Richard Hill's questions to CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES (CBL) leadership • Q3 2019
Question
Richard Hill from Morgan Stanley followed up on the capital-allocation committee, asking if Michael Ashner's expertise in debt markets might lead to a more aggressive debt renegotiation strategy. He also questioned the capital allocation decision between property redevelopment and buying back high-yielding bonds.
Answer
CEO Stephen Lebovitz stated that while Michael Ashner's experience is welcome, he does not foresee a significant change in the company's debt strategy, emphasizing they have already been aggressive. Lebovitz reiterated that the primary focus remains on investing in property redevelopments due to their direct and ancillary financial returns, and that buying back bonds is not a strategy they are pursuing at this time.