launch, a potential thaw in U.S.-China trade relations, and a rebound in the economy driven by pent-up demand. They also anticipate a steep rise in the 10-year Treasury yield and a recovery in the equity market that broadens beyond tech and healthcare stocks.

Blackstone (NYSE:BX) has signed a 41,000-square-foot lease at 2 MiamiCentral in Downtown Miami, aiming to bolster its technology workforce by hiring over 200 tech-focused employees. With this lease, 2 MiamiCentral is now 98% leased to various national tenants, solidifying its position in a thriving South Florida office market. Blackstone's Chief Technology Officer highlighted Miami's robust tech talent pool as a driving factor for the relocation. Financial terms of the lease were not disclosed, but the deal underscores South Florida's emergence as a technology hub.

Liftoff, a mobile app marketing optimization platform, announced a majority investment agreement with private equity funds managed by Blackstone (NYSE:BX). This partnership aims to enhance Liftoff's technological capabilities and global reach in the high-growth mobile app ecosystem. Founded in 2012, Liftoff operates in over 90 countries, delivering more than one billion ads daily. Blackstone's investment is expected to accelerate Liftoff's growth initiatives and product offerings, with the transaction closing early next year, subject to customary conditions.

Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT) has successfully acquired Simply Self Storage from a Brookfield Asset Management fund for approximately $1.2 billion. This acquisition adds eight million square feet of high-quality storage space across the U.S., positioning BREIT as the third largest non-listed storage owner in the country. Notably, the transaction was first announced on October 26, 2020. BREIT, an institutional quality real estate investment platform, focuses on stabilized income-generating U.S. commercial real estate.

Blackstone (NYSE: BX) has made a significant minority investment in ISN, a global leader in contractor and supplier management software, valued at over $2 billion. This investment, led by Blackstone Growth (BXG), aims to leverage Blackstone's resources to support ISN's growth through innovation and market expansion. ISN's platform, ISNetworld, is used by over 650 clients, including 170 Fortune 500 companies, to manage compliance with safety and regulatory standards for more than 75,000 contractors in 85 countries.

Blackstone (NYSE: BX) announced the acquisition of a 2.3 million square foot lab office portfolio from Brookfield Asset Management for $3.45 billion. This deal, expected to close in Q1 2021, will position Blackstone as the largest life science office owner in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where 90% of the portfolio is located. With this acquisition, BioMed Realty's enterprise value will rise to approximately $20 billion, consolidating two-thirds of its assets in the fast-growing Boston/Cambridge market. This move underscores Blackstone's commitment to the life sciences sector.

Blackstone has successfully completed the acquisition of Ancestry for an enterprise value of $4.7 billion. This acquisition positions Blackstone to leverage Ancestry’s leadership in digital family history services across 30 countries and its subscriber base of over 3.6 million, generating annual revenues exceeding $1 billion. Notably, GIC retains a minority stake in Ancestry. Ancestry’s President & CEO, Margo Georgiadis, plans to depart by the end of 2020, with a new CEO expected to be announced in early 2021, aiming to enhance growth and innovation.