Arkansas Teacher Retirement System has approved a new $50m (€42.4m) commitment to Ares’s open-ended US industrial fund, according to a board meeting document.
The pension fund has made a follow-on commitment to the Ares Industrial Real Estate Fund, having previously invested $100m in the vehicle in April 2025. The initial capital has been fully drawn down by Ares.
Launched in 2017, the industrial fund with 206 properties, reported a net asset value of $3.7bn through September 2025.
Since its inception, the fund has consistently outperformed the ODCE Index on a net basis across all time horizons.
The fund has a core-plus strategy that allows for a non-core allocation of up to 50% of its gross asset value (GAV), with 25% of the total GAV permitted for development.
The commitment from Arkansas Teacher will represent the first of $200m planned for core real estate for the 2026 calendar year.
The pension fund is targeting the industrial and residential sectors as it seeks to complement its existing exposure to traditional office assets.
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