Equity Commonwealth (NYSE: EQC) today reported financial results
for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. All per share results are
reported on a diluted basis.
Financial results for the quarter ended March 31,
2019
Net income attributable to common shareholders was $208.5
million, or $1.67 per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2019.
This compares to net income attributable to common shareholders of
$185.6 million, or $1.48 per share, for the quarter ended March 31,
2018. The increase in net income was primarily due to a loss on
asset impairment in the prior period and increases in interest and
other income in the current period.
Funds from Operations, or FFO, as defined by the National
Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, for the quarter ended
March 31, 2019, were $23.8 million, or $0.19 per share. This
compares to FFO for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 of $6.1
million, or $0.05 per share. The following items impacted FFO for
the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared to the corresponding
2018 period:
- ($0.08) per share from properties
sold;
- $0.10 per of share of increase in
interest and other income;
- $0.05 per share of interest expense
savings; and
- $0.04 per share decrease in loss on
debt extinguishment.
Normalized FFO was $23.1 million, or $0.19 per share. This
compares to Normalized FFO for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 of
$17.5 million, or $0.14 per share. The following items impacted
Normalized FFO for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared to
the corresponding 2018 period:
- ($0.07) per share from properties
sold;
- $0.06 per share of increase in interest
income; and
- $0.05 per share of interest expense
savings.
Normalized FFO begins with FFO and eliminates certain items that
we view as nonrecurring or impacting comparability from period to
period. Definitions of FFO, Normalized FFO and reconciliations to
net income, determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles, or GAAP, are included at the end of this
press release.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2019, the company’s cash and
cash equivalents balance was $3.1 billion. Total debt outstanding
was $275 million.
The weighted average number of diluted common shares outstanding
when calculating net income per share for the quarter ended March
31, 2019 was 125,822,059 shares, compared to 127,097,324 for the
quarter ended March 31, 2018. The weighted average number of
diluted common shares outstanding when calculating FFO or
Normalized FFO per share for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 was
123,304,504 shares, compared to 124,734,221 for the quarter ended
March 31, 2018.
Same property results for the quarter ended March 31,
2019
The company’s same property portfolio at the end of the quarter
consisted of 9 properties totaling 3.8 million square feet.
Operating results were as follows:
- The same property portfolio was 94.4%
leased as of March 31, 2019, compared to 95.5% as of December 31,
2018, and 92.3% as of March 31, 2018.
- The same property portfolio commenced
occupancy was 93.7% as of March 31, 2019, compared to 93.9% as of
December 31, 2018, and 91.2% as of March 31, 2018.
- Same property NOI increased 7.0% when
compared to the same period in 2018.
- Same property cash NOI increased 9.7%
when compared to the same period in 2018.
- The company entered into leases for
approximately 108,000 square feet, including renewal leases for
approximately 95,000 square feet and new leases for approximately
13,000 square feet.
- GAAP rental rates on new and renewal
leases were 17.9% higher compared to prior GAAP rental rates for
the same space.
- Cash rental rates on new and renewal
leases were 8.0% higher compared to prior cash rental rates for the
same space.
The definitions and reconciliations of same property NOI and
same property cash NOI to net income, determined in accordance with
GAAP, are included at the end of this press release. The same
property portfolio includes properties continuously owned from
January 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019 and excludes properties sold
or classified as held for sale during the period.
Significant events during the quarter ended March 31,
2019
- The company authorized the repurchase
of $150 million of its outstanding common shares, replacing the
expiring authorization.
- The company completed the sale of 1735
Market Street, a 1,287,000 square foot, office building in
Philadelphia, PA, for a gross price of $451.6 million. Proceeds
after credits for capital costs, contractual lease costs, and rent
abatements were approximately $435.4 million.
Subsequent Events
- The company sold 600 108th Avenue NE in
Bellevue, WA, for a gross price of $195 million. The property
includes a 254,510 square foot office building and additional
development rights.
- The company currently has one property
totaling 1.1 million square feet in the sale process.
Earnings Conference Call & Supplemental Data
Equity Commonwealth will host a conference call to discuss first
quarter results on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at 8:00 A.M. CDT. The
conference call will be available via live audio webcast on the
Investor Relations section of the company’s website
(www.eqcre.com). A replay of the audio webcast will also be
available following the call.
A copy of EQC’s First Quarter 2019 Supplemental Operating and
Financial Data is available on the Investor Relations section of
EQC’s website at www.eqcre.com.
About Equity Commonwealth
Equity Commonwealth (NYSE: EQC) is a Chicago based, internally
managed and self-advised real estate investment trust (REIT) with
commercial office properties in the United States. As of April 29,
2019, EQC’s portfolio comprised 8 properties and 3.6 million square
feet.
Regulation FD Disclosures
We intend to use any of the following to comply with our
disclosure obligations under Regulation FD: press releases, SEC
filings, public conference calls, or our website. We routinely post
important information on our website at www.eqcre.com, including
information that may be deemed to be material. We encourage
investors and others interested in the company to monitor these
distribution channels for material disclosures.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this press release
constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
federal securities laws including, but not limited to, statements
pertaining to the marketing of certain properties for sale,
consummating any sales, and future share repurchases. Any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release are
intended to be made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs,
projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or
trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not
historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking
statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,”
“will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,”
“believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative
of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are
predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not
relate solely to historical matters. You can also identify
forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or
intentions.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release
reflect the company’s current views about future events and are
subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties,
assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause the
company’s actual results to differ significantly from those
expressed in any forward-looking statement. We do not guarantee
that the transactions and events described will happen as described
(or that they will happen at all). We disclaim any obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect
changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information,
data or methods, future events or other changes. For a further
discussion of these and other factors that could cause the
company’s future results to differ materially from any
forward-looking statements, see the section entitled “Risk Factors”
in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2018.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE
SHEETS
(amounts in thousands, except share
data)
March 31, 2019
December 31, 2018 ASSETS
Real estate properties: Land $ 110,395 $ 135,142
Buildings and improvements 704,142 1,004,500 814,537
1,139,642 Accumulated depreciation (245,528 ) (375,968 ) 569,009
763,674 Acquired real estate leases, net 183 275 Cash and cash
equivalents 3,069,501 2,400,803 Marketable securities — 249,602
Restricted cash 1,767 3,298 Rents receivable 31,151 51,089 Other
assets, net 42,326 62,031
Total
assets $ 3,713,937 $
3,530,772
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Senior
unsecured debt, net $ 248,689 $ 248,473 Mortgage notes payable, net
26,288 26,482 Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other 42,280
62,368 Rent collected in advance 5,119 9,451
Total liabilities $ 322,376
$ 346,774 Shareholders'
equity: Preferred shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value:
50,000,000 shares authorized; Series D preferred shares; 6 1/2%
cumulative convertible; 4,915,196 shares issued and outstanding,
aggregate liquidation preference of $122,880 $ 119,263 $ 119,263
Common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value: 350,000,000
shares authorized; 121,899,625 and 121,572,155 shares issued and
outstanding, respectively 1,219 1,216 Additional paid in capital
4,304,560 4,305,974 Cumulative net income 3,081,492 2,870,974
Cumulative other comprehensive loss — (342 ) Cumulative common
distributions (3,420,512 ) (3,420,548 ) Cumulative preferred
distributions (695,733 ) (693,736 ) Total shareholders’ equity
3,390,289 3,182,801 Noncontrolling interest 1,272
1,197
Total equity $
3,391,561 $ 3,183,998
Total liabilities and equity $
3,713,937 $ 3,530,772
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
OPERATIONS
(amounts in thousands, except per share
data)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2019 2018 Revenues: Rental revenue $
38,890 $ 55,273 Other revenue 2,862 3,315
Total revenues $ 41,752
$ 58,588 Expenses: Operating
expenses $ 15,780 $ 24,599 Depreciation and amortization 8,585
13,903 General and administrative 12,096 13,339 Loss on asset
impairment — 12,087
Total
expenses $ 36,461 $
63,928 Interest and other income, net 17,775
5,780 Interest expense (including net amortization of debt
discounts, premiums and deferred financing fees of $165 and $801,
respectively) (4,206 ) (10,115 ) Loss on early extinguishment of
debt — (4,867 ) Gain on sale of properties, net 193,037
205,211 Income before income taxes 211,897 190,669 Income
tax expense (1,300 ) (3,007 )
Net income
$ 210,597 $
187,662 Net income attributable to noncontrolling
interest (79 ) (63 )
Net income attributable to
Equity Commonwealth $ 210,518
$ 187,599 Preferred distributions
(1,997 ) (1,997 )
Net income attributable to
Equity Commonwealth common shareholders $
208,521 $ 185,602
Weighted average common shares outstanding — basic (1) 121,960
123,867 Weighted average common shares outstanding —
diluted (1) 125,822 127,097 Earnings per
common share attributable to Equity Commonwealth common
shareholders: Basic $ 1.71 $ 1.50 Diluted $ 1.67
$ 1.48 Certain reclassifications were made to conform
the prior period to our presentation of the condensed consolidated
statements of operations due to the impact of adopting ASU 2016-02.
Amounts that were previously disclosed as "Tenant reimbursements
and other income" are now included in "Rental revenue" and are no
longer presented as a separate line item. Parking revenues that do
not represent components of leases and were previously disclosed as
"Rental income" are now included in "Other revenue." Subsequent to
January 1, 2019, provisions for credit losses are included in
"Rental revenue." Provisions for credit losses prior to January 1,
2019 were disclosed as "Operating expenses" and were not
reclassified to conform prior periods to the current presentation.
(1) Weighted average common shares outstanding for the three
months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 includes 187 and 307 unvested,
earned RSUs, respectively.
CALCULATION OF FUNDS FROM OPERATIONS
(FFO) AND NORMALIZED FFO
(amounts in thousands, except per share
data)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2019 2018 Calculation of FFO
Net income $ 210,597 $ 187,662
Real estate depreciation and amortization 8,277 13,603 Loss on
asset impairment — 12,087 Gain on sale of properties, net (193,037
) (205,211 ) FFO attributable to Equity Commonwealth 25,837 8,141
Preferred distributions (1,997 ) (1,997 )
FFO
attributable to EQC common shareholders and unitholders
$ 23,840 $ 6,144
Calculation of Normalized
FFO FFO attributable to EQC common
shareholders and unitholders $ 23,840 $ 6,144 Lease value
amortization (39 ) 98 Straight line rent adjustments (837 ) (1,528
) Loss on early extinguishment of debt — 4,867 Loss on sale of
securities — 4,987 Income taxes related to gains on property sales,
net 150 2,969
Normalized FFO
attributable to EQC common shareholders and unitholders
$ 23,114 $ 17,537
Weighted average common shares and units outstanding --
basic (1) 122,006 123,910 Weighted average common
shares and units outstanding -- diluted (1) 123,305 124,734
FFO attributable to EQC common shareholders and
unitholders per share and unit -- basic $ 0.20 $ 0.05
FFO attributable to EQC common shareholders and unitholders per
share and unit -- diluted $ 0.19 $ 0.05 Normalized
FFO attributable to EQC common shareholders and unitholders per
share and unit -- basic $ 0.19 $ 0.14 Normalized FFO
attributable to EQC common shareholders and unitholders per share
and unit -- diluted $ 0.19 $ 0.14 (1)
Our calculations of FFO and Normalized FFO
attributable to EQC common shareholders and unitholders per share and unit - basic
for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 include 46 and
43 LTIP/Operating Partnership Units, respectively, that are
excluded from the calculation of basic earnings per common share
attributable to EQC common shareholders
(only).
We compute FFO in accordance with standards established by
NAREIT. NAREIT defines FFO as net income (loss), calculated in
accordance with GAAP, excluding real estate depreciation and
amortization, gains (or losses) from sales of depreciable property,
impairment of depreciable real estate, and our portion of these
items related to equity investees and noncontrolling interests. Our
calculation of Normalized FFO differs from NAREIT’s definition of
FFO because we exclude certain items that we view as nonrecurring
or impacting comparability from period to period. FFO and
Normalized FFO are supplemental non-GAAP financial measures. We
consider FFO and Normalized FFO to be appropriate measures of
operating performance for a REIT, along with net income (loss), net
income (loss) attributable to EQC common shareholders, and cash
flow from operating activities.
We believe that FFO and Normalized FFO provide useful
information to investors because by excluding the effects of
certain historical amounts, such as depreciation expense, FFO and
Normalized FFO may facilitate a comparison of our operating
performance between periods and with other REITs. FFO and
Normalized FFO do not represent cash generated by operating
activities in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as
alternatives to net income (loss), net income (loss) attributable
to EQC common shareholders, or cash flow from operating activities,
determined in accordance with GAAP, or as indicators of our
financial performance or liquidity, nor are these measures
necessarily indicative of sufficient cash flow to fund all of our
needs. These measures should be considered in conjunction with net
income (loss), net income (loss) attributable to EQC common
shareholders, and cash flow from operating activities as presented
in our condensed consolidated statements of operations, condensed
consolidated statements of comprehensive income and condensed
consolidated statements of cash flows. Other REITs and real estate
companies may calculate FFO and Normalized FFO differently than we
do.
CALCULATION OF SAME PROPERTY NET
OPERATING INCOME (NOI) AND SAME PROPERTY CASH BASIS NOI
(amounts in thousands)
For the Three Months Ended 3/31/2019
12/31/2018 9/30/2018
6/30/2018 3/31/2018 Calculation of Same
Property NOI and Same Property Cash Basis NOI:
Rental revenue $ 38,890 $ 39,756 $ 43,770 $ 45,569 $
55,273 Other revenue 2,862 3,169 3,103 3,067 3,315 Operating
expenses (15,780 ) (15,539 ) (20,257 )
(19,521 ) (24,599 )
NOI $ 25,972
$ 27,386 $
26,616 $ 29,115
$ 33,989 Straight line rent adjustments (837 )
(986 ) (1,435 ) (1,022 ) (1,528 ) Lease value amortization (39 )
(22 ) (4 ) (18 ) 98 Lease termination fees —
(19 ) (395 ) (1,557 ) (965 )
Cash Basis
NOI $ 25,096 $
26,359 $ 24,782
$ 26,518 $ 31,594
Cash Basis NOI from non-same properties (1) (3,718 )
(6,240 ) (4,696 ) (6,511 ) (12,101 )
Same
Property Cash Basis NOI $ 21,378
$ 20,119 $ 20,086
$ 20,007 $
19,493 Non-cash rental income and lease termination
fees from same properties (7 ) 45 (22 )
284 483
Same Property NOI
$ 21,371 $ 20,164
$ 20,064 $ 20,291
$ 19,976
Reconciliation of Same Property NOI to GAAP Net Income:
Same Property NOI $ 21,371
$ 20,164 $
20,064 $ 20,291
$ 19,976 Non-cash rental income and lease
termination fees from same properties 7 (45 )
22 (284 ) (483 )
Same Property Cash
Basis NOI $ 21,378 $
20,119 $ 20,086
$ 20,007 $ 19,493
Cash Basis NOI from non-same properties (1) 3,718
6,240 4,696 6,511
12,101
Cash Basis NOI $ 25,096
$ 26,359 $
24,782 $ 26,518
$ 31,594 Straight line rent adjustments 837
986 1,435 1,022 1,528 Lease value amortization 39 22 4 18 (98 )
Lease termination fees — 19 395
1,557 965
NOI
$ 25,972 $ 27,386
$ 26,616 $ 29,115
$ 33,989 Depreciation and
amortization (8,585 ) (10,830 ) (11,287 ) (13,021 ) (13,903 )
General and administrative (12,096 ) (8,973 ) (10,905 ) (11,222 )
(13,339 ) Loss on asset impairment — — — — (12,087 ) Interest and
other income, net 17,775 15,741 12,626 12,668 5,780 Interest
expense (including net amortization of debt discounts, premiums and
deferred financing fees of $165 and $801, respectively) (4,206 )
(5,035 ) (5,085 ) (6,350 ) (10,115 ) Loss on early extinguishment
of debt — (719 ) — (1,536 ) (4,867 ) Gain (loss) on sale of
properties, net 193,037 (1,608 ) 20,877
26,937 205,211
Income before
income taxes $ 211,897
$ 15,962 $ 32,842
$ 36,591 $ 190,669
Income tax (expense) benefit (1,300 ) (540 )
(65 ) 456 (3,007 )
Net income
$ 210,597 $ 15,422
$ 32,777 $
37,047 $ 187,662
Same Property capitalized external legal
costs(2) N/A $ —
$ 9 $ 63
$ 76 (1) Cash Basis NOI
from non-same properties for all periods presented includes the
operations of properties disposed or classified as held for sale
and land parcels. (2) Effective January 1, 2019, with the adoption
of ASU 2016-02, we no longer capitalize external legal costs
incurred when we enter into leases. We did not recast the
comparative prior periods presented for the external legal leasing
costs capitalized in those periods.
NOI is income from our real estate including lease termination
fees received from tenants less our property operating expenses.
NOI excludes amortization of capitalized tenant improvement costs
and leasing commissions and corporate level expenses. Cash Basis
NOI is NOI excluding the effects of straight line rent adjustments,
lease value amortization, and lease termination fees. The
quarter-to-date same property versions of these measures include
the results of properties continuously owned from January 1, 2018
through March 31, 2019. Land parcels and properties classified as
held for sale within our condensed consolidated balance sheets are
excluded from the same property versions of these measures.
We consider these supplemental non-GAAP financial measures to be
appropriate supplemental measures to net income (loss) because they
may help to understand the operations of our properties. We use
these measures internally to evaluate property level performance,
and we believe that they provide useful information to investors
regarding our results of operations because they reflect only those
income and expense items that are incurred at the property level
and may facilitate comparisons of our operating performance between
periods and with other REITs. Cash Basis NOI is among the factors
considered with respect to acquisition, disposition and financing
decisions. These measures do not represent cash generated by
operating activities in accordance with GAAP and should not be
considered as an alternative to net income (loss), net income
(loss) attributable to Equity Commonwealth common shareholders, or
cash flow from operating activities, determined in accordance with
GAAP, or as indicators of our financial performance or liquidity,
nor are these measures necessarily indicative of sufficient cash
flow to fund all of our needs. These measures should be considered
in conjunction with net income (loss), net income (loss)
attributable to EQC common shareholders, and cash flow from
operating activities as presented in our condensed consolidated
statements of operations, condensed consolidated statements of
comprehensive income and condensed consolidated statements of cash
flows. Other REITs and real estate companies may calculate these
measures differently than we do.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190429005683/en/
Sarah Byrnes, Investor Relations(312) 646-2801ir@eqcre.com
Equity Commonwealth (NYSE:EQC)
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