L Catterton makes exit from China mall operator Sasseur

International private equity firm L Catterton has substantially divested from Chinese mall operator Sasseur Cayman Holding. The firm has reduced its shareholding from 58.86 per cent to just 1.36 per cent, as part of ongoing efforts to optimise its portfolio. Sasseur Cayman is the sponsor of listed Sasseur Reit.

L Catterton Asia chairman Ravi Thakran said: “We continue to strongly believe in the long-term growth prospects of Sasseur and the opportunities it offers to investors in terms of exposure to China’s fast-growing outlet mall industry. We will continue to support the company’s growth initiatives as a Sasseur shareholder.”

In a separate statement, Sasseur said that growth prospects for China’s outlet sector remain solid – projected to expand at approximately 25 per cent annually for the next five years – with the fastest sales growth among the retail segments in China, even outpacing that of e-commerce.