Cannae Holdings Sells 87% Stake in Brasada Ranch for $40M
Cannae Holdings entered into an agreement to sell its 87% ownership interest in Brasada Ranch, a destination resort located in Powell Butte, Oregon, to a company owned by William Foley, II, Cannae's Vice Chairman, in exchange for the termination of Mr. Foley's put right. The Transaction represents an estimated enterprise value for Brasada of $40M, including the assumption of approximately $17M of debt on the property by the buyer. Cannae has owned Brasada for over 10 years and received $13.5M of distributions to date, fully recovering its original investment through distributions prior to the Transaction. However, in the last two years, ongoing distributions have slowed as Brasada entered a new phase of its development that requires significant capital expenditure and management time to expand the community and improve the existing facilities. As a result of these changes at Brasada and Cannae's strategy of repositioning the portfolio and monetizing non-core assets, Cannae viewed this as the optimal time to exit. The Transaction advances Cannae's strategic objectives on multiple fronts by: monetizing a non-core asset as Cannae repositions its portfolio to focus on sports and entertainment related assets, eliminating the put right, and freeing up at least $47M of capital for redeployment into other higher returning investments or capital returns to shareholders. The Transaction was reviewed and unanimously approved by Cannae's Related Person Transaction Committee, as well as by Cannae's Board of Directors. Foley did not participate in the Board's deliberations and did not vote on the Transaction. The Transaction is expected to close on or before July 15, subject to certain closing conditions.
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- Asset Monetization: Cannae Holdings announced the sale of its 87% stake in Brasada Ranch for an estimated enterprise value of $40 million, which will eliminate Vice Chairman William P. Foley's put right and free up at least $47 million in capital for redeployment into higher-return investments.
- Strategic Restructuring: This transaction signifies Cannae's repositioning of its portfolio to focus on sports and entertainment-related assets, aligning with the company's long-term strategy aimed at enhancing shareholder value and optimizing resource allocation.
- Shareholder Feedback: Chairman Douglas K. Ammerman stated that this transaction addresses shareholder demands for monetizing non-core assets and eliminating the put right, further advancing the company's long-term strategy.
- Management Confidence: Cannae CEO Ryan R. Caswell emphasized that the Board unanimously approved the transaction, believing that now is the optimal time to sell Brasada to support the company's transition to sports and entertainment assets.
- Acquisition Overview: Cannae Holdings has acquired Exeter Rugby Club through its subsidiary Black Knight Rugby for an enterprise value of £32.6 million (approximately $43 million), with an investment of £19.6 million (approximately $26 million) at closing, allocating £11.7 million for debt repayment and £7.9 million for growth capital.
- Strong Club Performance: Exeter Rugby Club finished as runners-up in the 2025/26 season, earning a spot in the 2026/27 Investec Champions Cup, which is expected to create additional matchday and commercial revenue opportunities, enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Strategic Transformation: This acquisition aligns with Cannae's strategy to pivot its portfolio towards sports and entertainment assets, leveraging its operational expertise in sports to drive revenue and cash flow growth at Exeter, ultimately enhancing shareholder returns.
- Community Partnership Outlook: The collaboration between Cannae and Exeter is set to strengthen the club's ties with the community, with Chairman Tony Rowe emphasizing that Cannae's experience and long-term commitment will position Exeter to compete at the highest levels of English and European rugby, driving future growth for the club.
- Historic Achievement: AFC Bournemouth finished sixth in the 2025-26 Premier League with 57 points, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League for the first time in its 127-year history, marking a significant milestone in the club's rise in competitive football.
- Investment Returns: The club sold key players for over $350 million in the last two transfer windows, including the world's most valuable individual transfer during the winter 2025/26 window, showcasing the effectiveness of the Black Knight Football multi-club platform.
- Increased Commercial Opportunities: Qualification for the Europa League will bring substantial financial and brand benefits to AFC Bournemouth, including increased broadcast revenues and commercial opportunities, enhancing its visibility and competitiveness in the European football market.
- Future Outlook: William P. Foley II, Vice Chairman of Cannae Holdings, emphasized that the club's success is a result of the hard work of the coaching and management teams, laying a foundation for continued success and expansion of its influence in Europe next season.
- Shareholder Returns: In Q1 2026, Cannae Holdings returned approximately $51 million to shareholders through buybacks and regular dividends, with a current dividend yield of 4.2%, reflecting the company's commitment to shareholder value.
- Buyback Program: Year-to-date, the company has repurchased 3.4 million shares, representing 7.3% of outstanding shares for $43 million, and the board expanded the repurchase authorization to 14.9 million shares during the quarter, indicating ongoing commitment to buybacks.
- Revenue and Expenses: Total operating revenues for Q1 were $96 million, down 7% year-over-year, primarily due to restaurant closures and decreased traffic, while holding company expenses were reduced to $8.9 million, a 45% decrease year-over-year, showcasing effective cost control.
- Strategic Focus: Management emphasized the ongoing concentration on sports and entertainment-related assets while actively monetizing non-core assets, with a more substantive update expected in the next call, demonstrating the company's determination to optimize its asset portfolio.
- Earnings Announcement Date: Cannae Holdings (CNNE) is set to release its Q1 2023 earnings on May 11 after market close, with a consensus EPS estimate of -$0.44, reflecting a significant year-over-year improvement of 75.7%, indicating potential recovery in profitability.
- Revenue Expectations: The revenue estimate for Q1 stands at $99.77 million, representing a 3.3% year-over-year decline, which highlights the challenges the company faces in the current market environment and suggests pressure on revenue growth.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the past year, Cannae has exceeded EPS estimates 25% of the time and revenue estimates 75% of the time, demonstrating relative stability in financial forecasting and market confidence in the company.
- Estimate Revision Dynamics: In the last three months, EPS estimates saw one upward revision with no downward adjustments, while revenue estimates experienced one downward revision, indicating a cautious market outlook on the company's future performance, which may affect investor confidence.
- Earnings Release Schedule: Cannae Holdings will release its Q1 2026 financial results after market close on May 11, 2026, reflecting the company's commitment to transparency and investor communication.
- Conference Call Timing: The company will hold a conference call at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on the same day to discuss the financial results, aiming to enhance interaction and information sharing with investors.
- Access Information: Investors can join the call by dialing 1-800-579-2543 (domestic) or 1-785-424-1789 (international), ensuring broad participation and effective information dissemination.
- Webcast and Replay Availability: The call will be available via a live webcast, with a replay accessible immediately after the call on the company's website, further improving information accessibility and transparency.





