Sovran Self Storage, Inc. Reports Revised Outlook Due to Fitch Rating Downgrade
May 18 2009 - 9:18AM
Business Wire
Sovran Self Storage, Inc. (NYSE:SSS) today reported that the
recent action taken by Fitch Ratings to adjust the credit rating of
its unsecured term notes and revolving line of credit to BB+ from
BBB- will result in higher interest costs and thus have an impact
on its 2nd quarter and full year 2009 net income and funds from
operations.
At March 31, 2009, the Company had $500 million of unsecured
term notes outstanding. The blended interest rate on these notes
will increase from 6.14% to 6.93% as a result of the ratings
adjustment. The interest rate on the Company�s $125 million
revolving line of credit will increase from the current Libor plus
1.375% to Libor plus 1.75%. As of March 31, 2009, the Company had a
balance of $23 million outstanding on the line.
As a result of these rate increases, the Company expects to
incur additional interest costs of approximately $2.6 million for
the balance of 2009, and further expects to report a second quarter
charge of up to $1 million in waiver, amendment and legal fees
associated with its various unsecured notes. Accordingly, FFO
guidance for the 2nd quarter of 2009 has been reduced by $0.08 per
share to a projected range of $0.65 to $0.67, and by $0.17 per
share for the year 2009 to between $2.83 and $2.91.
David Rogers, the Company�s Chief Financial Officer, stated, �We
are obviously disappointed in this unexpected action taken by
Fitch. We believe this abrupt change is unwarranted based on our
long corporate history of conservatively managing our balance sheet
and operations. We employ modest leverage, have no significant debt
maturing for at least three years, and maintain a strong debt
coverage ratio. We will be working in the coming weeks to
re-achieve the favorable interest rates we feel our capital
structure warrants.�
Sovran Self Storage, Inc. is a self-administered and
self-managed equity REIT that is in the business of acquiring and
managing self-storage facilities. The Company operates 385
self-storage facilities in twenty-four states under the name "Uncle
Bob's Self Storage"�.
When used in this discussion and elsewhere in this document, the
words "intends," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," and similar
expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities
Act of 1933 and in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause our actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different
from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Such factors include, but are not limited to, the effect of
competition from new self-storage facilities, which would cause
rents and occupancy rates to decline; our ability to evaluate,
finance and integrate acquired businesses into our existing
business and operations; our ability to effectively compete in the
industry in which we do business; our existing indebtedness may
mature in an unfavorable credit environment, preventing refinancing
or forcing refinancing of the indebtedness on terms that are not as
favorable as the existing terms; interest rates may fluctuate,
impacting costs associated with our outstanding floating rate debt;
our ability to comply with debt covenants, our reliance on our call
center; our cash flow may be insufficient to meet required payments
of principal, interest and dividends; and tax law changes that may
change the taxability of future income.
For more information, please contact David Rogers, CFO or Diane
Piegza, VP Corporate Communications at 716-633-1850 or browse the
Company's Web Site at http://www.sovranss.com.
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