Two of the UK's best-known real estate investment trusts, LondonMetric Property and LXi REIT, are in talks to merge.
The transaction would see LondonMetric buy the share capital of LXi.
In a stock market filing the duo said both boards believed the companies have "complementary strategic approaches and a key focus on delivering compounding income-led total shareholder returns through the cycle".
The filing continued: "The making of any firm offer by LondonMetric is subject to a number of pre-conditions, waivable at LondonMetric's discretion. These pre-conditions include the completion of mutual due diligence, the provision of certain consents, waivers and approvals by each company's lenders and the recommendation of the possible merger to LXi's shareholders by the board of LXi."
A merger would create the UK’s fourth-largest listed landlord by assets, with a combined portfolio valued at around £6.4 billion and market capitalisation of £3.9 billion. The duo says this would provide improved share liquidity and better access to capital. LondonMetric shares are up 14% this year, valuing the company at £2.1 billion, while LXi is down 12%, valuing it at £1.7 billion.
The combined portfolio would have 93% exposure to "structurally supported sectors" logistics, healthcare, convenience, entertainment and leisure.
The duo said there can be no certainty any firm offer will be made.
In the group's half year results for the six months ended 30 September 2023, LondonMetric, which is led by chief executive Andrew Jones and has recently focused on retail warehouse and logistics, swung back to a £81 million pre-tax profit and increased its net rental income to £76.8 million from £72.1 million in the first half of 2023.
In May 2022, the boards of FTSE 250-listed LXi REIT and AIM-listed Secure Income REIT announced a merger to create a company with a portfolio of 346 properties with a combined value of £3.9 billion. The group is a specialist inflation-protected very long-income REIT.