* Savills ( SVLPF ) aims to expand in North America and capital

markets

* Eastdil Secured generates 76% revenue from North

America

* Deal expected to boost underlying earnings per share by

2027

* Shares drop amid Middle East tensions

(Adds details on the deal and full-year results throughout)

March 12 (Reuters) - UK's Savills ( SVLPF ) said on

Thursday it would buy real estate investment bank Eastdil

Secured in a $1.1 billion deal, including debt, as it looks to

expand in North America and deepen its capital-markets presence,

though concerns over Middle East tensions drove shares lower.

The deal positions the property adviser to benefit from a

pickup in real estate dealmaking, as U.S. investment banking

revenues rise on the back of stronger M&A pipelines and firmer

debt underwriting activity.

Eastdil Secured specialises in mergers and acquisitions,

debt placement, structured credit and loan sales. It generates

76% of its revenue from North America, and has a diversified

global footprint across Europe and Asia Pacific.

Under the deal, Eastdil's 85 senior employees will

collectively hold 6.3% of the enlarged Savills ( SVLPF ). The transaction

will be funded through debt and the issue of new ordinary shares

in Savills ( SVLPF ), representing about 16% of the enlarged company.

Savills ( SVLPF ) expects the deal to deliver low-to-mid teens

underlying earnings per share accretion in 2027 and generate

direct revenue synergies of at least 60 million pounds annually

over the medium term.

MIDDLE EAST CONCERNS WEIGH ON SHARES

The acquisition comes after Savills ( SVLPF ) also reported strong

2025 results with revenues rising 6% and underlying profit

before tax increasing 11.4%, driven by a particularly strong

fourth quarter in its transactional business.

However, its shares dropped nearly 5% in early trading as

escalating tensions in the Middle East have clouded the global

economic outlook.

"It is difficult at this stage to assess the potential

impact of the conflict in the Middle East, including any broader

macroeconomic or geopolitical effects," Savills ( SVLPF ) said.

It has around 800 employees in the region, which

contributes roughly 5% of underlying profit.