Broadstone Net Lease, Inc. (BNL)
SIC breadcrumb: Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate > Holding And Other Investment Offices > SIC 6798 Real Estate Investment Trusts
SEC company page: https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1424182. Latest filing source: 0001424182-26-000012.
Informational only - descriptive public-record data, not investment advice.
Business
Read BNL's verbatim Item 1 Business section from its latest 10-K: Business.
Risk Factors
Read BNL's verbatim Item 1A Risk Factors from its latest 10-K: Risk Factors.
Selected Fundamentals
| Metric | Value | Unit | FY | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 454,138,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-19 |
| Net income | 96,495,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-19 |
| Assets | 5,717,267,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-19 |
Financials
Annual standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-02-19. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0001424182.json. Derived margins, ratios, and free cash flow are computed from the extracted annual SEC facts.
| Metric | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 142,869,000 | 181,563,000 | 237,479,000 | 298,815,000 | 321,637,000 | 382,876,000 | 407,513,000 | 442,888,000 | 431,800,000 | 454,138,000 |
| Net income | 36,354,000 | 54,799,000 | 69,375,000 | 79,394,000 | 51,181,000 | 102,426,000 | 122,115,000 | 155,478,000 | 162,441,000 | 96,495,000 |
| Diluted EPS | 0.86 | 0.83 | 0.44 | 0.67 | 0.72 | 0.83 | 0.86 | 0.50 | ||
| Operating cash flow | 67,189,000 | 97,940,000 | 128,011,000 | 147,358,000 | 179,028,000 | 244,937,000 | 255,914,000 | 271,074,000 | 276,253,000 | 299,496,000 |
| Capital expenditures | 1,938,000 | 6,782,000 | 5,153,000 | 5,051,000 | 10,806,000 | 1,598,000 | 31,374,000 | 46,252,000 | 16,795,000 | 29,706,000 |
| Dividends paid | 35,731,000 | 44,540,000 | 51,845,000 | 61,961,000 | 71,532,000 | 154,459,000 | 181,224,000 | 207,522,000 | 216,760,000 | 218,775,000 |
| Assets | 1,952,054,000 | 2,578,756,000 | 3,096,797,000 | 3,917,858,000 | 4,258,483,000 | 4,618,648,000 | 5,457,609,000 | 5,268,735,000 | 5,216,417,000 | 5,717,267,000 |
| Liabilities | 953,517,000 | 1,294,555,000 | 1,567,877,000 | 2,138,838,000 | 1,779,402,000 | 1,877,510,000 | 2,195,104,000 | 2,074,394,000 | 2,074,993,000 | 2,683,806,000 |
| Stockholders' equity | 911,788,000 | 1,186,825,000 | 1,417,099,000 | 1,667,614,000 | 2,299,105,000 | 2,577,292,000 | 3,092,918,000 | 3,049,241,000 | 3,003,745,000 | 2,901,995,000 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 21,635,000 | 9,355,000 | 18,612,000 | 12,455,000 | 100,486,000 | 21,669,000 | 21,789,000 | 19,494,000 | 14,845,000 | 30,540,000 |
| Free cash flow | 65,251,000 | 91,158,000 | 122,858,000 | 142,307,000 | 168,222,000 | 243,339,000 | 224,540,000 | 224,822,000 | 259,458,000 | 269,790,000 |
Ratios
| Metric | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net margin | 25.45% | 30.18% | 29.21% | 26.57% | 15.91% | 26.75% | 29.97% | 35.11% | 37.62% | 21.25% |
| Return on equity | 3.99% | 4.62% | 4.90% | 4.76% | 2.23% | 3.97% | 3.95% | 5.10% | 5.41% | 3.33% |
| Return on assets | 1.86% | 2.13% | 2.24% | 2.03% | 1.20% | 2.22% | 2.24% | 2.95% | 3.11% | 1.69% |
| Liabilities / equity | 1.05 | 1.09 | 1.11 | 1.28 | 0.77 | 0.73 | 0.71 | 0.68 | 0.69 | 0.92 |
Industry Peer Context
Net margin peer context
ROE peer context
ROA peer context
Financial Bridges
Free cash flow = operating cash flow - capital expenditures
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts FY 2025. Operating cash flow: accession 0001424182-26-000012; concept NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; source concepts us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities | Capital expenditures: accession 0001424182-26-000012; concept PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment; source concepts us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment | Free cash flow: accession 0001424182-26-000012; concept NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities - PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment; source concepts us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment
Financial Charts
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: Revenues. Source concepts: us-gaap:Revenues.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: Assets. Source concepts: us-gaap:Assets.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: Liabilities. Source concepts: us-gaap:Liabilities.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: StockholdersEquity. Source concepts: us-gaap:StockholdersEquity.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue. Source concepts: us-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001424182-26-000012; filed 2026-02-19. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities - PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment.
Quarterly
Quarterly standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-04-30. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0001424182.json.
| Quarter | End Date | Revenue | Net Income | Diluted EPS | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-Q2 | 2022-06-30 | 0.20 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2022-Q3 | 2022-09-30 | 0.16 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q1 | 2023-03-31 | 0.21 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q2 | 2023-06-30 | 109,353,000 | 60,014,000 | 0.32 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2023-Q3 | 2023-09-30 | 109,543,000 | 49,682,000 | 0.26 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2023-Q4 | 2023-12-31 | 105,001,000 | 6,478,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2024-Q1 | 2024-03-31 | 105,366,000 | 65,114,000 | 0.35 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2024-Q2 | 2024-06-30 | 105,907,000 | 35,329,000 | 0.19 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2024-Q3 | 2024-09-30 | 108,397,000 | 35,608,000 | 0.19 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2024-Q4 | 2024-12-31 | 112,130,000 | 26,390,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2025-Q1 | 2025-03-31 | 108,690,000 | 16,743,000 | 0.09 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2025-Q2 | 2025-06-30 | 112,986,000 | 20,160,000 | 0.10 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2025-Q3 | 2025-09-30 | 114,167,000 | 26,466,000 | 0.14 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2025-Q4 | 2025-12-31 | 118,295,000 | 33,126,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2026-Q1 | 2026-03-31 | 121,401,000 | 46,365,000 | 0.24 | reported discrete quarter |
Quarterly Charts
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-03-31; accession 0001424182-26-000037; filed 2026-04-30. Concept: Revenues. Source concepts: us-gaap:Revenues.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-03-31; accession 0001424182-26-000037; filed 2026-04-30. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-03-31; accession 0001424182-26-000037; filed 2026-04-30. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.
Macro Cross-References
- CPIAUCSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average
- UNRATE - Unemployment Rate
- FEDFUNDS - Federal Funds Effective Rate
- CES0500000003 - Average Hourly Earnings of All Employees, Total Private
- DFEDTARU - Federal Funds Target Range - Upper Limit
- DFEDTARL - Federal Funds Target Range - Lower Limit
- DGS3MO - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 3-Month Constant Maturity
- DGS2 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 2-Year Constant Maturity
- DGS10 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 10-Year Constant Maturity
- DGS30 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 30-Year Constant Maturity
- T10Y2Y - 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Minus 2-Year Treasury Constant Maturity
- CPILFESL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items Less Food and Energy
- CPIUFDSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Food
- CPIENGSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Energy
- CUSR0000SAH1 - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Shelter
- PCEPI - Personal Consumption Expenditures: Chain-type Price Index
- PCEPILFE - Personal Consumption Expenditures Excluding Food and Energy: Chain-type Price Index
- PPIACO - Producer Price Index by Commodity: All Commodities
- T10YIE - 10-Year Breakeven Inflation Rate
- U6RATE - Total Unemployed, Plus All Marginally Attached Workers Plus Total Employed Part Time for Economic Reasons
- PAYEMS - All Employees, Total Nonfarm
- CIVPART - Labor Force Participation Rate
- EMRATIO - Employment-Population Ratio
- UNEMPLOY - Unemployed
- CE16OV - Employment Level
- ICSA - Initial Claims
- JTSJOL - Job Openings: Total Nonfarm
- JTSQUR - Quits: Total Nonfarm
- GDPC1 - Real Gross Domestic Product
- A191RL1Q225SBEA - Real Gross Domestic Product: Percent Change from Preceding Period
- INDPRO - Industrial Production: Total Index
- TCU - Capacity Utilization: Total Index
- HOUST - New Privately-Owned Housing Units Started: Total Units
- PERMIT - New Privately-Owned Housing Units Authorized in Permit-Issuing Places: Total Units
- RSAFS - Advance Retail Sales: Retail Trade
- PCE - Personal Consumption Expenditures
- DSPIC96 - Real Disposable Personal Income
- PSAVERT - Personal Saving Rate
- M2SL - M2
- BOPGSTB - U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services: Balance
- MSPUS - Median Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States
- HSN1F - New One Family Houses Sold: United States
- RHORUSQ156N - Homeownership Rate in the United States
- TTLCONS - Total Construction Spending: Total Construction in the United States
- RRVRUSQ156N - Rental Vacancy Rate in the United States
- TOTALSL - Total Consumer Credit Owned and Securitized
- REVOLSL - Revolving Consumer Credit Owned and Securitized
- DRCCLACBS - Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks
- GDP - Gross Domestic Product
- GPDI - Gross Private Domestic Investment
- GCE - Government Consumption Expenditures and Gross Investment
- PCEC - Personal Consumption Expenditures
- NETEXP - Net Exports of Goods and Services
- GFDEBTN - Federal Debt: Total Public Debt
- GFDEGDQ188S - Federal Debt: Total Public Debt as Percent of Gross Domestic Product
- FYFSD - Federal Surplus or Deficit
- FGRECPT - Federal Government Current Receipts
- FGEXPND - Federal Government: Current Expenditures
- MANEMP - All Employees, Manufacturing
- USCONS - All Employees, Construction
- USTRADE - All Employees, Retail Trade
- USFIRE - All Employees, Financial Activities
- USGOVT - All Employees, Government
- AWHAETP - Average Weekly Hours of All Employees, Total Private
- DGORDER - Manufacturers' New Orders: Durable Goods
- NEWORDER - Manufacturers' New Orders: Nondefense Capital Goods Excluding Aircraft
- BUSINV - Total Business Inventories
- EXPGS - Exports of Goods and Services
- IMPGS - Imports of Goods and Services
- IR - Import Price Index (End Use): All Commodities
- PPIFIS - Producer Price Index by Commodity: Final Demand
Latest quarter (10-Q)
Latest 10-Q source: 0001424182-26-000037.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Except where the context suggests otherwise, as used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the terms “BNL,” “we,”“us,”“our,” and “our Company” refer to Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., a Maryland corporation incorporated on October 18, 2007, and, as required by context, Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, a New York limited liability company, which we refer to as the or our “OP,” and to their respective subsidiaries.
The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand our results of operations and financial condition. This MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements, which reflect our current views regarding our business, financial performance, growth prospects and strategies, market opportunities, and market trends, that are intended to be made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “projects,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. All of the forward-looking statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Assumptions relating to the foregoing involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions, and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond our control. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, our actual results, performance, and achievements could differ materially from those expressed in or by the forward-looking statements and may be affected by a variety of risks and other factors. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements.
Important factors that could cause results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements are described in Item 1. “Business,” Item 1A. “Risk Factors,” and Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 19, 2026. The “Risk Factors” of our 2025 Annual Report should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with other cautionary statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the risk that actual results, performance, and achievements will differ materially from the expectations expressed in or referenced by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q will increase with the passage of time. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as required by law.
Regulation FD Disclosures
We use any of the following to comply with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD: SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, or our website. We routinely post important information on our website at www.broadstone.com, including information that may be deemed material. We encourage our shareholders and others interested in our company to monitor these distribution channels for material disclosures. Our website address is included in this Quarterly Report as a textual reference only and the information on the website is not incorporated by reference in this Quarterly Report.
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Explanatory Note and Certain Defined Terms
Unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms and phrases are used throughout this MD&A as described below:
•“annualized base rent” or “ABR” means the annualized contractual cash rent due for the last month of the reporting period, excluding the impacts of short-term rent deferrals, abatements, or free rent, and adjusted to remove rent from properties sold during the month and to include a full month of contractual cash rent for investments made during the month;
•“investments” or amounts “invested” include real estate investments in new property acquisitions, revenue generating capital expenditures, whereby we agree to fund certain expenditures in exchange for increased rents that often include rent escalations and terms consistent with that of the underlying lease, build-to-suit developments, and transitional capital, which represent shorter term investments and currently includes preferred equity investments, and exclude capitalized costs;
•“cash capitalization rate” represents either (1) for acquisitions and new build-to-suit developments, our pro-rata share of the estimated first year cash yield to be generated on a real estate investment, which was estimated at the time of investment based on the contractually specified cash base rent for the first full year after the date of the investment, divided by the purchase price for the property excluding capitalized acquisition costs, or (2) for dispositions, the property’s ABR in effect immediately prior to the disposition, divided by the disposition price, or (3) for transitional capital, the contractual cash yield to be generated on total invested capital;
•“CPI” means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. City Average, All Items, as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or other similar index which is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services;
•“occupancy” or a specified percentage of our portfolio that is “occupied” or “leased” means as of a specified date the quotient of (1) the total rentable square footage of our properties minus the square footage of our properties that are vacant and from which we are not receiving any rental payment, and (2) the total square footage of our properties;
•“Revolving Credit Facility” means our $1.0 billion unsecured revolving credit facility, dated February 28, 2025, with J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other lenders party thereto; and
•“straight-line yield” represents our pro-rata share of the estimated first year yield to be generated on a real estate investment, which was computed at the time of investment based on the straight-line annual rental income computed in accordance with GAAP, divided by the purchase price.
Overview
We are an industrial-focused, diversified net lease real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that invests in primarily single-tenant commercial real estate properties that are net leased on a long-term basis to a diversified group of tenants. As of March 31, 2026, our portfolio includes 773 properties, with 766 properties located in 44 U.S. states and seven properties located in four Canadian provinces.
We expect to achieve growth in revenues and earnings through our three core building blocks, which are (1) embedded same store net operating income growth through best-in-class portfolio rent escalations, stable rent collections, minimal credit losses, strong lease rollover outcomes, accretive recycling, and revenue generating capital expenditures with existing tenants, (2) build-to-suit developments, and (3) a diversified acquisition pipeline.
We focus on investing in real estate that is operated by creditworthy single tenants in industries characterized by positive business drivers and trends. We target properties that are an integral part of the tenants’ businesses and are therefore opportunities to secure long-term net leases through which our tenants are able to retain operational control of their strategically important locations, while allocating their debt and equity capital to fund core business operations rather than real estate ownership.
26
-Diversified Investment Strategy. We invest in real estate through property acquisitions, revenue generating capital expenditures, build-to-suit developments, and transitional capital. Our investments in these alternatives fluctuate from time to time depending on macroeconomic conditions and business or market trends. Our strong relationships with brokers, developers, and tenants provides access to off-market and marketed investment opportunities. Off-market transactions are characterized by a lack of a formal marketing process and a lack of widely disseminated marketing materials. Marketed transactions are often characterized by extensive buyer competition. For all investments, we seek to maintain our portfolio’s diversification by property type, geography, tenant, and industry in an effort to reduce fluctuations in income caused by under-performing individual real estate assets or adverse economic conditions affecting an entire industry or geographic region.
-Diversified Portfolio. As of March 31, 2026, our portfolio was comprised of approximately 41.9 million rentable square feet of operational space, was highly diversified based on property type, geography, tenant, and industry, and was cross-diversified within each (e.g., property-type diversification within a geographic concentration):
•Property Type: We are primarily diversified across industrial and retail property types. Within these sectors, we have meaningful concentrations in distribution and warehouse, manufacturing, food processing, general merchandise, quick service restaurants, and casual dining.
•Geographic Diversification: Our properties are located in 44 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, with no single geographic concentration exceeding 10.0% of our ABR.
•Tenant and Industry Diversification: Our properties are occupied by 209 different commercial tenants who operate 198 distinct brands that are diversified across 57 varying industries, with no single tenant accounting for more than 3.8% of our ABR.
-Strong In-Place Leases with Significant Remaining Lease Term. As of March 31, 2026, our portfolio was approximately 99.8% leased with an ABR weighted average remaining lease term of approximately 9.5 years, excluding renewal options.
-Standard Contractual Base Rent Escalation. Approximately 96.8% of our leases have contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average increase of 2.1%.
-Extensive Tenant Financial Reporting. Approximately 96.0% of our tenants, based on ABR, provide financial reporting, of which 81.7% are required to provide us with specified financial information on a periodic basis, and an additional 14.2% of our tenants report financial statements publicly, either through SEC filings or otherwise.
Current Macroeconomic Conditions and Strategic Priorities
Since 2022 and continuing into 2026, challenging macroeconomic and volatile geopolitical conditions have affected the broader commercial real estate market, including the net lease sector. During this period, interest rates remained elevated, contributing to a
[Excerpt truncated for page length; source filing is linked above.]
Latest 10-K MD&A
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand our results of operations and financial condition. This MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
We are an industrial-focused, diversified net lease real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that invests in primarily single-tenant commercial real estate properties that are net leased on a long-term basis to a diversified group of tenants. As of
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Table of Contents
December 31, 2025, our portfolio includes 771 properties, with 764 properties located in 44 U.S. states and seven properties located in four Canadian provinces.
We expect to achieve growth in revenues and earnings through our three core building blocks, which are (1) embedded same store net operating income growth through best-in-class portfolio rent escalations, stable rent collections, minimal credit losses, strong lease rollover outcomes, accretive recycling, and revenue generating capital expenditures with existing tenants, (2) build-to-suit developments, and (3) a diversified acquisition pipeline.
We focus on investing in real estate that is operated by creditworthy single tenants in industries characterized by positive business drivers and trends. We target properties that are an integral part of the tenants’ businesses and are therefore opportunities to secure long-term net leases through which our tenants are able to retain operational control of their strategically important locations, while allocating their debt and equity capital to fund core business operations rather than real estate ownership.
•Diversified Investment Strategy. We invest in real estate through property acquisitions, revenue generating capital expenditures, build-to-suit developments, and transitional capital. Our investments in these alternatives fluctuate from time to time depending on macroeconomic conditions and business or market trends. Our strong relationships with brokers, developers, and tenants provides access to off-market and marketed investment opportunities. Off-market transactions are characterized by a lack of a formal marketing process and a lack of widely disseminated marketing materials. Marketed transactions are often characterized by extensive buyer competition. For all investments, we seek to maintain our portfolio’s diversification by property type, geography, tenant, and industry in an effort to reduce fluctuations in income caused by under-performing individual real estate assets or adverse economic conditions affecting an entire industry or geographic region.
•Diversified Portfolio. As of December 31, 2025, our portfolio comprised approximately 41.6 million rentable square feet of operational space, was highly diversified based on property type, geography, tenant, and industry, and was cross-diversified within each (e.g., property-type diversification within a geographic concentration):
•Property Type: We are primarily diversified across industrial and retail property types. Within these sectors, we have meaningful concentrations in distribution and warehouse, manufacturing, food processing, general merchandise, quick service restaurants, and casual dining.
•Geographic Diversification: Our properties are located in 44 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, with no single geographic concentration exceeding 10.2% of our ABR.
•Tenant and Industry Diversification: Our properties are occupied by 206 different commercial tenants who operate 197 distinct brands that are diversified across 57 varying industries, with no single tenant accounting for more than 3.9% of our ABR.
•Strong In-Place Leases with Significant Remaining Lease Term. As of December 31, 2025, our portfolio was approximately 99.8% leased with an ABR weighted average remaining lease term of approximately 9.6 years, excluding renewal options.
•Standard Contractual Base Rent Escalation. Approximately 97.6% of our leases have contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average increase of 2.1%.
•Extensive Tenant Financial Reporting. Approximately 95.4% of our tenants, based on ABR, provide financial reporting, of which 81.6% are required to provide us with specified financial information on a periodic basis, and an additional 13.8% of our tenants report financial statements publicly, either through SEC filings or otherwise.
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Table of Contents
Diversified Investment Activity
During the year ended December 31, 2025, our investment activity consisted of the following:
| For the Three Months Ended | For the Year Ended | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | September 30, 2025 | June 30, 2025 | March 31, 2025 | December 31, 2025 | |||||||||||
| Acquisitions: | |||||||||||||||
| Acquisition price | $ | 176,747 | $ | 139,462 | $ | 54,722 | $ | 59,004 | $ | 429,935 | |||||
| Initial cash capitalization rate | 7.0 | % | 7.1 | % | 7.1 | % | 7.2 | % | 7.0 | % | |||||
| Straight-line yield | 8.7 | % | 8.1 | % | 8.2 | % | 8.3 | % | 8.4 | % | |||||
| Weighted average lease term (years) | 17.1 | 12.0 | 10.7 | 13.6 | 14.2 | ||||||||||
| Weighted average annual rent increase | 2.6 | % | 2.4 | % | 3.0 | % | 2.6 | % | 2.6 | % | |||||
| Build-to-suit developments: | |||||||||||||||
| Investments | $ | 78,523 | $ | 40,999 | $ | 63,295 | $ | 26,494 | $ | 209,311 | |||||
| Revenue generating capital expenditures: | |||||||||||||||
| Investments | $ | — | $ | 5,507 | $ | — | $ | 2,835 | $ | 8,342 | |||||
| Initial cash capitalization rate | — | 8.5 | % | — | 8.0 | % | 8.3 | % | |||||||
| Weighted average lease term (years) | — | 16.7 | — | 17.7 | 17.0 | ||||||||||
| Weighted average annual rent increase | — | 2.0 | % | — | 1.7 | % | 1.9 | % | |||||||
| Transitional capital: | |||||||||||||||
| Investments | $ | 60,067 | $ | 17,926 | $ | 22,781 | $ | — | $ | 100,774 | |||||
| Cash capitalization rate | 7.8 | % | 7.8 | % | 7.8 | % | — | 7.8 | % | ||||||
| Total investments | $ | 315,337 | $ | 203,894 | $ | 140,798 | $ | 88,333 | $ | 748,362 | |||||
| Total initial cash capitalization rate (a) | 7.0 | % | 7.1 | % | 7.1 | % | 7.2 | % | 7.0 | % | |||||
| Total weighted average lease term (years) (a) | 17.1 | 12.2 | 10.7 | 13.8 | 14.2 | ||||||||||
| Total weighted average annual rent increase (a) | 2.6 | % | 2.4 | % | 3.0 | % | 2.5 | % | 2.6 | % |
(a)Transitional capital, which represents a contractual yield on invested capital, and build-to-suit developments, which do not generate revenue until stabilization, are excluded from the calculations of total cash capitalization, weighted average lease terms, and weighted average rent increases.
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Build-to-Suit Development Projects
The following table summarizes the Company’s in-process developments as of December 31, 2025:
| Property | Projected Rentable Square Feet | Start Date (a) | Target Stabilization Date/Stabilized Date (b) | Lease Term (Years) | Annual Rent Escalations | Estimated Total Project Investment (c) | Cumulative Investment | Estimated Remaining Investment | Estimated Cash Capitalization Rate (d) | Estimated Straight-line Yield | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-process retail: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sprouts (Bedford, TX) | 22 | Jul. 2025 | Aug. 2026 | 15 | 0.9 | % | $ | 9,533 | $ | 626 | $ | 8,907 | 7.2 | % | 7.7 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Hobby Lobby (Granbury, TX) | 55 | Oct. 2025 | Sep. 2026 | 15 | 0.7 | % | 8,129 | 1,407 | 6,722 | 7.1 | % | 7.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Academy Sports (Granbury, TX) | 55 | Oct. 2025 | Nov. 2026 | 15 | 0.6 | % | 12,393 | 2,793 | 9,600 | 7.1 | % | 7.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Academy Sports (Waco, TX) | 68 | Dec. 2025 | Sep. 2026 | 15 | 0.6 | % | 14,488 | 5,824 | 8,664 | 7.2 | % | 7.5 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| In-process industrial: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sierra Nevada (Dayton, OH) | 122 | Oct. 2024 | Mar. 2026 | 15 | 3.0 | % | 55,525 | 42,826 | 12,699 | 7.7 | % | 9.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Southwire (Bremen, GA) | 1,178 | Dec. 2024 | Oct. 2026 | 10 | 2.8 | % | 115,411 | 42,607 | 72,804 | 7.8 | % | 8.8 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Fiat Chrysler Automobile (Forsyth, GA) | 422 | Apr. 2025 | Aug. 2026 | 15 | 2.8 | % | 78,242 | 34,326 | 43,916 | 6.9 | % | 8.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| AGCO (Visalia, CA) | 115 | Jun. 2025 | Aug. 2026 | 12 | 3.5 | % | 19,567 | 14,536 | 5,031 | 7.0 | % | 8.5 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Palmer Logistics (Midlothian, TX) (e) | 270 | Jul. 2025 | Jul. 2026 | 12.3 | 3.5 | % | 32,063 | 12,875 | 19,188 | 7.6 | % | 9.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| 2,307 | 12.9 | 2.7 | % | 345,351 | 157,820 | 187,531 | 7.4 | % | 8.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Stabilized industrial: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UNFI (Sarasota, FL) | 1,016 | Jan. 2023 | Sep. 2024 | 15 | 2.5 | % | 200,958 | 200,958 | — | 7.2 | % | 8.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Sierra Nevada (Dayton, OH) | 122 | Oct. 2024 | Nov. 2025 | 15 | 3.0 | % | 58,563 | 54,146 | 4,417 | 7.5 | % | 9.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Stabilized retail: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7Brew (High Point, NC) | 1 | Dec. 2024 | Feb. 2025 | 15 | 1.9 | % | 1,975 | 1,975 | — | 8.0 | % | 8.8 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| 7Brew (Charleston, SC) | 1 | Feb. 2025 | Apr. 2025 | 15 | 1.9 | % | 1,729 | 1,729 | — | 7.9 | % | 8.8 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| 7Brew (Jacksonville, FL) | 1 | Jun. 2025 | Nov. 2025 | 15 | 1.9 | % | 2,008 | 1,613 | 395 | 8.0 | % | 8.8 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Total / weighted average | 3,448 | 13.8 | 2.6 | % | $ | 610,584 | $ | 418,241 | $ | 192,343 | 7.4 | % | 8.7 | % |
(a)The period in which we have acquired access to the land and begun physical construction on a property.
(b)Represents our current estimate of the period in which we will have substantially completed a project and the project is made available for occupancy. We expect to update our timing estimates on a quarterly basis.
(c)Represents the estimated costs to be incurred to complete development of each project. We expect to update our estimates upon completion of the project, or sooner if there are any significant changes to expected costs from quarter to quarter. Excludes capitalized costs consisting of capitalized interest and other acquisition costs.
(d)Calculated by dividing the estimated first year cash yield to be generated on a real estate investment by the Estimated Total Project Investment for the property.
(e)Development represents our common and preferred equity investments in a consolidated joint venture, and excludes amounts attributed to non-controlling interest holders.
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Factors That Impact Our Result of Operations
Our results of operations and financial condition are affected by numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control. Key factors that typically impact our results of operations and financial condition, include rental rates, property dispositions, lease renewals and occupancy, investment activity, net lease terms, interest expense, general and administrative expenses, tenant bankruptcies, and impairments.
Rental Rates
Our ability to grow rental revenue from our existing portfolio will depend on our ability to realize the rental escalations built into our leases. As of December 31, 2025, leases contributing approximately 97.6% of our ABR provided for increases in future ABR, generally ranging from 1.5% to 3.0% annually, with an ABR weighted average increase of 2.1%. Generally, our rent escalators increase rent on specified dates by a fixed percentage. Approximately 10.9% of our rent escalators are based on an increase in the CPI over a specified period and 2.4% of our leases are flat leases, meaning they do not provide for rent increases during their terms.
Property Dispositions
From time to time, we strategically dispose of properties, primarily when we believe the risk profile has changed and become misaligned with our then current risk-adjusted return objectives or opportunistically when the capital can be redeployed accretively. The resulting gains or losses on dispositions may materially impact our operating results, and the recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market at the time a property is listed for sale.
Lease Renewals and Occupancy
As of December 31, 2025, the ABR weighted average remaining term of our portfolio was approximately 9.6 years, excluding tenant renewal options, and 22 leases, or approximately 3.3% of ABR, will expire during 2026. Approximately 3% of the properties in our portfolio are subject to tenant leases without at least one renewal option. Approximately 70.3% of our ABR was derived from leases that will expire after 2030, and no more than 11.3% of our ABR was derived from leases that expire in any single year up to 2030. The stability of the rental revenue generated by our properties depends principally on our tenants’ ability to pay rent and our ability to collect rents, renew expiring leases or re-lease space upon the expiration or other termination of leases, lease currently vacant properties, and maintain or increase rental rates at our leased properties. To the extent our properties become vacant and are not subject to a lease, we would forego rental income while remaining responsible for the payment of property taxes and maintaining the property until it is re-leased, which could negatively impact our operating results. Our portfolio was 99.8% occupied as of December 31, 2025.
Investment Activity
Our historical growth in revenues and earnings has been achieved through rent escalations associated with existing in-place leases, coupled with rental income generated from accretive property investments. Our ability to grow revenue will depend, to a significant degree, on our ability to identify and complete investment opportunities that meet our investment criteria. Changes in capitalization rates, interest rates, or other factors may impact our investment opportunities in the future. Market conditions may also impact the total returns we can achieve on our investments. Our investment volume also depends on our ability to access third-party debt and equity financing or our ability to recycle capital through property dispositions.
Net Lease Terms
Substantially all of our leases are net, pursuant to which our tenant generally is obligated to pay most recurring expenses associated with the leased property including real estate taxes, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. The remaining leases generally require that we pay some property expenses such as real estate taxes, insurance, or certain repairs and maintenance. Additionally, we seek to use master lease structures when possible, pursuant to which we lease multiple properties to a single tenant on an all or none basis. Master leases strengthen our ability to preserve rental revenue and prevent costs associated with vacancies for underperforming properties. As of December 31, 2025, master leases contributed 64.9% of the ABR associated with multi-site tenants (379 of 658 properties), and 38.6% of our overall ABR (379 of our 771 properties).
Interest Expense
We anticipate that we will continue to incur debt to fund future investment activity, which will increase the amount of interest expense we incur. In addition, although we attempt to limit our total floating-rate debt exposure, changes in the interest rate environment could either increase or decrease our weighted average interest rate in the future. As of December 31, 2025, 87.2% of our $2.5 billion of debt is fixed through fixed rates and $943.0 million of interest rate swap notional. As interest rate swaps mature, we will be subject to interest rate risk from changes in rates on our floating-rate
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debt to the extent we do not enter into new interest rate swaps. Any changes to our debt structure or debt financing associated with property investments, could materially influence our operating results depending on the terms of any such debt. Our current investment grade credit ratings are ‘BBB’ from S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”), which allow us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt. However, a downgrade in our credit rating, or interest rate change due to governmental monetary and tax policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions, or other factors beyond our control, could also increase the amount of interest we pay under our debt agreements.
General and Administrative Expenses
Our general and administrative expenses primarily consist of employee compensation and related costs, third party legal, accounting, and consulting expenses, travel and entertainment, and general office expenses.
Impact of Inflation
Our leases with tenants of our properties are long-term in nature, with a current weighted average remaining lease term of 9.6 years as of December 31, 2025. To mitigate the impact of inflation on our fixed revenue streams, we have implemented limited escalation clauses in our leases. As of December 31, 2025, substantially all of our leases had contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average increase of 2.1%. A majority of our leases have fixed annual rent increases or periodic escalations over the term of the lease (e.g., a 10% increase every five years), and the remaining portion has annual rent escalations based on increases in the CPI. These lease escalations mitigate the risk of fixed revenue streams in the case of an inflationary economic environment, and provide increased return in otherwise stable market conditions. As a majority of our portfolio has fixed lease escalations, we are limited in our same store rental revenue inflation protection.
Our focus on single-tenant, net leases also mitigates the potential impact of fluctuations in the cost of services and maintenance as a result of inflation. For a portion of our portfolio, we have leases that are not fully net, and, therefore, we bear certain responsibilities for the maintenance and structural component replacements (e.g., roof, structure, or parking lot) that may be required in the future, although the tenants are still required to pay all operating expenses associated with the property (e.g., real estate taxes, insurance, and maintenance and repair). Inflation and increased costs may have an adverse impact to our tenants and their creditworthiness if the increase in costs are greater than their increase in revenue. Where we cannot implement a net lease, we attempt to limit our exposure to inflation through the use of warranties and other remedies that reduce the likelihood of a significant capital outlay.
Although contractual risk‑mitigation provisions and budget contingencies help reduce our exposure to inflation on in-process build‑to‑suit developments, our construction projects remain subject to potential cost overruns that could increase total project costs and adversely affect expected investment yields. To further manage these risks, we utilize a number of protective measures in our build-to-suit arrangements, including contingencies, allowances, guaranteed maximum price contracts and change orders with Tenants. We generally seek to lock in material and labor pricing through guaranteed maximum price contracts, which shift a portion of the inflationary cost risk to our general contractors and development partners. Where appropriate, our agreements permit us to pass certain cost increases thru to tenants or to change project scopes to minimize cost impacts. These strategies help mitigate the potential impact of inflation on construction costs; however, sudden, significant or sustained inflationary pressures could still adversely affect our development yields and returns if such costs are not allowed to be passed through to the general contractor, developer or tenant or to be absorbed by contingency in the project budget.
Tenant Bankruptcies
Adverse economic conditions, particularly those that affect the markets in which our properties are located or downturns in our tenants’ industries, could impair our tenants’ ability to meet their lease obligations to us and our ability to renew expiring leases or re-lease space. In particular, the bankruptcy of one or more of our tenants could adversely affect our ability to collect rents from such tenants and maintain our portfolio’s occupancy.
Impairments
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. An impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds its fair value. Significant judgment is made as to if and when impairment should be taken. If our strategy, or one or more of the assumptions described above, changes in the future, we may have to recognize an impairment. Indications of a tenant’s inability to continue as a going concern, plans to vacate the property
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upon lease expiration, changes in our view or strategy relative to a tenant’s business or industry, or changes in our long-term hold strategies, could each be indicative of an impairment triggering event. For the year ended December 31, 2025, we recognized $39.7 million of impairment due to a change in our long-term hold strategy for 19 properties.
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Results of Operations
Discussion of our Results of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the year ended December 31, 2023 was previously filed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the heading “Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to Year Ended year ended December 31, 2023.”
Year Ended December 31, 2025 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2024
Lease revenues, net
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2025 | 2024 | $ | % | ||||||||||
| Contractual rental amounts billed for operating leases | $ | 408,794 | $ | 388,074 | $ | 20,720 | 5.3 | % | ||||||
| Adjustment to recognize contractual operating lease billings on a straight-line basis | 22,269 | 22,163 | 106 | 0.5 | % | |||||||||
| Net write-offs of accrued rental income | (4,086) | (2,556) | (1,530) | 59.9 | % | |||||||||
| Variable rental amounts earned | 3,340 | 2,999 | 341 | 11.4 | % | |||||||||
| Earned income from direct financing leases | 2,707 | 2,748 | (41) | (1.5 | %) | |||||||||
| Interest income from sales-type leases | 828 | 58 | 770 | 1327.6 | % | |||||||||
| Operating expenses billed to tenants | 20,629 | 20,693 | (64) | (0.3 | %) | |||||||||
| Other income from real estate transactions (a) | 574 | 2,039 | (1,465) | (71.8 | %) | |||||||||
| Adjustment to revenue recognized for uncollectible rental amounts billed, net | (917) | (4,418) | 3,501 | (79.2 | %) | |||||||||
| Total lease revenues, net | $ | 454,138 | $ | 431,800 | $ | 22,338 | 5.2 | % |
The increase in Lease revenues, net was primarily attributable to increased contractual rents related to rent escalations and growth in our real estate portfolio, specifically through recognizing a full year of rental revenue for all property acquisitions, revenue generating capital expenditures, and development stabilizations made in 2024. This was partially offset by the reductions of revenues associated with property dispositions. During the year ended December 31, 2025, we invested $438.2 million in new property acquisitions and revenue generating capital expenditures at a weighted average cash capitalization rate of 7.0%, and reached stabilization on a $54.1 million industrial build-to-suit development at a cash capitalization rate of 7.5%. During the year ended December 31, 2024, we invested $237.3 million in new property acquisitions and revenue generating capital expenditures at a weighted average initial cash capitalization rate of 7.3%, and reached stabilization on a $201.0 million build-to-suit development at a cash capitalization rate of 7.2%.
Operating Expenses
| Year ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2025 | 2024 | $ | % | ||||||||||
| Operating expenses | ||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | $ | 164,086 | $ | 156,179 | $ | 7,907 | 5.1 | % | ||||||
| Property and operating expense | 22,971 | 24,741 | (1,770) | (7.2 | %) | |||||||||
| General and administrative | 38,883 | 37,986 | 897 | 2.4 | % | |||||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 39,734 | 49,001 | (9,267) | (18.9 | %) | |||||||||
| Total operating expenses | $ | 265,674 | $ | 267,907 | $ | (2,233) | (0.8 | %) |
Depreciation and amortization
The increase in depreciation and amortization for the year ended December 31, 2025 was primarily due to an increase in net investment activity during 2025, as well as properties acquired and developments stabilized in the previous year having a full year’s worth of depreciation in the current year.
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Property and operating expense
The decrease in property and operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2025 was primarily due to a decrease in non-reimbursable property expenses for two properties that were re-leased and sold at the beginning of 2025 and end of 2024, respectively.
Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties
The following table presents the impairment charges for their respective periods:
| Year ended December 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||
| Number of properties | 19 | 18 | ||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 127,542 | $ | 146,811 | ||
| Fair value | 87,808 | 97,810 | ||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 39,734 | $ | 49,001 |
During the year ended December 31, 2025, we recognized $39.7 million of impairment on our investments in rental properties, primarily from changes in the Company’s long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties. Such impairments were based on actual and expected sales prices of the individual properties and primarily included a $14.6 million impairment charge on two healthcare properties. The timing and amount of impairment fluctuates from period to period depending on the specific facts and circumstances. The remaining impairments recognized during the year ended December 31, 2025 were not material.
Other income (expenses)
| Year ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2025 | 2024 | $ | % | ||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | ||||||||||||||
| Interest income | $ | 389 | $ | 994 | $ | (605) | (60.9 | %) | ||||||
| Interest expense | (94,467) | (74,077) | 20,390 | 27.5 | % | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | 12,601 | 73,153 | (60,552) | (82.8 | %) | |||||||||
| Income taxes | (1,154) | (1,175) | 21 | (1.8 | %) | |||||||||
| Other (expenses) income | (6,417) | 6,201 | (12,618) | 100.0% |
Interest expense
The increase in interest expense during the year ended December 31, 2025 was primarily due to the termination of interest rate swap agreements with an aggregate termination value of $6.7 million, which resulted in $6.1 million of accumulated losses held in Other comprehensive income to Interest expense. Additionally, interest expense increased due to an increase in total borrowings on our variable-rate Revolving Credit Facility, an additional $100.0 million of term debt outstanding, and the completion of our $350.0 million 5.00% senior unsecured notes, the proceeds of which were used to fund acquisitions and paydown the Revolving Credit Facility during 2025.
Gain on sale of real estate
Our recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market. During the year ended December 31, 2025, we recognized a gain of $12.6 million on the sale of 28 properties, compared to a gain of $73.2 million on the sale of 58 properties during the year ended December 31, 2024.
Other (expenses) income
The increase in other expenses during the year ended December 31, 2025 was primarily due to a $3.7 million unrealized foreign exchange loss recognized on the remeasurement of our $100 million Canadian Dollars (“CAD”) Revolving Credit Facility borrowings, compared to a $6.2 million unrealized foreign exchange gain recognized during the year ended December 31, 2024.
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Net Income and Net earnings per diluted share
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2025 | 2024 | $ | % | ||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 99,416 | $ | 168,989 | $ | (69,573) | (41.2) | % | ||||||
| Net earnings per diluted share | 0.50 | 0.86 | (0.36) | (41.9) | % |
The decrease in net income was primarily due to a decrease in the gain on sale of real estate of $60.6 million, an increase in interest expense of $20.4 million, and an increase in other expense of $12.6 million, which was partially offset by an increase in lease revenues, net of $22.3 million.
GAAP net income includes items such as gain or loss on sale of real estate and provisions for impairment, among others, which can vary from quarter to quarter and impact period-over-period comparisons.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
General
We acquire real estate using a combination of debt and equity capital, cash from operations that is not otherwise distributed to our stockholders, and proceeds from dispositions of real estate properties. Our focus is on maximizing the risk-adjusted return to our stockholders through an appropriate balance of debt and equity in our capital structure. We are committed to maintaining an investment grade balance sheet through active management of our leverage profile and overall liquidity position. We believe our leverage strategy has allowed us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt while simultaneously strengthening our balance sheet, as evidenced by our current investment grade credit ratings of ‘BBB’ from S&P and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s. We seek to maintain on a sustained basis a Leverage Ratio that is generally less than 6.0x. As of December 31, 2025, we had total debt outstanding of $2.5 billion, Net Debt of $2.5 billion, Pro Forma Net Debt of $2.5 billion, a Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio of 6.0x, and a Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio of 5.8x.
Net Debt, Pro Forma Net Debt, and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are non-GAAP financial measures, Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are calculated based upon EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre each of which is also a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to Non-GAAP Measures below for further details concerning our calculation of non-GAAP measures and reconciliations to the comparable GAAP measure.
Liquidity/REIT Requirements
Liquidity is a measure of our ability to meet potential cash requirements, including our ongoing commitments to repay debt, fund our operations, acquire and develop properties, make distributions to our stockholders, and fund other general business needs. As a REIT, we are required to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gains, on an annual basis. As a result, it is unlikely that we will be able to retain substantial cash balances to meet our long-term liquidity needs, including repayment of debt and investment of additional properties, from our annual taxable income. Instead, we expect to meet our long-term liquidity needs primarily by relying upon external sources of capital and proceeds from selective property dispositions.
Short-term Liquidity Requirements
Our short-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to pay for our operating expenses, including our general and administrative expenses and interest payments on our outstanding debt, to pay distributions, to fund our acquisitions that are under control or expected to close within a short time period, and to pay for commitments to fund build-to-suit developments, revenue generating capital expenditures, and transitional capital investments. Under leases where we are required to bear the cost of structural repairs and replacements, we do not currently anticipate making significant capital expenditures or incurring other significant property-level costs, including as a result of inflationary pressures in the current economic environment, because of the strong occupancy levels across our portfolio and the net lease nature of our leases. We expect to meet our short-term liquidity requirements primarily from cash and cash equivalents balances and net cash provided by operating activities, supplemented by borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility and capital recycled through selective property dispositions. We use cash on hand and borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility to initially fund investments, which are subsequently repaid or replaced with proceeds from our equity and debt capital markets activities as well as proceeds from selective property dispositions.
As detailed in the contractual obligations table below, we have approximately $383.4 million of expected obligations due throughout 2026, consisting of $197.6 million of commitments to fund investments, $107.8 million of projected interest
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expense, $59.5 million of dividends declared, $16.8 million of mortgage payments and amortization, and $1.5 million of lessee obligations. We expect our cash provided by operating activities, as discussed below, will be sufficient to pay for our current obligations including interest and mortgage amortization. We expect to pay for commitments to fund investments and our dividends declared using our Revolving Credit Facility. At December 31, 2025, we have $723.5 million of available capacity under our Revolving Credit Facility.
Long-term Liquidity Requirements
Our long-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to repay debt and invest in additional revenue generating properties and build-to-suit developments. We expect to source debt capital from unsecured term loans from commercial banks, revolving credit facilities, private placement senior unsecured notes, and public bond offerings.
The source and mix of our debt capital in the future will be impacted by market conditions as well as our continued focus on lengthening our debt maturity profile to better align with our portfolio’s long-term leases, staggering debt maturities to reduce the risk that a significant amount of debt will mature in any single year in the future, and managing our exposure to interest rate risk. We have no material debt maturities until 2027, as detailed in the table below.
We expect to meet our long-term liquidity requirements primarily from borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, future debt and equity financings, and proceeds from selective property dispositions. Our ability to access these capital sources may be impacted by unfavorable market conditions, particularly in the debt and equity capital markets, that are outside of our control. In addition, our success will depend on our operating performance, our borrowing restrictions, our degree of leverage, and other factors. Our acquisition growth strategy significantly depends on our ability to obtain acquisition financing on favorable terms. We seek to reduce the risk that long-term debt capital may be unavailable to us by strengthening our balance sheet by investing in real estate with creditworthy tenants and lease guarantors, and by maintaining an appropriate mix of debt and equity capitalization. We also, from time to time, obtain or assume non-recourse mortgage financing from banks and insurance companies secured by mortgages on the corresponding specific property subject to limitations imposed by our Revolving Credit Facility covenants and our investment grade credit rating.
Equity Capital Resources
Our equity capital is primarily provided through our at-the-market common equity offering program (“ATM Program”), as well as follow-on equity offerings. Under the terms of our ATM Program we may, from time to time, publicly offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $400.0 million. The ATM Program provides for forward sale agreements, which enable us to set the price of shares upon pricing the offering, while delaying the issuance of shares and the receipt of the net proceeds. After considering the shares sold subject to forward sale agreements, we have $348.6 million of capacity remaining under the ATM Program as of December 31, 2025.
Our public offerings have been used to repay debt, to fund investments, and for other general corporate purposes.
As we continue to invest in accretive real estate properties, we expect to balance our debt and equity capitalization, while maintaining a Leverage Ratio below 6.0x on a sustained basis.
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Unsecured Indebtedness and Capital Markets Activities as of and for the Year Ended December 31, 2025
The following table sets forth our outstanding Revolving Credit Facility, unsecured term loans and senior unsecured notes at December 31, 2025.
| (in thousands, except interest rates) | Outstanding Balance | Interest Rate | Maturity Date | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revolving Credit Facility | $ | 266,036 | applicable reference rate + 0.85% | (a) | Mar. 2029 | (d) | ||
| Unsecured term loans: | ||||||||
| 2027 Unsecured Term Loan | 200,000 | daily simple SOFR + 0.95% | (b) | Aug. 2027 | ||||
| 2028 Unsecured Term Loan | 500,000 | one-month SOFR + 0.95% | (c) | Mar. 2028 | (e) | |||
| 2029 Unsecured Term Loan | 300,000 | daily simple SOFR + 0.95% | (b) | Feb. 2029 | (f) | |||
| Total unsecured term loans | 1,000,000 | |||||||
| Unamortized debt issuance costs, net | (5,781) | |||||||
| Total unsecured term loans, net | 994,219 | |||||||
| Senior unsecured notes: | ||||||||
| 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A | 150,000 | 4.84% | Apr. 2027 | |||||
| 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B | 225,000 | 5.09% | Jul. 2028 | |||||
| 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C | 100,000 | 5.19% | Jul. 2030 | |||||
| 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes | 375,000 | 2.60% | Sep. 2031 | |||||
| 2032 Senior Unsecured Public Notes | 350,000 | 5.00% | Nov. 2032 | |||||
| Total senior unsecured notes | 1,200,000 | |||||||
| Unamortized debt issuance costs and original issuance discounts, net | (9,262) | |||||||
| Total senior unsecured notes, net | 1,190,738 | |||||||
| Total unsecured debt | $ | 2,450,993 |
(a)At December 31, 2025, a balance of $193.0 million was subject to daily simple SOFR. At December 31, 2025, the balance includes $100.0 million CAD borrowings remeasured to $73.0 million USD, and was subject to the daily simple Canadian Overnight Repo Rate Average (“CORRA”) of 2.30%.
(b)At December 31, 2025, overnight SOFR was 3.87%.
(c)At December 31, 2025, one-month SOFR was 3.69%.
(d)Our Revolving Credit Facility contains two six-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625% of the revolving commitments.
(e)The 2028 Unsecured Term Loan contains two twelve-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.125% of the aggregate principal amount of the loans outstanding under the 2028 term loan facility.
(f)The 2029 Unsecured Term Loan contains two twelve-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.10% of the aggregate principal amount of the loans outstanding under the 2029 term loan facility.
Revolving Credit Facility
Our Revolving Credit Facility has a $1.0 billion capacity with a maturity date of March 2029 and contains two six-month extension options, subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625%. In addition to USD, borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility can be made in Pound Sterling, Euros, or CAD up to an aggregate amount of $500.0 million. Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility are subject to interest only payments at variable rates equal to the applicable reference rate plus a margin of 0.85% based on our current credit ratings of ‘BBB’ and ‘Baa2’ from S&P and Moody’s, respectively. In addition, the Revolving Credit Facility is subject to a facility fee on the amount of the revolving commitments, based on our credit rating. The applicable facility fee is 0.20% per annum. The Company may issue letters of credit up to $20.0 million under the Revolving Credit Facility. At December 31, 2025, the Company had a $10.5 million standby letter of credit outstanding, which reduces the borrowing capacity under the facility. The letter of credit primarily supports the Company’s build-to-suit transactions.
2027 Unsecured Term Loan and 2029 Unsecured Term Loan
Borrowings under the 2027 Unsecured Term Loan and 2029 Unsecured Term Loan bear interest at variable rates based on daily simple SOFR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.80% and 1.60% per annum. The 2029 Unsecured Term Loan contains two twelve-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of
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an extension fee equal to 0.10% of the aggregate principal amount of the loans outstanding under the 2029 term loan facility.
2028 Unsecured Term Loan
Borrowings under the 2028 Unsecured Term Loan are subject to interest at variable rates based on one-month SOFR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.80% and 1.60% based on our credit rating. The 2028 Unsecured Term Loan contains two twelve-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.125% of the aggregate principal amount of the loans outstanding under the 2028 term loan facility.
2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A
The 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A are payable interest only semiannually during their term, bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.84% per annum, and mature in April 2027.
2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C
The 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C are payable interest only semiannually during their term, and bear interest at fixed rates of 5.09% per annum and 5.19% per annum, respectively. Series B Notes mature in July 2028, and the Series C Notes mature in July 2030.
2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes
Borrowings under the 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes are subject to interest only, semi-annual payments at a fixed rate of 2.60% per annum and mature in September 2031.
2032 Senior Unsecured Public Notes
Borrowings under the 2032 Senior Unsecured Public Notes are subject to interest only, semi-annual payments at a fixed rate of 5.00% per annum and mature in November 2032.
Debt Covenants
We are subject to various covenants and financial reporting requirements pursuant to our debt facilities, which are summarized below. As of December 31, 2025, we believe we were in compliance with all of our covenants on all outstanding borrowings. In the event of default, either through default on payments or breach of covenants, we may be restricted from paying dividends to our stockholders in excess of dividends required to maintain our REIT qualification. For each of the previous three years, we paid dividends out of our cash flows from operations in excess of the distribution amounts required to maintain our REIT qualification.
Contractual Obligations
The following table provides information with respect to our contractual commitments and obligations as of December 31, 2025 (in thousands). Refer to the discussion in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section above for further discussion over our short and long-term obligations.
| Year of Maturity | Revolving CreditFacility (a) | Mortgages | Term Loans | Senior Notes | InterestExpense (d) | Dividends (e) | Commitments to Fund Investments (f) | Lessee Obligations (g) | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $ | — | $ | 16,843 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 107,838 | $ | 59,513 | $ | 197,640 | $ | 1,523 | $ | 383,357 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2027 | — | 1,596 | 200,000 | 150,000 | 95,617 | — | 1,469 | 448,682 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2028 | — | 38,278 | 500,000 | (b) | 225,000 | 64,496 | — | 1,352 | 829,126 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2029 | 266,036 | — | 300,000 | (c) | — | 40,981 | 1,412 | 608,429 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2030 | — | — | — | 100,000 | 30,010 | 1,447 | 131,457 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thereafter | — | — | — | 725,000 | 39,676 | 32,693 | 797,369 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 266,036 | $ | 56,717 | $ | 1,000,000 | $ | 1,200,000 | $ | 378,618 | $ | 59,513 | $ | 197,640 | $ | 39,896 | $ | 3,198,420 |
(a)Our Revolving Credit Facility contains two six-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625% of the revolving commitments.
(b)Our 2028 Unsecured Term Loan contains two twelve-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.125% of the aggregate principal amount of the loans outstanding under the 2028 term loan facility.
(c)Our 2029 Unsecured Term Loan contains two twelve-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.10% of the aggregate principal amount of the loans outstanding under the 2029 term loan facility.
(d)Interest expense is projected based on the outstanding borrowings and interest rates in effect as of December 31, 2025. This amount includes the impact of interest rate swap agreements.
(e)Amounts include dividends declared as of December 31, 2025 of $0.29 per common share and OP Unit. Future undeclared dividends have been excluded.
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(f)Amounts include acquisitions under control, defined as acquisitions under contract or executed letter of intent, commitments to fund revenue generating capital expenditures, and both current in-process developments and under control development opportunities.
(g)Represents our contractual lease obligations as a lessee, primarily including our corporate headquarters and ground leases at our rental properties or properties under development. Our tenants are responsible for paying the rent under these ground leases at our stabilized assets. In the event our tenant fails to pay the ground lease rent, we are primarily responsible.
At December 31, 2025, investment in rental property with a net book value of $81.0 million was pledged as collateral against the Company’s mortgages.
In the normal course of business, we enter into various types of commitments to purchase real estate properties. These commitments are generally subject to our customary due diligence process and, accordingly, a number of specific conditions must be met before we are obligated to purchase the properties.
Additionally, we are a party to two separate tax protection agreements with the contributing members of two distinct UPREIT transactions and a third tax protection agreement entered into in connection with the internalization of our management in February 2020. The tax protection agreements require us to indemnify the beneficiaries in the event of a sale, exchange, transfer, or other disposal of the contributed property, and in the case of the tax protection agreement entered into in connection with the Company’s internalization, the entire Company, in a taxable transaction that would cause such beneficiaries to recognize a gain that is protected under the agreements, subject to certain exceptions. Based on values as of December 31, 2025, taxable sales of the applicable properties would trigger liability under the three agreements of approximately $20.4 million. Based on information available, we do not believe that the events resulting in liability as detailed above have occurred or are likely to occur in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, we have excluded these commitments from the contractual commitments table above.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
We are exposed to interest rate risk arising from changes in interest rates on the floating-rate borrowings under our unsecured credit facilities. Borrowings pursuant to our unsecured credit facilities bear interest at floating rates based on SOFR or CORRA plus an applicable margin. Accordingly, fluctuations in market interest rates may increase or decrease our interest expense, which will in turn, increase or decrease our net income and cash flow.
We attempt to manage the interest rate risk on variable rate borrowings by entering into interest rate swaps. As of December 31, 2025, we had 27 effective interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $943.0 million. Under the effective swap agreements, we receive monthly payments from the counterparties equal to the related variable interest rates multiplied by the outstanding notional amounts. In turn, we pay the counterparties each month an amount equal to a fixed interest rate multiplied by the related outstanding notional amounts. The intended net impact of these transactions is that we pay a fixed interest rate on our variable-rate borrowings. The interest rate swaps have been designated by us as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes and are reported at fair value. We assess, both at inception and on an ongoing basis, the effectiveness of our qualifying cash flow hedges. We have not entered, and do not intend to enter, into derivative or interest rate transactions for speculative purposes.
In addition, we own investments in Canada, and as a result are subject to risk from the effects of exchange rate movements in the Canadian dollar, which may affect future costs and cash flows. We funded a significant portion of our Canadian investments through Canadian dollar borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, which is intended to act as a natural hedge against our Canadian dollar investments. The Canadian dollar Revolving Credit Facility borrowings are remeasured each reporting period, with the unrealized foreign currency gains and losses flowing through earnings. These unrealized foreign currency gains and losses do not impact our cash flows from operations until settled, and are expected to directly offset the changes in the value of our net investments as a result of changes in the Canadian dollar. Our Canadian investments are recorded at their historical exchange rates, and therefore are not impacted by changes in the value of the Canadian dollar.
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Cash Flows
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $33.6 million, $16.0 million, and $20.6 million at December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. The table below shows information concerning cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 299,496 | $ | 276,253 | $ | 271,074 | ||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities | (675,273) | (59,703) | 24,338 | |||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 393,426 | (221,189) | (334,820) | |||||||
| Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash | $ | 17,649 | $ | (4,639) | $ | (39,408) |
The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2025 as compared to 2024 was mainly due to increased contractual rents related to rent escalations and growth in our real estate portfolio. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to 2023 was mainly due to a decrease in interest expense.
The increase in net cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2025 as compared to 2024 was mainly due to increased investment volume. The increase in net cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to 2023 was mainly due to increased investment volume, partially offset by proceeds from disposition activity.
The increase in net cash provided by financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2025 as compared 2024, mainly reflects an increase in net proceeds from unsecured term loans, senior unsecured notes, and Revolving Credit Facility. The decrease in net cash used in financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2023, mainly reflects an increase in net borrowings on the Revolving Credit Facility and increased distributions paid to shareholders in 2024 as compared to 2023.
Non-GAAP Measures
FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO
We compute Funds From Operations (“FFO”) in accordance with the standards established by the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“Nareit”), the worldwide representative voice for REITs and publicly traded real estate companies with an interest in the U.S. real estate and capital markets. Nareit defines FFO as GAAP net income or loss adjusted to exclude net gains (losses) from sales of certain depreciated real estate assets, depreciation and amortization expense from real estate assets, and impairment charges related to certain previously depreciated real estate assets. FFO is used by management, investors, and analysts to facilitate meaningful comparisons of operating performance between periods and among our peers, primarily because it excludes the effect of real estate depreciation and amortization and net gains (losses) on sales, which are based on historical costs and implicitly assume that the value of real estate diminishes predictably over time, rather than fluctuating based on existing market conditions.
We compute Core Funds From Operations (“Core FFO”) by adjusting FFO, as defined by Nareit, to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that we believe are infrequently recurring, unusual in nature, or not related to its core real estate operations, including write-offs or recoveries of accrued rental income, lease termination fees and other non-core income from real estate transactions, cost of debt extinguishment, unrealized and realized gains or losses on foreign currency transactions, severance and employee transition costs, and other extraordinary items. Exclusion of these items from similar FFO-type metrics is common within the equity REIT industry, and management believes that presentation of Core FFO provides investors with a metric to assist in their evaluation of our operating performance across multiple periods and in comparison to the operating performance of our peers, because it removes the effect of unusual items that are not expected to impact our operating performance on an ongoing basis.
We compute Adjusted Funds From Operations (“AFFO”), by adjusting Core FFO for certain revenues and expenses that are non-cash or unique in nature, including straight-line rents, amortization of lease intangibles, adjustment to provision for credit losses, amortization of debt issuance costs, adjustment to provision for credit losses, amortization of net mortgage premiums, non-capitalized transaction costs such as acquisition costs related to deals that failed to transact, loss on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense, deferred taxes, stock-based compensation, and other specified non-cash items. We believe that excluding such items assists management and investors in distinguishing whether changes in our operations are due to growth or decline of operations at our properties or from other factors. We use AFFO as a measure of our performance when we formulate corporate goals and as a factor in determining management compensation. We believe
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that AFFO is a useful supplemental measure for investors to consider because it will help them to better assess our operating performance without the distortions created by non-cash revenues or expenses.
Specific to our adjustment for straight-line rents, our leases include cash rents that increase over the term of the lease to compensate us for anticipated increases in market rental rates over time. Our leases do not include significant front-loading or back-loading of payments, or significant rent-free periods. Therefore, we find it useful to evaluate rent on a contractual basis as it allows for comparison of existing rental rates to market rental rates.
FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other REITs, and comparisons of our FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO with the same or similar measures disclosed by other REITs may not be meaningful.
Neither the SEC nor any other regulatory body has passed judgment on the acceptability of the adjustments to FFO that we use to calculate Core FFO and AFFO. In the future, the SEC, Nareit, or another regulatory body may decide to standardize the allowable adjustments across the REIT industry and in response to such standardization we may have to adjust our calculation and characterization of Core FFO and AFFO accordingly.
The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to FFO, Core FFO and AFFO:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| Net income | $ | 99,416 | $ | 168,989 | $ | 163,312 | ||||
| Real property depreciation and amortization | 163,752 | 155,844 | 158,346 | |||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (12,601) | (73,153) | (54,310) | |||||||
| Provision for impairment on investment in rental properties | 39,734 | 49,001 | 31,274 | |||||||
| FFO | $ | 290,301 | $ | 300,681 | $ | 298,622 | ||||
| Net write-offs of accrued rental income | 4,089 | 2,676 | 4,458 | |||||||
| Other non-core income from real estate transactions (a) | (348) | (2,070) | (7,500) | |||||||
| Cost of debt extinguishment | 166 | — | 3 | |||||||
| Severance and employee transition costs | 55 | 385 | 1,622 | |||||||
| Other (income) expenses (b) | 6,252 | (6,201) | 1,678 | |||||||
| Core FFO | $ | 300,515 | $ | 295,471 | $ | 298,883 | ||||
| Straight-line rent adjustment | (21,591) | (21,652) | (26,736) | |||||||
| Adjustment to provision for credit losses | (13) | (17) | (10) | |||||||
| Amortization of debt issuance costs | 5,488 | 3,932 | 3,938 | |||||||
| Amortization of net mortgage premiums | — | — | (78) | |||||||
| Non-capitalized transaction costs | 541 | 951 | — | |||||||
| Loss on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense | 6,139 | 209 | 1,884 | |||||||
| Amortization of lease intangibles (c) | (4,470) | (4,413) | (5,846) | |||||||
| Stock-based compensation | 9,597 | 7,355 | 5,972 | |||||||
| Deferred taxes | 75 | 155 | (282) | |||||||
| AFFO | $ | 296,281 | $ | 281,991 | $ | 277,725 |
(a)Amount includes $0.4 million, $1.2 million, and $7.5 million in lease termination fees for the years end December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively, and $0.9 million in income for the settlement of a permanent land easement for an insignificant portion of two properties during the year ended December 31, 2024.
(b)Amount includes $3.7 million, ($6.2) million, and $1.7 million of unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively, primarily associated with our Canadian dollar denominated Revolver Credit Facility borrowings, and a $2.5 million write-off of a non-real estate note receivable during the year ended December, 31, 2025.
(c)Amount includes $1.5 million of accelerated amortization of lease intangibles for an early lease termination of a property during the year ended December 31, 2023.
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EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre, Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre, Annualized EBITDAre, Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We compute EBITDA as earnings before interest, income taxes and depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is a measure commonly used in our industry. We believe that this ratio provides investors and analysts with a measure of our performance that includes our operating results unaffected by the differences in capital structures, capital investment cycles and useful life of related assets compared to other companies in our industry. We compute EBITDAre in accordance with the definition adopted by Nareit, as EBITDA excluding gains (losses) from the sales of depreciable property and provisions for impairment on investment in real estate. We believe EBITDA and EBITDAre are useful to investors and analysts because they provide important supplemental information about our operating performance exclusive of certain non-cash and other costs. EBITDA and EBITDAre are not measures of financial performance under GAAP, and our EBITDA and EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our EBITDA and EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
We are focused on a disciplined and targeted investment strategy, together with active asset management that includes selective sales of properties. We manage our leverage profile using a ratio of Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, each discussed further below, which we believe is a useful measure of our ability to repay debt and a relative measure of leverage, and is used in communications with our lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. As we fund new investments using our unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, our leverage profile and Net Debt will be immediately impacted by current quarter investments. However, the full benefit of EBITDAre from new investments will not be received in the same quarter in which the properties are acquired. Additionally, EBITDAre for the quarter includes amounts generated by properties that have been sold during the quarter. Accordingly, the variability in EBITDAre caused by the timing of our investments and dispositions can temporarily distort our leverage ratios. We adjust EBITDAre (“Adjusted EBITDAre”) for the most recently completed quarter (i) to recalculate as if all investments and dispositions had occurred at the beginning of the quarter, (ii) to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that are either non-cash, such as cost of debt extinguishments, realized or unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency transactions, or gains on insurance recoveries, or that we believe are one time, or unusual in nature because they relate to unique circumstances or transactions that had not previously occurred and which we do not anticipate occurring in the future, and (iii) to eliminate the impact of lease termination fees and other items that are not a result of normal operations. While investments in build-to-suit developments have an immediate impact to Net Debt, we do not make an adjustment to EBITDAre until the quarter in which the lease commences. We define our Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre as Adjusted EBITDAre adjusted to show the impact of estimated contractual revenues based on in-process development spend to-date. Our Pro Forma Net Debt is defined as Net Debt adjusted for estimated net proceeds from forward sale agreements that have not settled as if they have been physically settled for cash as of the period presented. We then annualize quarterly Adjusted EBITDAre and Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre by multiplying them by four (“Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre” and “Annualized Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre”). You should not unduly rely on this measure as it is based on assumptions and estimates that may prove to be inaccurate. Our actual reported EBITDAre for future periods may be significantly different from our Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre. Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are not measurements of performance under GAAP, and our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
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The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre. Information is also presented with respect to Annualized EBITDAre, Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre:
| For the Three Months Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| Net income | $ | 35,028 | $ | 27,607 | $ | 6,797 | ||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 41,768 | 42,987 | 39,278 | |||||||
| Interest expense | 25,051 | 19,565 | 18,972 | |||||||
| Income taxes | 392 | 527 | (268) | |||||||
| EBITDA | $ | 102,239 | $ | 90,686 | $ | 64,779 | ||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 4,667 | 17,690 | 29,801 | |||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (8,371) | (8,197) | (6,270) | |||||||
| EBITDAre | $ | 98,535 | $ | 100,179 | $ | 88,310 | ||||
| Adjustment for current quarter acquisition activity (a) | 1,821 | 28 | 153 | |||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter disposition activity (b) | (286) | (11) | (156) | |||||||
| Adjustment to exclude non-recurring expenses (income) (c) | 2,515 | 348 | 128 | |||||||
| Adjustment to exclude net write-offs of accrued rental income | 1,103 | 120 | 4,161 | |||||||
| Adjustment to exclude realized/unrealized foreign exchange loss (gain) | 1,282 | (4,699) | 1,453 | |||||||
| Adjustment to exclude other income from real estate transactions (d) | (392) | (1,183) | — | |||||||
| Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 104,578 | $ | 94,782 | $ | 94,049 | ||||
| Estimated revenues from developments (e) | 2,867 | 334 | — | |||||||
| Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 107,445 | $ | 95,116 | $ | 94,049 | ||||
| Annualized EBITDAre | $ | 394,140 | $ | 400,716 | $ | 353,240 | ||||
| Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 418,312 | $ | 379,128 | $ | 376,196 | ||||
| Pro Forma Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 429,780 | $ | 380,464 | $ | 376,196 |
(a)Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all investments during the quarter as if they had been made as of the beginning of the quarter.
(b)Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all dispositions during the quarter as if they had been sold as of the beginning of the quarter.
(c)Amount includes a $2.5 million write-off of a non-real estate note receivable for the three months ended December 31, 2025. Amount includes $0.2 million accelerated lease intangible amortization and $0.1 million of severance and employee transition costs for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Amount includes $0.1 million of severance and employee transition costs for the three months ended December 31, 2023.
(d)Amount includes lease termination fees during the three months ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.
(e)Represents estimated contractual revenues based on in-process development spend to-date.
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Net Debt, Pro Forma Net Debt, Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre, Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We define Net Debt as gross debt (total reported debt plus debt issuance costs and original issuance discount) less cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. Our Pro Forma Net Debt is defined as Net Debt adjusted for estimated net proceeds from unsettled forward sale agreements as if they have been settled for cash as of the period presented. We believe that the presentation of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre is useful to investors and analysts because these ratios provide information about gross debt less cash and cash equivalents, which could be used to repay debt, compared to our performance as measured using EBITDAre, and is used in communications with lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. The following table reconciles total debt (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to Net Debt, Pro Forma Net Debt, and presents the ratios of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre, Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, respectively:
| As of December 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2025 | 2024 | ||||
| Debt | ||||||
| Revolving Credit Facility | $ | 266,036 | $ | 93,014 | ||
| Unsecured term loans, net | 994,219 | 897,201 | ||||
| Senior unsecured notes, net | 1,190,738 | 846,064 | ||||
| Mortgages, net | 56,689 | 76,846 | ||||
| Debt issuance costs | 15,072 | 6,802 | ||||
| Gross Debt | 2,522,754 | 1,919,927 | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | (30,540) | (14,845) | ||||
| Restricted cash | (3,102) | (1,148) | ||||
| Net Debt | $ | 2,489,112 | $ | 1,903,934 | ||
| Estimated net proceeds from forward equity agreements (a) | (10,964) | (38,514) | ||||
| Pro Forma Net Debt | $ | 2,478,148 | $ | 1,865,420 | ||
| Leverage Ratios: | ||||||
| Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre | 6.3x | 4.8x | ||||
| Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | 6.0x | 5.0x | ||||
| Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | 5.8x | 4.9x |
(a)Represents pro forma adjustment for estimated net proceeds from forward sale agreements that have not settled as if they have been physically settled for cash as of the period presented.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses as well as other disclosures in the financial statements. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. These judgments affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates and assumptions; however, actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions, which in turn could have a material impact on our financial statements. A summary of our significant accounting policies and procedures are included in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” contained in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Management believes the following critical accounting policies, among others, affect its more significant estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Investment in Rental Property
Rental property accounted for under operating leases is recorded at cost. Rental property accounted for under direct financing leases and sales-type are recorded at its net investment, which generally represents the cost of the property at the inception of the lease.
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We account for acquisitions of real estate as asset acquisitions in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations, as substantially all of the fair value of the assets acquired are concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets.
We allocate the purchase price of investments in rental property accounted for as asset acquisitions based on the relative fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. These generally include tangible assets, consisting of land and land improvements, buildings and other improvements, and equipment, and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities, including the value of in-place leases and acquired above-market and below-market leases.
We use multiple sources to estimate fair value, including information obtained about each property from our pre-acquisition due diligence and our marketing and leasing activities. Factors that impact our fair value determination include real estate market conditions, tenant industry conditions, and characteristics of the real estate and/or real estate appraisals. Changes in any of these factors could impact the future purchase prices of our investments and the corresponding capitalization rates recognized.
The estimated fair value of the tangible assets of an acquired property is determined by valuing the property as if it were vacant. The "if vacant" value is then allocated to land and land improvements, buildings, and equipment based on comparable sales and other relevant information with respect to the property, as estimated by management. Specifically, the “if vacant” value of buildings and equipment is calculated using an income approach. Assumptions used in the income approach to value the buildings include: capitalization and discount rates, lease-up time, market rents, make ready costs, land value, and land improvement value.
The estimated fair value of acquired in-place leases are the costs we would have had to incur to lease the properties to the occupancy level of the properties at the date of acquisition. Such costs include the fair value of leasing commissions and other operating costs that would have been incurred to lease the properties, had they been vacant, to their acquired occupancy level. Acquired in-place leases as of the date of acquisition are amortized over the remaining non-cancellable lease terms of the respective leases to amortization expense.
Acquired above-market and below-market lease values are recorded based on the present value (using an interest rate that reflects the risks associated with the lease acquired) of the differences between the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the in-place leases and management’s estimate of fair market value lease rates at the time of acquisition for the corresponding in-place leases. The capitalized above-market and below-market lease values are amortized as adjustments to rental income over the remaining term of the respective leases.
Management estimates the fair value of assumed mortgages based upon indications of then-current market pricing for similar types of debt with similar maturities. Assumed mortgages are initially recorded at their estimated fair value as of the assumption date, and the difference between such estimated fair value and the notes’ outstanding principal balance is amortized to interest expense over the remaining term of the debt.
Long-lived Asset Impairment
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. An impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the fair value. Significant judgment is made to determine if and when impairment should be taken. Management’s assessment of impairment as of December 31, 2025 was based on the most current information available to management. Certain of our properties may have fair values less than their carrying amounts. However, based on management’s plans with respect to each of those properties, we believe that their carrying amounts are recoverable and therefore, no impairment charges were recognized other than those described below. If operating conditions deteriorate or if our expected holding period for assets changes, subsequent tests for impairments could result in additional impairment charges in the future.
Inputs used in establishing fair value for real estate assets generally fall within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, which are characterized as requiring significant judgment as little or no current market activity may be available for validation. The main indicator used to establish the classification of the inputs is current market conditions, as derived through the use of published commercial real estate market information. We determine the valuation of impaired assets using generally accepted valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis, income capitalization, analysis of recent comparable sales transactions, actual sales negotiations, and bona fide purchase offers received from third parties. We may consider a single valuation technique or multiple valuation techniques, as appropriate, when estimating the fair value of our real estate.
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The following table summarizes our impairment charges resulting primarily from changes in our long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||
| Number of properties | 19 | 18 | 4 | |||||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 127,542 | $ | 146,811 | $ | 62,720 | ||||
| Fair value | 87,808 | 97,810 | 31,446 | |||||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 39,734 | $ | 49,001 | $ | 31,274 |
During the year ended December 31, 2025, we recognized $39.7 million of impairment on our investments in rental properties, primarily from changes in our long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties. Such impairments were based on actual and expected sales prices of the individual properties and primarily included a $14.6 million impairment charge on two healthcare properties. The timing and amount of impairment fluctuates from period to period depending on the specific facts and circumstances. The remaining impairments recognized during the year ended December 31, 2025 were not material.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the amount paid over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination and is assigned to one or more reporting units. We evaluate goodwill for impairment when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable, or at least annually. Our annual testing date is November 30.
The goodwill impairment evaluation is completed using either a qualitative or quantitative approach. Under a qualitative approach, the impairment review for goodwill consists of an assessment of whether it is more-likely-than-not that the reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value, including goodwill. If a qualitative approach indicates it is more likely-than-not that the estimated carrying value of a reporting unit (including goodwill) exceeds its fair value, or if we choose to bypass the qualitative approach, we perform the quantitative approach described below.
When we perform a quantitative test of goodwill for impairment, we compare the carrying value of a reporting unit with its fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, we do not consider goodwill to be impaired and no further analysis would be required. If the fair value is determined to be less than its carrying value, the amount of goodwill impairment equals the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill.
Management determined that we have one reporting unit, consistent with our segment reporting analysis, which includes the acquisition, leasing, and ownership of net leased properties (i.e., the consolidated entity). When necessary to perform the quantitative test for goodwill impairment, our estimate of fair value is determined using a market approach, leveraging assumptions such as the fair value of our equity, and consideration of a control premium, if necessary, which includes an analysis of similar market transactions. While we believe the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of our reporting unit are reasonable, changes in these assumptions may have a material impact on our financial results. Based on the results of our annual goodwill impairment test on November 30, 2025, our annual goodwill impairment test date, we concluded that goodwill was not impaired.
Revenue Recognition
We account for leases in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. We commence revenue recognition on our leases based on a number of factors, including the initial determination that the contract is or contains a lease. Generally, all of our property-related contracts are or contain leases, and therefore revenue is recognized when the lessee takes possession of or controls the physical use of the leased asset(s). In most instances this occurs on the lease commencement date. At the time of lease assumption or at the inception of a new lease, including new leases that arise from amendments, we assess the terms and conditions of the lease to determine the proper lease classification.
A lease is classified as an operating lease if none of the following criteria are met: (i) ownership transfers to the lessee at the end of the lease term, (ii) the lessee has a purchase option that is reasonably expected to be exercised, (iii) the lease term is for a major part of the economic life of the leased property, (iv) the present value of the future lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee that is not already reflected in the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the leased property, and (v) the leased property is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no future alternative use to the Company at the end of the lease term. If one or more of these criteria are met, the lease will generally be classified as a sales-type lease, unless the lease contains a residual value guarantee from a third party other than the lessee, in which case it would be classified as a direct financing lease under certain circumstances.
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We account for the right to use land as a separate lease component, unless the accounting effect of doing so would be insignificant. Determination of significance requires management judgment. In determining whether the accounting effect of separately reporting the land component from other components for its real estate leases is significant, we assess: (i) whether separating the land component impacts the classification of any lease component, (ii) the value of the land component in the context of the overall contract, and (iii) whether the right to use the land is coterminous with the rights to use the other assets.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Management uses interest rate swap agreements to manage risks related to interest rate movements. Management documents its risk management strategy and hedge effectiveness at the inception of, and during the term of, each hedge. Our interest rate risk management strategy is intended to stabilize cash flow requirements by maintaining interest rate swap agreements to convert certain variable-rate debt to a fixed rate.
The interest rate swap agreements, designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges, are reported at fair value. Interest rate swaps are measured at fair value using inputs that are directly observable in active markets and are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, using an income approach. Specifically, the fair value of the interest rate swaps is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected future cash flows of each instrument. This analysis utilizes observable market data including yield curves and implied volatilities to determine the market’s expectation of the future cash flows of the variable component. The fixed and variable components of the interest rate swaps are then discounted using calculated discount factors developed based on the overnight indexed swap (“OIS”) curve and are aggregated to arrive at a single valuation for the period. The Company also incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its interest rate swaps fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with its interest rate swaps utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by itself and its counterparties. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company has assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation. As a result, the Company has determined that its interest rate swap valuations in their entirety are appropriately classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
When an existing cash flow hedge is terminated, we determine the accounting treatment for the accumulated gain or loss recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income, based on the probability of the hedged forecasted transaction occurring within the period the cash flow hedge was anticipated to affect earnings. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is probable of occurring during the original period, the accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings over the remaining life of the cash flow hedge using a straight-line method. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is not probable of occurring during the original period, the entire amount of accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings at such time.
Impact of Recent Accounting Pronouncements
For information on the impact of recent accounting pronouncements on our business, see the captions Recently Adopted Accounting Standards and Other Recently Issued Accounting Standards in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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MD&A history
Prior-year 10-K MD&A spans are extracted from SEC filings with the same bounded parser used for the latest filing. The latest 10-K appears above; prior years are below.
FY 2024 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0000950170-25-024123.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand our results of operations and financial condition. This MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
We are an industrial-focused, diversified net lease real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that invests in primarily single-tenant commercial real estate properties that are net leased on a long-term basis to a diversified group of tenants. As of December 31, 2024, our portfolio includes 765 properties, with 758 properties located in 44 U.S. states and seven properties located in four Canadian provinces.
We expect to achieve growth in revenues and earnings through our four core building blocks, which are (1) embedded same store net operating income growth through best-in-class portfolio rent escalations, stable rent collections, minimal credit losses, strong lease rollover outcomes, and accretive recycling, (2) revenue generating capital expenditures with existing tenants, (3) build-to-suit developments, and (4) a diversified acquisition pipeline.
We focus on investing in real estate that is operated by creditworthy single tenants in industries characterized by positive business drivers and trends. We target properties that are an integral part of the tenants’ businesses and are therefore opportunities to secure long-term net leases through which our tenants are able to retain operational control of their strategically important locations, while allocating their debt and equity capital to fund core business operations rather than real estate ownership.
•
Diversified Investment Strategy. We invest in real estate through property acquisitions, revenue generating capital expenditures, build-to-suit developments, and transitional capital. Our investments in these alternatives fluctuate from time to time depending on macroeconomic conditions and business or market trends. Our strong relationships with brokers, developers, and tenants provides access to, off-market and marketed investment opportunities. Off-market transactions are characterized by a lack of a formal marketing process and a lack of widely disseminated marketing materials. Marketed transactions are often characterized by extensive buyer competition. For all investments, we seek to maintain our portfolio’s diversification by property type, geography, tenant, and industry in an effort to reduce fluctuations in income caused by under-performing individual real estate assets or adverse economic conditions affecting an entire industry or geographic region.
•
Diversified Portfolio. As of December 31, 2024, our portfolio comprised approximately 39.4 million rentable square feet of operational space, was highly diversified based on property type, geography, tenant, and industry, and was cross-diversified within each (e.g., property-type diversification within a geographic concentration):
•
Property Type: We are primarily diversified across industrial and retail property types. Within these sectors, we have meaningful concentrations in manufacturing, distribution and warehouse, food processing, general merchandise, casual dining, and quick service restaurants.
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Geographic Diversification: Our properties are located in 44 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, with no single geographic concentration exceeding 9.6% of our ABR.
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Tenant and Industry Diversification: Our properties are occupied by 202 different commercial tenants who operate 190 distinct brands that are diversified across 55 varying industries, with no single tenant accounting for more than 4.1% of our ABR.
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Strong In-Place Leases with Significant Remaining Lease Term. As of December 31, 2024, our portfolio was approximately 99.1% leased with an ABR weighted average remaining lease term of approximately 10.2 years, excluding renewal options.
•
Standard Contractual Base Rent Escalation. Approximately 97.4% of our leases have contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average increase of 2.0%.
•
Extensive Tenant Financial Reporting. Approximately 94.2% of our tenants, based on ABR, provide financial reporting, of which 85.6% are required to provide us with specified financial information on a periodic basis, and an additional 8.6% of our tenants report financial statements publicly, either through SEC filings or otherwise.
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Diversified Investment Activity
During the year ended December 31, 2024, our investment activity consisted of the following:
| For the Three Months Ended | For the Year Ended | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2024 | September 30, 2024 | June 30, 2024 | March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||
| Acquisitions: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Acquisition price | $ | — | $ | 69,250 | $ | 165,053 | $ | — | $ | 234,303 | ||||||||||
| Initial cash capitalization rate | — | 7.2 | % | 7.3 | % | — | 7.3 | % | ||||||||||||
| Straight-line yield | — | 8.0 | % | 8.1 | % | — | 8.1 | % | ||||||||||||
| Weighted average lease term (years) | — | 9.4 | 11.5 | — | 10.9 | |||||||||||||||
| Weighted average annual rent increase | — | 2.8 | % | 2.3 | % | — | 2.4 | % | ||||||||||||
| Build-to-suit developments: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Investments | $ | 22,962 | $ | 24,667 | $ | 30,583 | $ | 37,107 | $ | 115,319 | ||||||||||
| Revenue generating capital expenditures: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Investments | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 3,000 | $ | 3,000 | ||||||||||
| Initial cash capitalization rate | — | — | — | 8.0 | % | 8.0 | % | |||||||||||||
| Weighted average lease term (years) | — | — | — | 8.0 | 8.0 | |||||||||||||||
| Weighted average annual rent increase | — | — | — | 2.5 | % | 2.5 | % | |||||||||||||
| Transitional capital: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Investments | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 52,200 | $ | — | $ | 52,200 | ||||||||||
| Cash capitalization rate | — | — | 8.0 | % | — | 8.0 | % | |||||||||||||
| Total investments | $ | 22,962 | $ | 93,917 | $ | 247,836 | $ | 40,107 | $ | 404,822 | ||||||||||
| Total initial cash capitalization rate (a) | — | 7.2 | % | 7.3 | % | 8.0 | % | 7.3 | % | |||||||||||
| Total weighted average lease term (years) (a) | — | 9.4 | 11.5 | 8.0 | 10.8 | |||||||||||||||
| Total weighted average annual rent increase (a) | — | 2.8 | % | 2.3 | % | 2.5 | % | 2.4 | % |
(a)
Due to the nature of (1) transitional capital representing a contractual yield on invested capital, and (2) build-to-suit developments not generating revenue during construction, these are excluded from the calculation of total cash capitalization rates, weighted average lease terms, and weighted average rent increases.
Build-to-Suit Development Projects
The following table summarizes the Company’s in-process developments as of December 31, 2024:
| Property | Property Type | Projected Rentable Square Feet | Start Date (b) | Target Stabilization Date (c) | Lease Term (Years) | Total Project Commitment (d) | Estimated Total Project Investment (e) | Cumulative Investment | Estimated Remaining Investment | Estimated Cash Capitalization Rate (f) | Estimated Straight-line Yield | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Brew (High Point - NC) | Retail | 1 | Dec. 2024 | Feb. 2025 | 15 | $ | 1,975 | $ | 1,975 | $ | 1,173 | $ | 802 | 8.0 | % | 8.8 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Sierra Nevada (Dayton - OH) | Industrial | 122 | Oct. 2024 | Nov. 2025 | 15 | 58,563 | 58,563 | 4,638 | 53,925 | 7.6 | % | 9.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sierra Nevada (Dayton - OH) | Industrial | 122 | Oct. 2024 | Mar. 2026 | 15 | 55,525 | 55,525 | 4,257 | 51,268 | 7.7 | % | 9.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Southwire (Bremen - GA) | Industrial | 1,200 | Dec. 2024 | Jul. 2026 | 10 | 115,411 | 107,333 | 8,285 | 99,048 | 7.6 | % | 8.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 1,445 | $ | 231,474 | $ | 223,396 | $ | 18,353 | $ | 205,043 |
(b)
The period in which we have acquired access to the land and begun physical construction on a property.
(c)
Represents our current estimate of the period in which we will have substantially completed a project and the project is made available for occupancy. We expect to update our timing estimates on a quarterly basis.
(d)
Represents the contractual maximum amount of costs that we are committed to fund for the build-to-suit development project.
(e)
Represents the estimated costs to be incurred to complete development of each project. We expect to update our estimates upon completion of the project, or sooner if there are any significant changes to expected costs from quarter to quarter. Excludes capitalized costs consisting of capitalized interest and other acquisition costs.
(f)
Calculated by dividing the estimated first year cash yield to be generated on a real estate investment by the Estimated Project Investment for the property.
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The following table summarizes the Company’s stabilized developments during the year ended December 31, 2024:
| Property | Property Type | Rentable Square Feet | Lease Commencement Date (g) | Total Project Commitment (d) | Estimated Total Project Investment (e) | Cumulative Investment | Estimated Remaining Investment | Estimated Cash Capitalization Rate (f) | Estimated Straight-line Yield | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNFI (Sarasota - FL) | Industrial | 1,016 | Sep. 2024 | $ | 204,833 | $ | 200,958 | $ | 190,573 | $ | 10,385 | (h) | 7.2 | % | 8.6 | % |
(g)
The month in which the development was substantially completed and was made available for occupancy.
(h)
Revenue on additional fundings will receive a cash capitalization rate of 6.8%.
Factors That Impact Our Result of Operations
Our results of operations and financial condition are affected by numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control. Key factors that typically impact our results of operations and financial condition, include rental rates, property dispositions, lease renewals and occupancy, investment activity, net lease terms, interest expense, general and administrative expenses, tenant bankruptcies, and impairments.
Rental Rates
Our ability to grow rental revenue from our existing portfolio will depend on our ability to realize the rental escalations built into our leases. As of December 31, 2024, leases contributing approximately 97.4% of our ABR provided for increases in future ABR, generally ranging from 1.5% to 3.0% annually, with an ABR weighted average increase of 2.0%. Generally, our rent escalators increase rent on specified dates by a fixed percentage. Approximately 12.1% of our rent escalators are based on an increase in the CPI over a specified period and 2.6% of our leases are flat leases, meaning they do not provide for rent increases during their terms.
Property Dispositions
From time to time, we strategically dispose of properties, primarily when we believe the risk profile has changed and become misaligned with our then current risk-adjusted return objectives. The resulting gains or losses on dispositions may materially impact our operating results, and the recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market at the time a property is listed for sale.
Lease Renewals and Occupancy
As of December 31, 2024, the ABR weighted average remaining term of our portfolio was approximately 10.2 years, excluding tenant renewal options, and 16 leases, or approximately 1.2% of ABR, will expire during 2025. Approximately 3% of the properties in our portfolio are subject to tenant leases without at least one renewal option. Approximately 67.3% of our ABR was derived from leases that will expire after 2030, and no more than 12.3% of our ABR was derived from leases that expire in any single year up to 2030. The stability of the rental revenue generated by our properties depends principally on our tenants’ ability to pay rent and our ability to collect rents, renew expiring leases or re-lease space upon the expiration or other termination of leases, lease currently vacant properties, and maintain or increase rental rates at our leased properties. To the extent our properties become vacant and are not subject to a lease, we would forego rental income while remaining responsible for the payment of property taxes and maintaining the property until it is re-leased, which could negatively impact our operating results. Our portfolio was 99.1% occupied as of December 31, 2024.
Investment Activity
Our historical growth in revenues and earnings has been achieved through rent escalations associated with existing in-place leases, coupled with rental income generated from accretive property investments. Our ability to grow revenue will depend, to a significant degree, on our ability to identify and complete acquisitions that meet our investment criteria. Changes in capitalization rates, interest rates, or other factors may impact our acquisition opportunities in the future. Market conditions may also impact the total returns we can achieve on our investments. Our investment volume also depends on our ability to access third-party debt and equity financing or our ability to recycle capital through property dispositions.
Net Lease Terms
Substantially all of our leases are net, pursuant to which our tenant generally is obligated to pay most recurring expenses associated with the leased property including real estate taxes, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. The remaining leases generally require that we pay some property expenses such as real estate taxes, insurance, or certain repairs and maintenance. Additionally, we seek to use master lease structures when possible, pursuant to which we lease multiple properties to a single tenant on an all or none basis. Master leases strengthen our ability to preserve rental revenue and prevent costs associated with vacancies for underperforming properties. As of December 31, 2024, master leases contributed 69.1% of the ABR associated with multi-site tenants (394 of 656 properties), and 41.4% of our overall ABR (394 of our 765 properties).
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Interest Expense
We anticipate that we will continue to incur debt to fund future investment activity, which will increase the amount of interest expense we incur. In addition, although we attempt to limit our total floating-rate debt exposure, changes in the interest rate environment could either increase or decrease our weighted average interest rate in the future. As of December 31, 2024, 97.2% of our $1.9 billion of debt is fixed through fixed rates and $939.5 million of interest rate swap notional. As interest rate swaps mature, we will be subject to interest rate risk from changes in rates on our floating-rate debt to the extent we do not enter into new interest rate swaps. Any changes to our debt structure or debt financing associated with property investments, could materially influence our operating results depending on the terms of any such debt. Our current investment grade credit ratings are ‘BBB’ from S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”), which allow us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt. However, a downgrade in our credit rating, or interest rate change due to governmental monetary and tax policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions, or other factors beyond our control, could also increase the amount of interest we pay under our debt agreements.
General and Administrative Expenses
Our general and administrative expenses primarily consist of employee compensation and related costs, third party legal, accounting, and consulting expenses, travel and entertainment, and general office expenses.
Impact of Inflation
Our leases with tenants of our properties are long-term in nature, with a current weighted average remaining lease term of 10.2 years as of December 31, 2024. To mitigate the impact of inflation on our fixed revenue streams, we have implemented limited escalation clauses in our leases. As of December 31, 2024, substantially all of our leases had contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average increase of 2.0%. A majority of our leases have fixed annual rent increases or periodic escalations over the term of the lease (e.g., a 10% increase every five years), and the remaining portion has annual rent escalations based on increases in the CPI. These lease escalations mitigate the risk of fixed revenue streams in the case of an inflationary economic environment, and provide increased return in otherwise stable market conditions. As a majority of our portfolio has fixed lease escalations, we are limited in our same store rental revenue inflation protection.
Our focus on single-tenant, net leases also mitigates the potential impact of fluctuations in the cost of services and maintenance as a result of inflation. For a portion of our portfolio, we have leases that are not fully net, and, therefore, we bear certain responsibilities for the maintenance and structural component replacements (e.g., roof, structure, or parking lot) that may be required in the future, although the tenants are still required to pay all operating expenses associated with the property (e.g., real estate taxes, insurance, and maintenance). Inflation and increased costs may have an adverse impact to our tenants and their creditworthiness if the increase in costs are greater than their increase in revenue. Where we cannot implement a net lease, we attempt to limit our exposure to inflation through the use of warranties and other remedies that reduce the likelihood of a significant capital outlay.
Tenant Bankruptcies
Adverse economic conditions, particularly those that affect the markets in which our properties are located, or downturns in our tenants’ industries could impair our tenants’ ability to meet their lease obligations to us and our ability to renew expiring leases or re-lease space. In particular, the bankruptcy of one or more of our tenants could adversely affect our ability to collect rents from such tenants and maintain our portfolio’s occupancy.
Impairments
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. An impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds its fair value. Significant judgment is made as to if and when impairment should be taken. If our strategy, or one or more of the assumptions described above, changes in the future, we may have to recognize an impairment. Indications of a tenant’s inability to continue as a going concern, plans to vacate the property upon lease expiration, changes in our view or strategy relative to a tenant’s business or industry, or changes in our long-term hold strategies, could each be indicative of an impairment triggering event. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized $49.0 million of impairment due to a change in our long-term hold strategy for 18 properties.
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Current Market Conditions and Strategic Priorities
Over the last two fiscal years, challenging capital market conditions directly impacted the broader commercial real estate market and, in particular, the net lease real estate market. During the latter half of fiscal 2022, interest rates began to rise steadily and persisted through fiscal years 2023 and 2024, resulting in a challenging lending environment and a material increase in the cost of capital for commercial real estate buyers and lenders. The increase in interest rates accelerated at a more aggressive pace than commercial real estate capitalization rates, thereby compressing earnings on new investments. More recently, market expectations about expansionary monetary policy resulted in net lease real estate sellers maintaining higher pricing expectations, which ultimately led to a significant decrease in transaction volumes during the latter half of 2023 and throughout 2024. These challenging market conditions have limited and may continue to limit the ability of commercial real estate owners, including us, to complete real estate acquisitions at volume and accretion levels consistent with prior years, resulting in lower earnings growth rates compared to historical periods.
On February 21, 2024, we announced the strategic decision to sell our clinically-oriented healthcare properties as part of our healthcare portfolio simplification strategy. Our decision to sell these assets was in part due to our review of our investment pipeline and expectation that we would fully redeploy the proceeds into our core investment verticals of industrial and retail assets without diluting our per share results. Through December 31, 2024, we have sold 55 clinical healthcare properties for gross proceeds of $345.6 million, thereby reducing our exposure to clinical healthcare assets to 3.2% of our ABR. We have successfully redeployed all sale proceeds and expect to employ a deliberate and methodical approach to repositioning our remaining clinically-oriented healthcare properties in order to enhance and preserve the value of those assets.
As a result of actual and planned sales from our clinical healthcare portfolio simplification strategy, we have recognized an $72.6 million gain on sale of real estate and incurred $71.5 million of impairment charges through December 31, 2024. Outside of gains on sale of real estate and impairments, we do not expect our healthcare portfolio simplification strategy to materially impact our results of operations or financial position.
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Results of Operations
Discussion of our Results of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the year ended December 31, 2022 was previously filed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the heading “Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Year Ended year ended December 31, 2022.”
Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2023
Lease revenues, net
| Year ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | $ | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Contractual rental amounts billed for operating leases | $ | 388,074 | $ | 388,073 | $ | 1 | — | % | |||||||||||||||
| Adjustment to recognize contractual operating lease billings on a straight-line basis | 22,163 | 27,154 | (4,991 | ) | (18.4 | ) | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Net write-offs of accrued rental income | (2,556 | ) | (4,266 | ) | 1,710 | 40.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Variable rental amount earned | 2,999 | 2,277 | 722 | 31.7 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Earned income from direct financing leases | 2,748 | 2,752 | (4 | ) | (0.1 | ) | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest income from sales-type leases | 58 | 58 | — | — | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses billed to tenants | 20,693 | 20,363 | 330 | 1.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other income from real estate transactions | 2,039 | 7,414 | (5,375 | ) | (72.5 | ) | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Adjustment to revenue recognized for uncollectible rental amounts billed, net | (4,418 | ) | (937 | ) | (3,481 | ) | (100.0) | % | |||||||||||||||
| Total Lease revenues, net | $ | 431,800 | $ | 442,888 | $ | (11,088 | ) | (2.5 | ) | % |
The decrease in Lease revenues, net was primarily due to a decrease in lease termination fee income (classified as other income from real estate transactions in the table above), which fluctuates from period to period, coupled with a decrease in realizable revenues associated with certain clinical healthcare properties. While lease revenues decreased as a result of our healthcare portfolio simplification strategy, this was offset by redeployment into revenue generating properties.
Operating Expenses
| Year ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | $ | % | |||||||||||||
| Operating expenses | |||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | $ | 156,179 | $ | 158,626 | $ | (2,447 | ) | (1.5 | ) | % | |||||||
| Property and operating expense | 24,741 | 22,576 | 2,165 | 9.6 | % | ||||||||||||
| General and administrative | 37,986 | 39,425 | (1,439 | ) | (3.6 | ) | % | ||||||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 49,001 | 31,274 | 17,727 | 56.7 | % | ||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | $ | 267,907 | $ | 251,901 | $ | 16,006 | 6.4 | % |
Depreciation and amortization
The decrease in depreciation and amortization for the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily due to properties sold in the previous year not having a full year of depreciation in the current year, offset by a full year’s worth of depreciation from property investments made in the previous year as well as partial depreciation from property investments made in the current year.
Property and operating expense
The increase in property and operating expense for the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily due to a $2.9 million increase in non-reimbursable property expenses related to a decrease in occupancy, of which $1.7 million related to real estate taxes.
General and administrative
The decrease in general and administrative expense for the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily due to a decrease in severance and employee transition costs, and directors and officers insurance premiums associated with the length of time that has elapsed since our initial public offering in 2020.
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Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties
The following table presents the impairment charges for their respective periods:
| Year ended December 31, | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Number of properties | 18 | 4 | |||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 146,811 | $ | 62,720 | |||
| Fair value | 97,810 | 31,446 | |||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 49,001 | $ | 31,274 |
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized $49.0 million of impairment on our investments in rental properties, primarily from changes in the Company’s long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties. Such impairments primarily related to our strategic decision to sell our clinically-oriented healthcare properties as part of our healthcare portfolio simplification strategy. The timing and amount of impairment fluctuates from period to period depending on the specific facts and circumstances.
Other income (expenses)
| Year ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | $ | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | $ | 994 | $ | 512 | $ | 482 | 94.1 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (74,077 | ) | (80,053 | ) | (5,976 | ) | (7.5 | ) | % | ||||||||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | 73,153 | 54,310 | 18,843 | 34.7 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Income taxes | (1,175 | ) | (763 | ) | 412 | 54.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | 6,201 | (1,681 | ) | 7,882 | 100.0 | % |
Interest expense
The decrease in interest expense related to capitalizing $2.3 million more interest on in-process development spend during the year ended December 31, 2024. Additionally, approximately $1.9 million of the decrease was attributable to a decrease in our weighted average cost and outstanding balance of borrowings on our variable-rate Revolving Credit Facility. At December 31, 2024, the overnight Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) was 4.49% compared with the one-month SOFR rate of 5.35% at December 31, 2023. Our weighted average outstanding revolver balance was $95.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $121.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Lastly, $1.7 million of the decrease in interest expense related to swap terminations.
Gain on sale of real estate
Our recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market. During the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a gain of $73.2 million on the sale of 58 properties, compared to a gain of $54.3 million on the sale of 14 properties during the year ended December 31, 2023.
Other income (expenses)
The increase in other income (expenses) during the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily due to a $6.2 million unrealized foreign exchange gain recognized on the quarterly remeasurement of our $100 million Canadian Dollars (“CAD”) Revolving Credit Facility borrowings, compared to a $1.7 million unrealized foreign exchange loss recognized during the year ended December 31, 2023.
Net Income and Net earnings per diluted share
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2024 | 2023 | $ | % | |||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 168,989 | $ | 163,312 | $ | 5,677 | 3.5 | % | |||||||||
| Net earnings per diluted share | 0.86 | 0.83 | 0.03 | 3.6 | % |
The increase in net income is primarily due to an $18.8 million increase in the gain on sale of real estate together with a $7.9 million increase in other income (expenses), and $6.0 million decrease in interest expense. These are offset by an increase in the provision for impairment of investment in rental properties of $17.7 million and an $11.1 million decrease in lease revenues.
GAAP net income includes items such as gain or loss on sale of real estate and provisions for impairment, among others, which can vary from quarter to quarter and impact period-over-period comparisons.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
General
We acquire real estate using a combination of debt and equity capital and with cash from operations that is not otherwise distributed to our stockholders, and proceeds from dispositions of real estate properties. Our focus is on maximizing the risk-adjusted return to our stockholders through an appropriate balance of debt and equity in our capital structure. We are committed to maintaining an investment grade balance sheet through active management of our leverage profile and overall liquidity position. We believe our leverage strategy has allowed us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt while simultaneously strengthening our balance sheet, as evidenced by our current investment grade credit ratings of ‘BBB’ from S&P and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s. We seek to maintain on a sustained basis a Leverage Ratio that is generally less than 6.0x. As of December 31, 2024, we had total debt outstanding of $1.9 billion, Net Debt of $1.9 billion, Pro Forma Net Debt of $1.9 billion, a Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio of 5.0x, and a Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio of 4.9x.
Net Debt, Pro Forma Net Debt, and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are non-GAAP financial measures, Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are calculated based upon EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre each of which is also a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to Non-GAAP Measures below for further details concerning our calculation of non-GAAP measures and reconciliations to the comparable GAAP measure.
Liquidity/REIT Requirements
Liquidity is a measure of our ability to meet potential cash requirements, including our ongoing commitments to repay debt, fund our operations, acquire and develop properties, make distributions to our stockholders, and other general business needs. As a REIT, we are required to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gains, on an annual basis. As a result, it is unlikely that we will be able to retain substantial cash balances to meet our long-term liquidity needs, including repayment of debt and the acquisition of additional properties, from our annual taxable income. Instead, we expect to meet our long-term liquidity needs primarily by relying upon external sources of capital and proceeds from selective property dispositions.
Short-term Liquidity Requirements
Our short-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to pay for our operating expenses, including our general and administrative expenses as well as interest payments on our outstanding debt, to pay distributions, to fund our acquisitions that are under control or expected to close within a short time period, and to pay for commitments to fund build-to-suit developments, tenant improvements, revenue generating capital expenditures, and transitional capital investments. Under leases where we are required to bear the cost of structural repairs and replacements, we do not currently anticipate making significant capital expenditures or incurring other significant property costs, including as a result of inflationary pressures in the current economic environment, because of the strong occupancy levels across our portfolio and the net lease nature of our leases. We expect to meet our short-term liquidity requirements primarily from cash and cash equivalents balances and net cash provided by operating activities, supplemented by borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility and capital recycled through selective property dispositions. We use cash on hand and borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility to initially fund investments, which are subsequently repaid or replaced with proceeds from our equity and debt capital markets activities as well as proceeds from dispositions.
As detailed in the contractual obligations table below, we have approximately $300.4 million of expected obligations due throughout 2025, primarily consisting of $169.0 million of commitments to fund investments, $57.2 million of dividends declared, $54.1 million of projected interest expense, and $20.2 million of mortgage amortization. We expect our cash provided by operating activities, as discussed below, will be sufficient to pay for our current obligations including interest and mortgage amortization. We expect to pay for commitments to fund investments and our dividends declared using our Revolving Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2024, we have $907.0 million of available capacity under our Revolving Credit Facility.
Long-term Liquidity Requirements
Our long-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to repay debt and invest in additional revenue generating properties and build-to-suit developments. We expect to source debt capital from unsecured term loans from commercial banks, revolving credit facilities, private placement senior unsecured notes, and public bond offerings.
The source and mix of our debt capital in the future will be impacted by market conditions as well as our continued focus on lengthening our debt maturity profile to better align with our portfolio’s long-term leases, staggering debt maturities to reduce the risk that a significant amount of debt will mature in any single year in the future, and managing our exposure to interest rate risk. We have no material debt maturities until 2026, as detailed in the table below.
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We expect to meet our long-term liquidity requirements primarily from borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, future debt and equity financings, as well as proceeds from dispositions. Our ability to access these capital sources may be impacted by unfavorable market conditions, particularly in the debt and equity capital markets, that are outside of our control. In addition, our success will depend on our operating performance, our borrowing restrictions, our degree of leverage, and other factors. Our acquisition growth strategy significantly depends on our ability to obtain acquisition financing on favorable terms. We seek to reduce the risk that long-term debt capital may be unavailable to us by strengthening our balance sheet by investing in real estate with creditworthy tenants and lease guarantors, and by maintaining an appropriate mix of debt and equity capitalization. We also, from time to time, obtain or assume non-recourse mortgage financing from banks and insurance companies secured by mortgages on the corresponding specific property subject to limitations imposed by our Revolving Credit Facility covenants and our investment grade credit rating.
Equity Capital Resources
Our equity capital is primarily provided through our at-the-market common equity offering program (“ATM Program”), as well as follow-on equity offerings. During May 2024, we replaced our prior ATM Program with a new ATM Program with the same aggregate gross sales price of up to $400.0 million. Under the terms of our ATM Program we may, from time to time, publicly offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $400.0 million. The ATM Program provides for forward sale agreements, which enable us to set the price of shares upon pricing the offering, while delaying the issuance of shares and the receipt of the net proceeds. During the year ended December 31, 2024, in connection with forward sales agreements provided for under the ATM Program, we sold 2,187,700 shares of common stock at a weighted average price of $18.29 per share, subject to certain adjustments. We expect to settle the outstanding shares of these forward sales agreements before their maturities in August and September 2025. Our estimated net proceeds of these forward sale agreements, assuming physical settlement for cash as of December 31, 2024, is approximately $38.5 million. We have not settled any part of these forward sales agreements as of December 31, 2024. After considering the shares sold subject to forward sale agreements, we have $360.0 million of capacity remaining under the ATM Program as of December 31, 2024. There were no shares issued under the ATM Program for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Our public offerings have been used to repay debt, fund acquisitions, and for other general corporate purposes.
As we continue to invest in accretive real estate properties, we expect to balance our debt and equity capitalization, while maintaining a Leverage Ratio below 6.0x on a sustained basis.
Unsecured Indebtedness and Capital Markets Activities as of and for the Year Ended December 31, 2024
The following table sets forth our outstanding Revolving Credit Facility, unsecured term loans and senior unsecured notes at December 31, 2024.
| (in thousands, except interest rates) | Outstanding Balance | Interest Rate | Maturity Date | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revolving Credit Facility | $ | 93,014 | Applicable reference rate + 0.85% (a) | Mar. 2026 (d) | ||||
| Unsecured term loans: | ||||||||
| 2026 Unsecured Term Loan | 400,000 | one-month adjusted SOFR + 1.00% (b) | Feb. 2026 | |||||
| 2027 Unsecured Term Loan | 200,000 | daily simple adjusted SOFR + 0.95% (c) | Aug. 2027 | |||||
| 2029 Unsecured Term Loan | 300,000 | daily simple adjusted SOFR + 1.25% (c) | Aug. 2029 | |||||
| Total unsecured term loans | 900,000 | |||||||
| Unamortized debt issuance costs, net | (2,799 | ) | ||||||
| Total unsecured term loans, net | 897,201 | |||||||
| Senior unsecured notes: | ||||||||
| 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A | 150,000 | 4.84% | Apr. 2027 | |||||
| 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B | 225,000 | 5.09% | Jul. 2028 | |||||
| 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C | 100,000 | 5.19% | Jul. 2030 | |||||
| 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes | 375,000 | 2.60% | Sep. 2031 | |||||
| Total senior unsecured notes | 850,000 | |||||||
| Unamortized debt issuance costs and original issuance discount, net | (3,936 | ) | ||||||
| Total senior unsecured notes, net | 846,064 | |||||||
| Total unsecured debt | $ | 1,836,279 |
(a)
At December 31, 2024, a balance of $23.5 million was subject to daily simple SOFR. At December 31, 2024, the balance includes $100 million CAD borrowings remeasured to $69.5 million USD, and was subject to the daily simple Canadian Overnight Repo Rate Average (“CORRA”) of 3.32%.
(b)
At December 31, 2024, one-month SOFR was 4.33%.
(c)
At December 31, 2024, overnight SOFR was 4.49%.
(d)
Our Revolving Credit Facility contains two six-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625% of the revolving commitments.
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Revolving Credit Facility
Our Revolving Credit Facility has a $1.0 billion capacity with a maturity date of March 2026 and contains two six-month extension options, subject to certain conditions, including an extension fee equal to 0.0625%. In addition to USD, borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility can be made in Pound Sterling, Euros or CAD up to an aggregate amount of $500.0 million. Borrowings under the amended credit facility are subject to interest only payments at variable rates equal to the applicable reference rate plus a margin of 0.85% based on our current credit ratings of ‘BBB’ and ‘Baa2’ from S&P and Moody’s, respectively. In addition, the Revolving Credit Facility is subject to a facility fee on the amount of the revolving commitments, based on our credit rating. The applicable facility fee is 0.20% per annum.
2026 Unsecured Term Loan
Borrowings under the 2026 Unsecured Term Loan are subject to interest at variable rates based on one-month adjusted SOFR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.85% and 1.65% based on our credit rating.
2027 Unsecured Term Loan and 2029 Unsecured Term Loan
Borrowings under the 2027 Unsecured Term Loan and 2029 Unsecured Term Loan bear interest at variable rates based on daily simple adjusted SOFR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.80% and 1.60% per annum for the 2027 Unsecured Term Loan, and 1.15% and 2.20% per annum for the 2029 Unsecured Term Loan.
2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A
The 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A are payable interest only semiannually during their term, bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.84% per annum, and mature in April 2027.
2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C
The 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C are payable interest only semiannually during their term, and bear interest at fixed rates of 5.09% per annum and 5.19% per annum, respectively. Series B Notes mature in July 2028, and the Series C Notes mature in July 2030.
2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes
Borrowings under the 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes are subject to interest only, semi-annual payments at a fixed rate of 2.60% per annum and mature in September 2031.
Debt Covenants
We are subject to various covenants and financial reporting requirements pursuant to our debt facilities, which are summarized below. As of December 31, 2024, we believe we were in compliance with all of our covenants on all outstanding borrowings. In the event of default, either through default on payments or breach of covenants, we may be restricted from paying dividends to our stockholders in excess of dividends required to maintain our REIT qualification. For each of the previous three years, we paid dividends out of our cash flows from operations in excess of the distribution amounts required to maintain our REIT qualification.
Contractual Obligations
The following table provides information with respect to our contractual commitments and obligations as of December 31, 2024 (in thousands). Refer to the discussion in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section above for further discussion over our short and long-term obligations.
| Year of Maturity | Revolving Credit Facility (a) | Mortgages | Term Loans | Senior Notes | Interest Expense (b) | Dividends (c) | Commitments to Fund Investments (d) | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $ | — | $ | 20,195 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 54,095 | $ | 57,209 | $ | 168,950 | $ | 300,449 | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 93,014 | 16,843 | 400,000 | — | 69,809 | — | 70,735 | 650,401 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2027 | — | 1,596 | 200,000 | 150,000 | 40,487 | — | — | 392,083 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2028 | — | 38,279 | — | 225,000 | 65,599 | — | — | 328,878 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2029 | — | — | 300,000 | — | 17,906 | — | — | 317,906 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thereafter | — | — | — | 475,000 | 16,722 | — | — | 491,722 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 93,014 | $ | 76,913 | $ | 900,000 | $ | 850,000 | $ | 264,618 | $ | 57,209 | $ | 239,685 | $ | 2,481,439 |
(a)
Our Revolving Credit Facility contains two six-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625% of the revolving commitments.
(b)
Interest expense is projected based on the outstanding borrowings and interest rates in effect as of December 31, 2024. This amount includes the impact of interest rate swap agreements.
(c)
Amounts include dividends declared as of December 31, 2024 of $0.29 per common share and OP Unit. Future undeclared dividends have been excluded.
(d)
Amounts include acquisitions under control, defined as under contract or executed letter of intent, and commitments to fund revenue generating capital expenditures, and both current build-to-suit developments and under control build-to-suit developments.
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At December 31, 2024, investment in rental property with a book value of $117.8 million, was pledged as collateral against our mortgages.
In the normal course of business, we enter into various types of commitments to purchase real estate properties. These commitments are generally subject to our customary due diligence process and, accordingly, a number of specific conditions must be met before we are obligated to purchase the properties.
Additionally, we are a party to two separate tax protection agreements with the contributing members of two distinct UPREIT transactions and a third tax protection agreement entered into in connection with the internalization of our management in February 2020. The tax protection agreements require us to indemnify the beneficiaries in the event of a sale, exchange, transfer, or other disposal of the contributed property, and in the case of the tax protection agreement entered into in connection with the Company’s internalization, the entire Company, in a taxable transaction that would cause such beneficiaries to recognize a gain that is protected under the agreements, subject to certain exceptions. Based on values as of December 31, 2024, taxable sales of the applicable properties would trigger liability under the three agreements of approximately $20.4 million. Based on information available, we do not believe that the events resulting in liability as detailed above have occurred or are likely to occur in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, we have excluded these commitments from the contractual commitments table above.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
We are exposed to interest rate risk arising from changes in interest rates on the floating-rate borrowings under our unsecured credit facilities. Borrowings pursuant to our unsecured credit facilities bear interest at floating rates based on SOFR or CORRA plus an applicable margin. Accordingly, fluctuations in market interest rates may increase or decrease our interest expense, which will in turn, increase or decrease our net income and cash flow.
We attempt to manage the interest rate risk on variable rate borrowings by entering into interest rate swaps. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company entered into nine forward-starting interest rate swaps for a total notional amount of $460.0 million. These forward-starting swap arrangements are effective during various periods between March and December 2025 and mature in 2030. As of December 31, 2024, we had 30 effective and nine forward-starting interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $1.4 billion. Under the effective swap agreements, we receive monthly payments from the counterparties equal to the related variable interest rates multiplied by the outstanding notional amounts. In turn, we pay the counterparties each month an amount equal to a fixed interest rate multiplied by the related outstanding notional amounts. The intended net impact of these transactions is that we pay a fixed interest rate on our variable-rate borrowings. The interest rate swaps have been designated by us as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes and are reported at fair value. We assess, both at inception and on an ongoing basis, the effectiveness of our qualifying cash flow hedges. We have not entered, and do not intend to enter, into derivative or interest rate transactions for speculative purposes.
In addition, we own investments in Canada, and as a result are subject to risk from the effects of exchange rate movements in the Canadian dollar, which may affect future costs and cash flows. We funded a significant portion of our Canadian investments through Canadian dollar borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, which is intended to act as a natural hedge against our Canadian dollar investments. The Canadian dollar Revolving Credit Facility borrowings are remeasured each reporting period, with the unrealized foreign currency gains and losses flowing through earnings. These unrealized foreign currency gains and losses do not impact our cash flows from operations until settled, and are expected to directly offset the changes in the value of our net investments as a result of changes in the Canadian dollar. Our Canadian investments are recorded at their historical exchange rates, and therefore are not impacted by changes in the value of the Canadian dollar.
Cash Flows
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $16.0 million, $20.6 million, and $60.0 million at December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. The table below shows information concerning cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 276,253 | $ | 271,074 | $ | 255,914 | ||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities | (59,703 | ) | 24,338 | (859,643 | ) | |||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (221,189 | ) | (334,820 | ) | 636,000 | |||||||
| (Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash | $ | (4,639 | ) | $ | (39,408 | ) | $ | 32,271 |
The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to 2023 was mainly due to a decrease in interest expense. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to 2022 was mainly due to growth in our real estate portfolio and associated incremental net lease revenues.
The increase in net cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to 2023 was mainly due to increased investment volume, partially offset by proceeds from disposition activity. The increase in net cash provided by investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to 2022 was mainly due to increased proceeds from disposition activity.
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The decrease in net cash used in financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2023, mainly reflects an increase in net borrowings on the Revolving Credit Facility and increased distributions paid to shareholders in 2024 compared to 2023. The decrease in net cash provided by financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2022, mainly reflects a decrease in our total outstanding borrowings in 2023 compared to 2022.
Non-GAAP Measures
FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO
We compute Funds From Operations (“FFO”) in accordance with the standards established by the Board of Governors of Nareit, the worldwide representative voice for REITs and publicly traded real estate companies with an interest in the U.S. real estate and capital markets. Nareit defines FFO as GAAP net income or loss adjusted to exclude net gains (losses) from sales of certain depreciated real estate assets, depreciation and amortization expense from real estate assets, and impairment charges related to certain previously depreciated real estate assets. FFO is used by management, investors, and analysts to facilitate meaningful comparisons of operating performance between periods and among our peers, primarily because it excludes the effect of real estate depreciation and amortization and net gains (losses) on sales, which are based on historical costs and implicitly assume that the value of real estate diminishes predictably over time, rather than fluctuating based on existing market conditions.
We compute Core Funds From Operations (“Core FFO”) by adjusting FFO, as defined by Nareit, to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that we believe are infrequently recurring, unusual in nature, or not related to its core real estate operations, including write-offs or recoveries of accrued rental income, gain on insurance recoveries, lease termination fees and other non-core income from real estate transactions, cost of debt extinguishment, unrealized and realized gains or losses on foreign currency transactions, severance and employee transition costs, and other extraordinary items. Exclusion of these items from similar FFO-type metrics is common within the equity REIT industry, and management believes that presentation of Core FFO provides investors with a metric to assist in their evaluation of our operating performance across multiple periods and in comparison to the operating performance of our peers, because it removes the effect of unusual items that are not expected to impact our operating performance on an ongoing basis.
We compute Adjusted Funds From Operations (“AFFO”), by adjusting Core FFO for certain revenues and expenses that are non-cash or unique in nature, including straight-line rents, amortization of lease intangibles, adjustment to provision for credit losses, amortization of debt issuance costs, amortization of net mortgage premiums, non-capitalized transaction costs such as acquisition costs related to deals that failed to transact, loss on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense, deferred taxes, stock-based compensation, and other specified non-cash items. We believe that excluding such items assists management and investors in distinguishing whether changes in our operations are due to growth or decline of operations at our properties or from other factors. We use AFFO as a measure of our performance when we formulate corporate goals, and is a factor in determining management compensation. We believe that AFFO is a useful supplemental measure for investors to consider because it will help them to better assess our operating performance without the distortions created by non-cash revenues or expenses.
Specific to our adjustment for straight-line rents, our leases include cash rents that increase over the term of the lease to compensate us for anticipated increases in market rental rates over time. Our leases do not include significant front-loading or back-loading of payments, or significant rent-free periods. Therefore, we find it useful to evaluate rent on a contractual basis as it allows for comparison of existing rental rates to market rental rates.
FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other REITs, and comparisons of our FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO with the same or similar measures disclosed by other REITs may not be meaningful.
Neither the SEC nor any other regulatory body has passed judgment on the acceptability of the adjustments to FFO that we use to calculate Core FFO and AFFO. In the future, the SEC, Nareit or another regulatory body may decide to standardize the allowable adjustments across the REIT industry and in response to such standardization we may have to adjust our calculation and characterization of Core FFO and AFFO accordingly.
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The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to FFO, Core FFO and AFFO:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 168,989 | $ | 163,312 | $ | 129,475 | ||||||
| Real property depreciation and amortization | 155,844 | 158,346 | 154,673 | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (73,153 | ) | (54,310 | ) | (15,953 | ) | ||||||
| Provision for impairment on investment in rental properties | 49,001 | 31,274 | 5,535 | |||||||||
| FFO | $ | 300,681 | $ | 298,622 | $ | 273,730 | ||||||
| Net write-offs of accrued rental income | 2,676 | 4,458 | 1,326 | |||||||||
| Other non-core income from real estate transactions (a) | (2,070 | ) | (7,500 | ) | (2,469 | ) | ||||||
| Gain on insurance recoveries | — | — | (341 | ) | ||||||||
| Cost of debt extinguishment | — | 3 | 308 | |||||||||
| Severance and employee transition costs | 385 | 1,622 | 401 | |||||||||
| Other (income) expenses (b) | (6,201 | ) | 1,678 | (5,690 | ) | |||||||
| Core FFO | $ | 295,471 | $ | 298,883 | $ | 267,265 | ||||||
| Straight-line rent adjustment | (21,652 | ) | (26,736 | ) | (21,900 | ) | ||||||
| Adjustment to provision for credit losses | (17 | ) | (10 | ) | (5 | ) | ||||||
| Amortization of debt issuance costs | 3,932 | 3,938 | 3,692 | |||||||||
| Amortization of net mortgage premiums | — | (78 | ) | (104 | ) | |||||||
| Non-capitalized transaction costs | 951 | — | — | |||||||||
| Loss on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense | 209 | 1,884 | 2,514 | |||||||||
| Amortization of lease intangibles (c) | (4,413 | ) | (5,846 | ) | (4,809 | ) | ||||||
| Stock-based compensation | 7,355 | 5,972 | 5,316 | |||||||||
| Deferred taxes | 155 | (282 | ) | 204 | ||||||||
| AFFO | $ | 281,991 | $ | 277,725 | $ | 252,173 |
(a)
Amount includes $1.2 million of lease termination fees and $0.9 million in income for the settlement of a permanent land easement for an insignificant portion of two of our properties during the year ended December 31, 2024. Amount includes $7.5 million and $2.5 million in lease termination fees for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
(b)
Amount includes ($6.2) million, $1.7 million, and ($5.6) million of unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively, primarily associated with our Canadian dollar denominated Revolver Credit Facility borrowings.
(c)
Amount includes $1.5 million of accelerated amortization of lease intangibles for an early lease termination of a property during the year ended December 31, 2023.
EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre, Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre, Annualized EBITDAre, Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We compute EBITDA as earnings before interest, income taxes and depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is a measure commonly used in our industry. We believe that this ratio provides investors and analysts with a measure of our performance that includes our operating results unaffected by the differences in capital structures, capital investment cycles and useful life of related assets compared to other companies in our industry. We compute EBITDAre in accordance with the definition adopted by Nareit, as EBITDA excluding gains (losses) from the sales of depreciable property and provisions for impairment on investment in real estate. We believe EBITDA and EBITDAre are useful to investors and analysts because they provide important supplemental information about our operating performance exclusive of certain non-cash and other costs. EBITDA and EBITDAre are not measures of financial performance under GAAP, and our EBITDA and EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our EBITDA and EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
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We are focused on a disciplined and targeted investment strategy, together with active asset management that includes selective sales of properties. We manage our leverage profile using a ratio of Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, each discussed further below, which we believe is a useful measure of our ability to repay debt and a relative measure of leverage, and is used in communications with our lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. As we fund new investments using our unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, our leverage profile and Net Debt will be immediately impacted by current quarter investments. However, the full benefit of EBITDAre from new investments will not be received in the same quarter in which the properties are acquired. Additionally, EBITDAre for the quarter includes amounts generated by properties that have been sold during the quarter. Accordingly, the variability in EBITDAre caused by the timing of our investments and dispositions can temporarily distort our leverage ratios. We adjust EBITDAre (“Adjusted EBITDAre”) for the most recently completed quarter (i) to recalculate as if all investments and dispositions had occurred at the beginning of the quarter, (ii) to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that are either non-cash, such as cost of debt extinguishments, realized or unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency transactions, or gains on insurance recoveries, or that we believe are one time, or unusual in nature because they relate to unique circumstances or transactions that had not previously occurred and which we do not anticipate occurring in the future, and (iii) to eliminate the impact of lease termination fees and other items that are not a result of normal operations. While investments in build-to-suit developments have an immediate impact to Net Debt, we do not make an adjustment to EBITDAre until the quarter in which the lease commences. We define our Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre as Adjusted EBITDAre adjusted to show the impact of estimated contractual revenues based on in-process development spend to-date. Our Pro Forma Net Debt is defined as Net Debt adjusted for estimated net proceeds from forward sale agreements that have not settled as if they have been physically settled for cash as of the period presented. We then annualize quarterly Adjusted EBITDAre and Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre by multiplying them by four (“Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre” and “Annualized Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre”). You should not unduly rely on this measure as it is based on assumptions and estimates that may prove to be inaccurate. Our actual reported EBITDAre for future periods may be significantly different from our Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre. Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are not measurements of performance under GAAP, and our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre. Information is also presented with respect to Annualized EBITDAre, Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre:
| For the Three Months Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 27,607 | $ | 6,797 | $ | 36,773 | ||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 42,987 | 39,278 | 45,606 | |||||||||
| Interest expense | 19,565 | 18,972 | 23,773 | |||||||||
| Income taxes | 527 | (268 | ) | 105 | ||||||||
| EBITDA | $ | 90,686 | $ | 64,779 | $ | 106,257 | ||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 17,690 | 29,801 | — | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (8,197 | ) | (6,270 | ) | (10,625 | ) | ||||||
| EBITDAre | $ | 100,179 | $ | 88,310 | $ | 95,632 | ||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter acquisition activity (a) | 28 | 153 | 1,283 | |||||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter disposition activity (b) | (11 | ) | (156 | ) | (440 | ) | ||||||
| Adjustment to exclude non-recurring expenses (income) (c) | 348 | 128 | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude net write-offs of accrued rental income | 120 | 4,161 | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude gain on insurance recoveries | — | — | (341 | ) | ||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude realized/unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss | (4,699 | ) | 1,453 | 796 | ||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude cost of debt extinguishments | — | — | 77 | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude other income from real estate transactions (d) | (1,183 | ) | — | (1,678 | ) | |||||||
| Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 94,782 | $ | 94,049 | $ | 95,329 | ||||||
| Estimated revenues from developments (e) | 334 | — | — | |||||||||
| Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 95,116 | $ | 94,049 | $ | 95,329 | ||||||
| Annualized EBITDAre | $ | 400,716 | $ | 353,240 | $ | 382,528 | ||||||
| Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 379,128 | $ | 376,196 | $ | 381,316 | ||||||
| Pro Forma Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 380,464 | $ | 376,196 | $ | 381,316 |
(a)
Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all investments during the quarter as if they had been made as of the beginning of the quarter.
(b)
Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all dispositions during the quarter as if they had been sold as of the beginning of the quarter.
(c)
Amount includes $0.2 million accelerated lease intangible amortization and $0.1 million of severance and employee transition costs for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Amount includes $0.1 million of severance and employee transition costs for the three months ended December 31, 2023.
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(d)
Amount includes lease termination fees during the three months ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2022.
(e)
Represents estimated contractual revenues based on in-process development spend to-date.
Net Debt, Pro Forma Net Debt, Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre, Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We define Net Debt as gross debt (total reported debt plus debt issuance costs) less cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. Our Pro Forma Net Debt is defined as Net Debt adjusted for estimated net proceeds from unsettled forward sale agreements as if they have been settled for cash as of the period presented. We believe that the presentation of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre is useful to investors and analysts because these ratios provide information about gross debt less cash and cash equivalents, which could be used to repay debt, compared to our performance as measured using EBITDAre, and is used in communications with lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. The following table reconciles total debt (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to Net Debt, Pro Forma Net Debt, and presents the ratios of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre, Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, and Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, respectively:
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||
| Debt | ||||||||
| Revolving Credit Facility | $ | 93,014 | $ | 90,434 | ||||
| Unsecured term loans, net | 897,201 | 895,947 | ||||||
| Senior unsecured notes, net | 846,064 | 845,309 | ||||||
| Mortgages, net | 76,846 | 79,068 | ||||||
| Debt issuance costs | 6,802 | 8,848 | ||||||
| Gross Debt | 1,919,927 | 1,919,606 | ||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | (14,845 | ) | (19,494 | ) | ||||
| Restricted cash | (1,148 | ) | (1,138 | ) | ||||
| Net Debt | $ | 1,903,934 | $ | 1,898,974 | ||||
| Estimated net proceeds from forward equity agreements (a) | (38,514 | ) | — | |||||
| Pro Forma Net Debt | $ | 1,865,420 | $ | 1,898,974 | ||||
| Leverage Ratios: | ||||||||
| Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre | 4.8x | 5.4x | ||||||
| Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | 5.0x | 5.0x | ||||||
| Pro Forma Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | 4.9x | 5.0x |
(a)
Represents pro forma adjustment for estimated net proceeds from forward sale agreements that have not settled as if they have been physically settled for cash as of the period presented.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses as well as other disclosures in the financial statements. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. These judgments affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates and assumptions; however, actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions, which in turn could have a material impact on our financial statements. A summary of our significant accounting policies and procedures are included in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”, contained in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Management believes the following critical accounting policies, among others, affect its more significant estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Investment in Rental Property
Rental property accounted for under operating leases is recorded at cost. Rental property accounted for under direct financing leases and sales-type are recorded at its net investment, which generally represents the cost of the property at the inception of the lease.
We account for acquisitions of real estate as asset acquisitions in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations, as substantially all of the fair value of the assets acquired are concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets.
We allocate the purchase price of investments in rental property accounted for as asset acquisitions based on the relative fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. These generally include tangible assets, consisting of land and land improvements, buildings and other improvements, and equipment, and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities, including the value of in-place leases and acquired above-market and below-market leases.
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We use multiple sources to estimate fair value, including information obtained about each property as a result of our pre-acquisition due diligence and our marketing and leasing activities. Factors that impact our fair value determination include real estate market conditions, industry conditions that the tenant operates in, and characteristics of the real estate and/or real estate appraisals. Changes in any of these factors could impact the future purchase prices of our investments and the corresponding capitalization rates recognized.
The estimated fair value of the tangible assets of an acquired property is determined by valuing the property as if it were vacant. The as-if-vacant value is then allocated to land and land improvements, buildings, and equipment based on comparable sales and other relevant information with respect to the property, as estimated by management. Specifically, the “if vacant” value of buildings and equipment is calculated using an income approach. Assumptions used in the income approach to value the buildings include: capitalization and discount rates, lease-up time, market rents, make ready costs, land value, and land improvement value.
The estimated fair value of acquired in-place leases are the costs we would have had to incur to lease the properties to the occupancy level of the properties at the date of acquisition. Such costs include the fair value of leasing commissions and other operating costs that would have been incurred to lease the properties, had they been vacant, to their acquired occupancy level. Acquired in-place leases as of the date of acquisition are amortized over the remaining non-cancellable lease terms of the respective leases to amortization expense.
Acquired above-market and below-market lease values are recorded based on the present value (using an interest rate that reflects the risks associated with the lease acquired) of the differences between the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the in-place leases and management’s estimate of fair market value lease rates at the time of acquisition for the corresponding in-place leases. The capitalized above-market and below-market lease values are amortized as adjustments to rental income over the remaining term of the respective leases.
Management estimates the fair value of assumed mortgages based upon indications of then-current market pricing for similar types of debt with similar maturities. Assumed mortgages are initially recorded at their estimated fair value as of the assumption date, and the difference between such estimated fair value and the notes’ outstanding principal balance is amortized to interest expense over the remaining term of the debt.
Long-lived Asset Impairment
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. An impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the fair value. Significant judgment is made to determine if and when impairment should be taken. Management’s assessment of impairment as of December 31, 2024 was based on the most current information available to management. Certain of our properties may have fair values less than their carrying amounts. However, based on management’s plans with respect to each of those properties, we believe that their carrying amounts are recoverable and therefore, no impairment charges were recognized other than those described below. If the operating conditions mentioned above deteriorate or if our expected holding period for assets changes, subsequent tests for impairments could result in additional impairment charges in the future.
Inputs used in establishing fair value for real estate assets generally fall within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, which are characterized as requiring significant judgment as little or no current market activity may be available for validation. The main indicator used to establish the classification of the inputs is current market conditions, as derived through the use of published commercial real estate market information. We determine the valuation of impaired assets using generally accepted valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis, income capitalization, analysis of recent comparable sales transactions, actual sales negotiations, and bona fide purchase offers received from third parties. We may consider a single valuation technique or multiple valuation techniques, as appropriate, when estimating the fair value of our real estate.
The following table summarizes our impairment charges resulting primarily from changes in our long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | ||||||||
| Number of properties | 18 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 146,811 | $ | 62,720 | $ | 12,721 | |||||
| Fair value | 97,810 | 31,446 | 7,186 | ||||||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 49,001 | $ | 31,274 | $ | 5,535 |
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized impairment of $49.0 million, resulting from changes in our long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties. The 2024 impairments primarily relate to our healthcare portfolio simplification strategy and include $41.7 million on 16 clinical healthcare properties, which were based on actual or estimated sales prices of the individual properties. Of these properties, 11 were sold as part of a portfolio with a gain of $59.1 million, excluding any impairment. The remaining impairments recognized during the year ended December 31, 2024 were immaterial.
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Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the amount paid over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination and it assigned to one or more reporting units. We evaluate goodwill for impairment when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable, or at least annually. Our annual testing date is November 30.
The goodwill impairment evaluation is completed using either a qualitative or quantitative approach. Under a qualitative approach, the impairment review for goodwill consists of an assessment of whether it is more-likely-than-not that the reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value, including goodwill. If a qualitative approach indicates it is more likely-than-not that the estimated carrying value of a reporting unit (including goodwill) exceeds its fair value, or if we choose to bypass the qualitative approach, we perform the quantitative approach described below.
When we perform a quantitative test of goodwill for impairment, we compare the carrying value of a reporting unit with its fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, we do not consider goodwill to be impaired and no further analysis would be required. If the fair value is determined to be less than its carrying value, the amount of goodwill impairment equals the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill.
Management determined that we have one reporting unit, consistent with our segment reporting analysis, which includes the acquisition, leasing, and ownership of net leased properties (i.e., the consolidated entity). When necessary to perform the quantitative test for goodwill impairment, our estimate of fair value is determined using a market approach, leveraging assumptions such as the fair value of our equity, and consideration of a control premium, if necessary, which includes an analysis of similar market transactions. While we believe the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of our reporting unit are reasonable, changes in these assumptions may have a material impact on our financial results. Based on the results of our annual goodwill impairment test on November 30, 2024, our annual goodwill impairment test date, we concluded that goodwill was not impaired.
Revenue Recognition
We account for leases in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. We commence revenue recognition on our leases based on a number of factors, including the initial determination that the contract is or contains a lease. Generally, all of our property related contracts are or contain leases, and therefore revenue is recognized when the lessee takes possession of or controls the physical use of the leased assets. In most instances this occurs on the lease commencement date. At the time of lease assumption or at the inception of a new lease, including new leases that arise from amendments, we assess the terms and conditions of the lease to determine the proper lease classification.
A lease is classified as an operating lease if none of the following criteria are met: (i) ownership transfers to the lessee at the end of the lease term, (ii) the lessee has a purchase option that is reasonably expected to be exercised, (iii) the lease term is for a major part of the economic life of the leased property, (iv) the present value of the future lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee that is not already reflected in the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the leased property, and (v) the leased property is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no future alternative use to the Company at the end of the lease term. If one or more of these criteria are met, the lease will generally be classified as a sales-type lease, unless the lease contains a residual value guarantee from a third party other than the lessee, in which case it would be classified as a direct financing lease under certain circumstances.
We account for the right to use land as a separate lease component, unless the accounting effect of doing so would be insignificant. Determination of significance requires management judgment. In determining whether the accounting effect of separately reporting the land component from other components for its real estate leases is significant, we assess: (i) whether separating the land component impacts the classification of any lease component, (ii) the value of the land component in the context of the overall contract, and (iii) whether the right to use the land is coterminous with the rights to use the other assets.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Management uses interest rate swap agreements to manage risks related to interest rate movements. Management documents its risk management strategy and hedge effectiveness at the inception of, and during the term of, each hedge. Our interest rate risk management strategy is intended to stabilize cash flow requirements by maintaining interest rate swap agreements to convert certain variable-rate debt to a fixed rate.
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The interest rate swap agreements, designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges, are reported at fair value. Interest rate swaps are measured at fair value using inputs that are directly observable in active markets and are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy, using an income approach. Specifically, the fair value of the interest rate swaps is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected future cash flows of each instrument. This analysis utilizes observable market data including yield curves and implied volatilities to determine the market’s expectation of the future cash flows of the variable component. The fixed and variable components of the interest rate swaps are then discounted using calculated discount factors developed based on the overnight indexed swap (“OIS”) curve and are aggregated to arrive at a single valuation for the period. The Company also incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its interest rate swaps fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with its interest rate swaps utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by itself and its counterparties. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company has assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation. As a result, the Company has determined that its interest rate swap valuations in their entirety are appropriately classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
When an existing cash flow hedge is terminated, we determine the accounting treatment for the accumulated gain or loss recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), based on the probability of the hedged forecasted transaction occurring within the period the cash flow hedge was anticipated to affect earnings. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is probable of occurring during the original period, the accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings over the remaining life of the cash flow hedge using a straight-line method. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is not probable of occurring during the original period, the entire amount of accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings at such time.
Impact of Recent Accounting Pronouncements
For information on the impact of recent accounting pronouncements on our business, see the captions Recently Adopted Accounting Standards and Other Recently Issued Accounting Standards in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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FY 2023 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0000950170-24-018725.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand our results of operations and financial condition. This MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
We are an industrial-focused, diversified net lease real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that invests in primarily single-tenant commercial real estate properties that are net leased on a long-term basis to a diversified group of tenants. As of December 31, 2023, our portfolio includes 796 properties, with 789 properties located in 44 U.S. states and seven properties located in four Canadian provinces.
We focus on investing in real estate that is operated by creditworthy single tenants in industries characterized by positive business drivers and trends. We target properties that are an integral part of the tenants’ businesses and are therefore opportunities to secure long-term net leases. Through long-term net leases, our tenants are able to retain operational control of their strategically important locations, while allocating their debt and equity capital to fund core business operations rather than real estate ownership.
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Diversified Portfolio. As of December 31, 2023, our portfolio comprised approximately 38.3 million rentable square feet of operational space, was highly diversified based on property type, geography, tenant, and industry, and was cross-diversified within each (e.g., property-type diversification within a geographic concentration):
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Property Type: We are diversified across industrial, healthcare, restaurant, and retail property types. Within these sectors, we have meaningful concentrations in manufacturing, distribution and warehouse, food processing, casual dining, clinical, quick service restaurants, and general merchandise.
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Geographic Diversification: Our properties are located in 44 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, with no single geographic concentration exceeding 9.7% of our ABR.
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Tenant and Industry Diversification: Our properties are occupied by approximately 220 different commercial tenants who operate 208 different brands that are diversified across 53 differing industries, with no single tenant accounting for more than 4.1% of our ABR.
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Strong In-Place Leases with Significant Remaining Lease Term. As of December 31, 2023, our portfolio was approximately 99.4% leased with an ABR weighted average remaining lease term of approximately 10.5 years, excluding renewal options.
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Standard Contractual Base Rent Escalation. Approximately 97.3% of our leases have contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average minimum increase of 2.0%.
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Extensive Tenant Financial Reporting. Approximately 93.8% of our tenants, based on ABR, provide financial reporting, of which 86.0% are required to provide us with specified financial information on a periodic basis and an additional 7.8% of our tenants report financial statements publicly, either through SEC filings or otherwise.
Factors That Impact Our Result of Operations
Our results of operations and financial condition are affected by numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control. Key factors that typically impact our results of operations and financial condition, include rental rates, property dispositions, lease renewals and occupancy, investment activity, net lease terms, interest expense, general and administrative expenses, tenant bankruptcies, and impairments.
Rental Rates
Our ability to grow rental revenue from our existing portfolio will depend on our ability to realize the rental escalations built into our leases. As of December 31, 2023, leases contributing approximately 97.3% of our ABR provided for increases in future ABR, generally ranging from 1.5% to 3.0% annually, with an ABR weighted average minimum increase of 2.0%. Generally, our rent escalators increase rent on specified dates by a fixed percentage. Approximately 11.8% of our rent escalators are based on an increase in the CPI over a specified period and 2.7% of our leases are flat leases, meaning they do not provide for rent increases during their terms.
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Property Dispositions
From time to time, we strategically dispose of properties, primarily when we believe the risk profile has changed and become misaligned with our then current risk-adjusted return objectives. The resulting gains or losses on dispositions may materially impact our operating results, and the recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market at the time a property is listed for sale.
Lease Renewals and Occupancy
As of December 31, 2023, the ABR weighted average remaining term of our portfolio was approximately 10.5 years, excluding tenant renewal options, and leases for five properties, or 1.2% of ABR, will expire during 2024. Approximately 3% of the properties in our portfolio are subject to tenant leases without at least one renewal option. Approximately 60.6% of our ABR was derived from leases that will expire after 2030, and no more than 13.6% of our ABR was derived from leases that expire in any single year up to 2030. The stability of the rental revenue generated by our properties depends principally on our tenants’ ability to pay rent and our ability to collect rents, renew expiring leases or re-lease space upon the expiration or other termination of leases, lease currently vacant properties, and maintain or increase rental rates at our leased properties. To the extent our properties become vacant and are not subject to a lease, we would forego rental income while remaining responsible for the payment of property taxes and maintaining the property until it is re-leased, which could negatively impact our operating results. Our portfolio was 99.4% occupied as of December 31, 2023.
Investment Activity
Our historical growth in revenues and earnings has been achieved through rent escalations associated with existing in-place leases, coupled with rental income generated from accretive property investments. Our ability to grow revenue will depend, to a significant degree, on our ability to identify and complete acquisitions that meet our investment criteria. Changes in capitalization rates, interest rates, or other factors may impact our acquisition opportunities in the future. Market conditions may also impact the total returns we can achieve on our investments. Our investment volume also depends on our ability to access third-party debt and equity financing.
Net Lease Terms
Substantially all of our leases are net, pursuant to which our tenant generally is obligated to pay most recurring expenses associated with the leased property including real estate taxes, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. The remaining leases generally require that we pay some property expenses such as real estate taxes, insurance, or certain repairs and maintenance. Additionally, we seek to use master lease structures when possible, pursuant to which we lease multiple properties to a single tenant on an all or none basis. Master leases strengthen our ability to preserve rental revenue and prevent costs associated with vacancies for underperforming properties. As of December 31, 2023, master leases contributed 69.0% of the ABR associated with multi-site tenants (406 of 675 properties), and 41.5% of our overall ABR (406 of our 796 properties).
Interest Expense
We anticipate that we will continue to incur debt to fund future investment activity, which will increase the amount of interest expense we incur. In addition, although we attempt to limit our total floating-rate debt exposure, changes in the interest rate environment could either increase or decrease our weighted average interest rate in the future. As of December 31, 2023, 99.2% of our debt was fixed, with $30 million of interest rate swap notional maturing in the fourth quarter of 2024. Any changes to our debt structure or debt financing associated with property investments, could materially influence our operating results depending on the terms of any such debt. Our current investment grade credit ratings are ‘BBB’ from S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”), which allow us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt. However, a downgrade in our credit rating, or interest rate change due to governmental monetary and tax policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions, or other factors beyond our control, could also increase the amount of interest we pay under our debt agreements.
General and Administrative Expenses
Our general and administrative expenses primarily consist of employee compensation and related costs, third party legal, accounting, and consulting expenses, travel and entertainment, and general office expenses.
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Impact of Inflation
Our leases with tenants of our properties are long-term in nature, with a current weighted average remaining lease term of 10.5 years as of December 31, 2023. To mitigate the impact of inflation on our fixed revenue streams, we have implemented limited escalation clauses in our leases. As of December 31, 2023, substantially all of our leases had contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average minimum increase of 2.0%. A majority of our leases have fixed annual rent increases or periodic escalations over the term of the lease (e.g., a 10% increase every five years), and the remaining portion has annual rent escalations based on increases in the CPI. These lease escalations mitigate the risk of fixed revenue streams in the case of an inflationary economic environment, and provide increased return in otherwise stable market conditions. As a majority of our portfolio has fixed lease escalations, we are limited in our same store rental revenue inflation protection.
Our focus on single-tenant, net leases also mitigates the potential impact of fluctuations in the cost of services and maintenance as a result of inflation. For a portion of our portfolio, we have leases that are not fully net, and, therefore, we bear certain responsibilities for the maintenance and structural component replacements (e.g., roof, structure, or parking lot) that may be required in the future, although the tenants are still required to pay all operating expenses associated with the property (e.g., real estate taxes, insurance, and maintenance). Inflation and increased costs may have an adverse impact to our tenants and their creditworthiness if the increase in costs are greater than their increase in revenue. Where we cannot implement a net lease, we attempt to limit our exposure to inflation through the use of warranties and other remedies that reduce the likelihood of a significant capital outlay.
Tenant Bankruptcies
Adverse economic conditions, particularly those that affect the markets in which our properties are located, or downturns in our tenants’ industries could impair our tenants’ ability to meet their lease obligations to us and our ability to renew expiring leases or re-lease space. In particular, the bankruptcy of one or more of our tenants could adversely affect our ability to collect rents from such tenants and maintain our portfolio’s occupancy.
Impairments
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. Significant judgment is made as to if and when impairment should be taken. If our strategy, or one or more of the assumptions described above, changes in the future, we may have to recognize an impairment. Indications of a tenant’s inability to continue as a going concern, changes in our view or strategy relative to a tenant’s business or industry, or changes in our long-term hold strategies, could each be indicative of an impairment triggering event. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized $31.3 million of impairment due to a change in our long-term hold strategy for four properties.
Results of Operations
Discussion of our Results of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the year ended December 31, 2021 was previously filed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the heading “Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to Year Ended year ended December 31, 2021.”
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Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2022
Lease revenues, net
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenues: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Contractual rental amounts billed for operating leases | $ | 388,073 | $ | 359,317 | $ | 28,756 | 8.0 | % | ||||||||||||
| Adjustment to recognize contractual operating lease billings on a straight-line basis | 27,154 | 22,353 | 4,801 | 21.5 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Write-off of accrued rental income | (4,266 | ) | (1,326 | ) | 2,940 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||||
| Variable rental amount earned | 2,277 | 1,507 | 770 | 51.1 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Earned income from direct financing leases | 2,752 | 2,856 | (104 | ) | (3.6 | ) | % | |||||||||||||
| Interest income from sales-type leases | 58 | 58 | — | — | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses billed to tenants | 20,363 | 19,779 | 584 | 3.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Other income from real estate transactions | 7,414 | 3,069 | 4,345 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Adjustment to revenue recognized for uncollectible rental amounts billed, net | (937 | ) | (100 | ) | (837 | ) | (100.0) | % | ||||||||||||
| Total Lease revenues, net | $ | 442,888 | $ | 407,513 | $ | 35,375 | 8.7 | % |
The increase in Lease revenues, net was primarily due to recognizing a full year of rental revenue for all property acquisitions made during 2022 partially offset by the reductions of revenues associated with property dispositions. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we invested $907.2 million, in 87 properties at a weighted average initial cash capitalization rate of 6.4%. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we invested $68.4 million in new property acquisitions and revenue generating capital expenditures at a weighted average initial cash capitalization rate of 7.2%, and we disposed of 14 properties for net proceeds of $195.0 million at a weighted average cash capitalization rate of 6.0%. The increase in lease revenues was additionally due to an increase in lease termination fee income, which we classified as other income from real estate transactions in the table above, associated with the early lease termination and sale of an office property for total proceeds of $39.5 million. The timing and amount of lease termination income varies from period to period.
Operating Expenses
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | $ | % | |||||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | |||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | $ | 158,626 | $ | 154,807 | $ | 3,819 | 2.5 | % | |||||||||
| Property and operating expense | 22,576 | 21,773 | $ | 803 | 3.7 | % | |||||||||||
| General and administrative | 39,425 | 37,375 | $ | 2,050 | 5.5 | % | |||||||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 31,274 | 5,535 | $ | 25,739 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | $ | 251,901 | $ | 219,490 | $ | 32,411 | 14.8 | % |
Depreciation and amortization
The increase in depreciation and amortization during the year ended December 31, 2023 was primarily due to properties acquired in the previous year having a full year’s worth of depreciation in the current year, offset by net dispositions for the year ended December 31, 2023.
General and administrative
The increase in general and administrative expense for the year ended December 31, 2023 was primarily due to increases of stock-based compensation expense associated with an additional annual grant during the first quarter of 2023, payroll expense related to general annual merit adjustments, and transaction-related expenses for investments that did not close during the year. This was partially offset by a decrease in directors and officers insurance expense, associated with the length of time that has elapsed since our initial public offering in 2020.
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Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties
During the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized $31.3 million of impairment on our investments in rental properties, primarily due to a change in our long-term hold strategy on Green Valley Medical Center, compared to $5.5 million of impairment during the year ended December 31, 2022. The following table presents the impairment charges for their respective periods:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2023 | 2022 | |||||
| Number of properties | 4 | 3 | |||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 62,720 | $ | 12,721 | |||
| Fair value | 31,446 | 7,186 | |||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 31,274 | $ | 5,535 |
The timing and amount of impairment fluctuates from period to period depending on the specific facts and circumstances.
Other income (expenses)
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | $ | 512 | $ | 44 | $ | 468 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (80,053 | ) | (78,652 | ) | 1,401 | 1.78 | % | |||||||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | 54,310 | 15,953 | 38,357 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Income taxes | (763 | ) | (1,275 | ) | (512 | ) | (40.16 | ) | % | |||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | (1,681 | ) | 5,382 | (7,063 | ) | (100.0) | % |
Interest expense
The increase in interest expense reflects an increase in our weighted average cost of our United States Dollar (“USD”) Revolving Credit Facility borrowings, our only variable rate debt. At December 31, 2023, the one-month SOFR rate was 5.35%, compared with 4.36% at December 31, 2022. This increase was offset by decreased average outstanding borrowings. Since December 31, 2022, we decreased total outstanding borrowings by $116.0 million, excluding the impacts of foreign exchange remeasurement.
Gain on sale of real estate
Our recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized gains of $54.3 million on the sale of 14 properties, compared to gains of $16.0 million on the sale of eight properties during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Other income (expenses)
The change in other income during the year ended December 31, 2023 was primarily $1.7 million of unrealized foreign exchange loss recognized on the remeasurement of our $100 million CAD Revolving Credit Facility borrowings, compared to a $5.6 million unrealized foreign exchange gain recognized during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Net Income and Net earnings per diluted share
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2023 | 2022 | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 163,312 | $ | 129,475 | $ | 33,837 | 26.1 | % | ||||||||
| Net earnings per diluted share | 0.83 | 0.72 | 0.11 | 15.3 | % |
The increase in net income is primarily due to a $38.4 million increase in the gain on sale of real estate, together with revenue growth of $35.4 million. These factors were partially offset by a $25.7 million increase in the provision for impairment of investment in rental properties and a $7.1 million decrease in other income (expenses).
GAAP net income includes items such as gain or loss on sale of real estate and provisions for impairment, among others, which can vary from quarter to quarter and impact period-over-period comparisons.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
General
We acquire real estate using a combination of debt and equity capital and with cash from operations that is not otherwise distributed to our stockholders, and proceeds from dispositions of real estate properties. Our focus is on maximizing the risk-adjusted return to our stockholders through an appropriate balance of debt and equity in our capital structure. We are committed to maintaining an investment grade balance sheet through active management of our leverage profile and overall liquidity position. We believe our leverage strategy has allowed us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt while simultaneously strengthening our balance sheet, as evidenced by our current investment grade credit ratings of ‘BBB’ from S&P and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s. We seek to maintain on a sustained basis a Leverage Ratio that is generally less than 6.0x. As of December 31, 2023, we had total debt outstanding and Net Debt of $1.9 billion each, and a Leverage Ratio of 5.0x.
Net Debt and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are non-GAAP financial measures, and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre is calculated based upon EBITDA, EBITDAre, and Adjusted EBITDAre, each of which is also a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to Non-GAAP Measures below for further details concerning our calculation of non-GAAP measures and reconciliations to the comparable GAAP measure.
Liquidity/REIT Requirements
Liquidity is a measure of our ability to meet potential cash requirements, including our ongoing commitments to repay debt, fund our operations, acquire properties, make distributions to our stockholders, and other general business needs. As a REIT, we are required to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gains, on an annual basis. As a result, it is unlikely that we will be able to retain substantial cash balances to meet our long-term liquidity needs, including repayment of debt and the acquisition of additional properties, from our annual taxable income. Instead, we expect to meet our long-term liquidity needs primarily by relying upon external sources of capital and proceeds from selective property dispositions.
Short-term Liquidity Requirements
Our short-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to pay for our operating expenses, including our general and administrative expenses as well as interest payments on our outstanding debt, to pay distributions, to fund our acquisitions that are under control or expected to close within a short time period, and to pay for commitments to fund development opportunities, tenant improvements, and revenue generating capital expenditures. Under leases where we are required to bear the cost of structural repairs and replacements, we do not currently anticipate making significant capital expenditures or incurring other significant property costs, including as a result of inflationary pressures in the current economic environment, because of the strong occupancy levels across our portfolio and the net lease nature of our leases. We expect to meet our short-term liquidity requirements primarily from cash and cash equivalents balances and net cash provided by operating activities, supplemented by borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility and capital recycled through selective property dispositions. We use cash on hand and borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility to initially fund acquisitions, which are subsequently repaid or replaced with proceeds from our equity and debt capital markets activities as well as proceeds from dispositions.
As detailed in the contractual obligations table below, we have approximately $214.1 million of expected obligations due throughout 2024, primarily consisting of $118.7 million of commitments to fund investments, $55.9 million of dividends declared, $37.2 million of interest expense due, and $2.3 million of mortgage amortization. We expect our cash provided by operating activities, as discussed below, will be sufficient to pay for our current obligations including interest and mortgage amortization. We expect to pay for commitments to fund investments and our dividends declared using our Revolving Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2023, we have $909.6 million of available capacity under our Revolving Credit Facility with sufficient leverage capacity to remain within our targeted leverage profile.
Long-term Liquidity Requirements
Our long-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to repay debt and invest in additional revenue generating properties. We expect to source debt capital from unsecured term loans from commercial banks, revolving credit facilities, private placement senior unsecured notes, and public bond offerings.
The source and mix of our debt capital in the future will be impacted by market conditions as well as our continued focus on lengthening our debt maturity profile to better align with our portfolio’s long-term leases, staggering debt maturities to reduce the risk that a significant amount of debt will mature in any single year in the future, and managing our exposure to interest rate risk. We have no material debt maturities until 2026, as detailed in the table below.
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We expect to meet our long-term liquidity requirements primarily from borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, future debt and equity financings, and proceeds from limited sales of our properties. Our ability to access these capital sources may be impacted by unfavorable market conditions, particularly in the debt and equity capital markets, that are outside of our control. In addition, our success will depend on our operating performance, our borrowing restrictions, our degree of leverage, and other factors. Our acquisition growth strategy significantly depends on our ability to obtain acquisition financing on favorable terms. We seek to reduce the risk that long-term debt capital may be unavailable to us by strengthening our balance sheet by investing in real estate with creditworthy tenants and lease guarantors, and by maintaining an appropriate mix of debt and equity capitalization. We also, from time to time, obtain or assume non-recourse mortgage financing from banks and insurance companies secured by mortgages on the corresponding specific property subject to limitations imposed by our Revolving Credit Facility covenants and our investment grade credit rating.
Equity Capital Resources
Our equity capital is primarily provided through our at-the-market common equity offering program (“ATM Program”), as well as follow-on equity offerings. Under the terms of our ATM Program we may, from time to time, publicly offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $400 million. The ATM Program provides for forward sale agreements, enabling us to set the price of shares upon pricing the offering while delaying the issuance of shares and the receipt of the net proceeds. We did not raise any equity on our ATM Program during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, and have approximately $145.4 million of available capacity remaining on the ATM Program as of December 31, 2023.
The following table presents information about our ATM Program activity:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share amounts) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||
| Number of common shares issued | — | 10,471 | 1,072 | ||||||||
| Weighted average sale price per share | $ | — | $ | 21.66 | $ | 26.26 | |||||
| Net proceeds | $ | — | $ | 222,895 | $ | 27,300 | |||||
| Gross proceeds | $ | — | $ | 226,483 | $ | 28,100 |
Our public offerings have been used to repay debt, fund acquisitions, and for other general corporate purposes.
As we continue to invest in accretive real estate properties, we expect to balance our debt and equity capitalization, while maintaining a Leverage Ratio below 6.0x on a sustained basis.
Unsecured Indebtedness and Capital Markets Activities as of and for the Year Ended December 31, 2023
The following table sets forth our outstanding Revolving Credit Facility, unsecured term loans and senior unsecured notes at December 31, 2023.
| (in thousands, except interest rates) | Outstanding Balance | Interest Rate | Maturity Date | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revolving Credit Facility | $ | 90,434 | Applicable reference rate + 0.85% (a) | Mar. 2026 (d) | ||||
| Unsecured term loans: | ||||||||
| 2026 Unsecured Term Loan | 400,000 | one-month adjusted SOFR + 1.00% (b)(c) | Feb. 2026 | |||||
| 2027 Unsecured Term Loan | 200,000 | one-month adjusted SOFR + 0.95% (c) | Aug. 2027 | |||||
| 2029 Unsecured Term Loan | 300,000 | one-month adjusted SOFR + 1.25% (c) | Aug. 2029 | |||||
| Total unsecured term loans | 900,000 | |||||||
| Unamortized debt issuance costs, net | (4,053 | ) | ||||||
| Total unsecured term loans, net | 895,947 | |||||||
| Senior unsecured notes: | ||||||||
| 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A | 150,000 | 4.84% | Apr. 2027 | |||||
| 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B | 225,000 | 5.09% | Jul. 2028 | |||||
| 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C | 100,000 | 5.19% | Jul. 2030 | |||||
| 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes | 375,000 | 2.60% | Sep. 2031 | |||||
| Total senior unsecured notes | 850,000 | |||||||
| Unamortized debt issuance costs and original issuance discount, net | (4,691 | ) | ||||||
| Total senior unsecured notes, net | 845,309 | |||||||
| Total unsecured debt | $ | 1,831,690 |
(a)
At December 31, 2023, the balance includes $100 million CAD borrowings remeasured to $75.4 million USD, and was subject to the one-month Canadian Dollar Offered Rate of 5.46%.
(b)
Effective July 1, 2023, the loan converted into a one-month SOFR borrowing concurrent with LIBOR's cessation.
(c)
At December 31, 2023, one-month SOFR was 5.35%.
(d)
Our Revolving Credit Facility contains two six-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625% of the revolving commitments.
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Revolving Credit Facility
Our Revolving Credit Facility has a $1.0 billion capacity with a maturity date of March 2026 and contains two six-month extension options, subject to certain conditions, including an extension fee equal to 0.0625%. In addition to United States Dollars (“USD”), borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility can be made in Pound Sterling, Euros or Canadian Dollars (“CAD”) up to an aggregate amount of $500.0 million. Borrowings under the amended credit facility are subject to interest only payments at variable rates equal to the applicable reference rate plus a margin of 0.85% based on our current credit ratings of ‘BBB’ and ‘Baa2’ from S&P and Moody’s, respectively. In addition, the Revolving Credit Facility is subject to a facility fee on the amount of the revolving commitments, based on our credit rating. The applicable facility fee is 0.20% per annum.
2026 Unsecured Term Loan
Borrowings under the 2026 Unsecured Term Loan are subject to interest at variable rates based on one-month adjusted SOFR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.85% and 1.65% based on our credit rating.
2027 Unsecured Term Loan and 2029 Unsecured Term Loan
Borrowings under the 2027 Unsecured Term Loan and 2029 Unsecured Term Loan bear interest at variable rates based on one-month adjusted SOFR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.80% and 1.60% per annum for the 2027 Unsecured Term Loan, and 1.15% and 2.20% per annum for the 2029 Unsecured Term Loan.
2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A
The 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A are payable interest only semiannually during their term, bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.84% per annum, and mature in April 2027.
2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C
The 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C are payable interest only semiannually during their term, and bear interest at fixed rates of 5.09% per annum and 5.19% per annum, respectively. Series B Notes mature in July 2028, and the Series C Notes mature in July 2030.
2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes
Borrowings under the 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes are subject to interest only, semi-annual payments at a fixed rate of 2.60% per annum and mature in September 2031.
Debt Covenants
We are subject to various covenants and financial reporting requirements pursuant to our debt facilities, which are summarized below. As of December 31, 2023, we believe we were in compliance with all of our covenants on all outstanding borrowings. In the event of default, either through default on payments or breach of covenants, we may be restricted from paying dividends to our stockholders in excess of dividends required to maintain our REIT qualification. For each of the previous three years, we paid dividends out of our cash flows from operations in excess of the distribution amounts required to maintain our REIT qualification.
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Contractual Obligations
The following table provides information with respect to our contractual commitments and obligations as of December 31, 2023 (in thousands). Refer to the discussion in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section above for further discussion over our short and long-term obligations.
| Year of Maturity | Revolving Credit Facility(a) | Mortgages | Term Loans | Senior Notes | Interest Expense(b) | Dividends(c) | Commitments to Fund Investments(d) | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $ | — | $ | 2,260 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 37,241 | $ | 55,906 | $ | 118,728 | $ | 214,135 | |||||||||||||||
| 2025 | — | 20,195 | — | — | 93,301 | — | 2,000 | 115,496 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 90,434 | 16,843 | 400,000 | — | 96,933 | — | — | 604,210 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2027 | — | 1,596 | 200,000 | 150,000 | 51,009 | — | — | 402,605 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2028 | — | 38,278 | — | 225,000 | 71,620 | — | — | 334,898 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thereafter | — | — | 300,000 | 475,000 | 46,712 | — | — | 821,712 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 90,434 | $ | 79,172 | $ | 900,000 | $ | 850,000 | $ | 396,816 | $ | 55,906 | $ | 120,728 | $ | 2,493,056 |
(a)
Our Revolving Credit Facility contains two six-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625% of the revolving commitments.
(b)
Interest expense is projected based on the outstanding borrowings and interest rates in effect as of December 31, 2023. This amount includes the impact of interest rate swap agreements.
(c)
Amounts include dividends declared as of December 31, 2023 of $0.285 per common share and OP Unit. Future undeclared dividends have been excluded.
(d)
Amounts include acquisitions under control, defined as under contract or executed letter of intent, and commitments to fund revenue generating capital expenditures and development opportunities.
At December 31, 2023, investment in rental property of $120.5 million, was pledged as collateral against our mortgages.
Additionally, we are a party to two separate tax protection agreements with the contributing members of two distinct UPREIT transactions and a third tax protection agreement entered into in connection with the internalization of our management in February 2020. The tax protection agreements require us to indemnify the beneficiaries in the event of a sale, exchange, transfer, or other disposal of the contributed property, and in the case of the tax protection agreement entered into in connection with the Company’s internalization, the entire Company, in a taxable transaction that would cause such beneficiaries to recognize a gain that is protected under the agreements, subject to certain exceptions. Based on values as of December 31, 2023, taxable sales of the applicable properties would trigger liability under the three agreements of approximately $20.4 million. Based on information available, we do not believe that the events resulting in liability as detailed above have occurred or are likely to occur in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, we have excluded these commitments from the contractual commitments table above.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
We are exposed to interest rate risk arising from changes in interest rates on the floating-rate borrowings under our unsecured credit facilities. Borrowings pursuant to our unsecured credit facilities bear interest at floating rates based on SOFR or CDOR plus an applicable margin. Accordingly, fluctuations in market interest rates may increase or decrease our interest expense, which will in turn, increase or decrease our net income and cash flow.
We attempt to manage the interest rate risk on variable rate borrowings by entering into interest rate swaps. As of December 31, 2023, we had 32 interest rate swaps outstanding with an aggregate notional amount of $975.4 million. Under these agreements, we receive monthly payments from the counterparties equal to the related variable interest rates multiplied by the outstanding notional amounts. In turn, we pay the counterparties each month an amount equal to a fixed interest rate multiplied by the related outstanding notional amounts. The intended net impact of these transactions is that we pay a fixed interest rate on our variable-rate borrowings. The interest rate swaps have been designated by us as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes and are reported at fair value. We assess, both at inception and on an ongoing basis, the effectiveness of our qualifying cash flow hedges. We have not entered, and do not intend to enter, into derivative or interest rate transactions for speculative purposes.
In addition, we own investments in Canada, and as a result are subject to risk from the effects of exchange rate movements in the Canadian dollar, which may affect future costs and cash flows. We funded a significant portion of our Canadian investments through Canadian dollar borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, which is intended to act as a natural hedge against our Canadian dollar investments. The Canadian dollar Revolving Credit Facility borrowings are remeasured each reporting period, with the unrealized foreign currency gains and losses flowing through earnings. These unrealized foreign currency gains and losses do not impact our cash flows from operations until settled, and are expected to directly offset the changes in the value of our net investments as a result of changes in the Canadian dollar. Our Canadian investments are recorded at their historical exchange rates, and therefore are not impacted by changes in the value of the Canadian dollar.
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Cash Flows
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $20.6 million, $60.0 million, and $27.8 million at December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively. The table below shows information concerning cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 271,074 | $ | 255,914 | $ | 244,937 | ||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | 24,338 | (859,643 | ) | (582,304 | ) | |||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (334,820 | ) | 636,000 | 254,408 | ||||||||
| (Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash | $ | (39,408 | ) | $ | 32,271 | $ | (82,959 | ) |
The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was mainly due to growth in our real estate portfolio and associated incremental net lease revenues.
The increase in net cash provided by investing activities during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was mainly due to increased disposition volume. The increase in net cash used in investing activities in 2022 as compared to 2021 was driven by an increase in investing activities.
The decrease in net cash (used in) provided by financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2022, mainly reflects a decrease in our total outstanding borrowings in 2023. The increase in net cash provided by financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, mainly reflects an increase in net proceeds from equity and debt offerings in 2022 to fund growth in our real estate portfolio.
Non-GAAP Measures
FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO
We compute Funds From Operations (“FFO”) in accordance with the standards established by the Board of Governors of Nareit, the worldwide representative voice for REITs and publicly traded real estate companies with an interest in the U.S. real estate and capital markets. Nareit defines FFO as GAAP net income or loss adjusted to exclude net gains (losses) from sales of certain depreciated real estate assets, depreciation and amortization expense from real estate assets, and impairment charges related to certain previously depreciated real estate assets. FFO is used by management, investors, and analysts to facilitate meaningful comparisons of operating performance between periods and among our peers, primarily because it excludes the effect of real estate depreciation and amortization and net gains (losses) on sales, which are based on historical costs and implicitly assume that the value of real estate diminishes predictably over time, rather than fluctuating based on existing market conditions.
We compute Core Funds From Operations (“Core FFO”) by adjusting FFO, as defined by Nareit, to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that we believe are infrequently recurring, unusual in nature, or not related to its core real estate operations, including write-offs or recoveries of accrued rental income, lease termination fees, gain on insurance recoveries, the change in fair value of our earnout liability, cost of debt extinguishments, unrealized and realized gains or losses on foreign currency transactions, severance and executive transition costs, and other extraordinary items. Exclusion of these items from similar FFO-type metrics is common within the equity REIT industry, and management believes that presentation of Core FFO provides investors with a metric to assist in their evaluation of our operating performance across multiple periods and in comparison to the operating performance of our peers, because it removes the effect of unusual items that are not expected to impact our operating performance on an ongoing basis.
We compute Adjusted Funds From Operations (“AFFO”), by adjusting Core FFO for certain non-cash revenues and expenses, including straight-line rents, amortization of lease intangibles, adjustment to provision for credit losses, amortization of debt issuance costs, amortization of net mortgage premiums, (gain) loss on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense, deferred taxes, stock-based compensation, and other specified non-cash items. We believe that excluding such items assists management and investors in distinguishing whether changes in our operations are due to growth or decline of operations at our properties or from other factors. We use AFFO as a measure of our performance when we formulate corporate goals, and is a factor in determining management compensation. We believe that AFFO is a useful supplemental measure for investors to consider because it will help them to better assess our operating performance without the distortions created by non-cash revenues or expenses.
Specific to our adjustment for straight-line rents, our leases include cash rents that increase over the term of the lease to compensate us for anticipated increases in market rental rates over time. Our leases do not include significant front-loading or back-loading of payments, or significant rent-free periods. Therefore, we find it useful to evaluate rent on a contractual basis as it allows for comparison of existing rental rates to market rental rates.
FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other REITs, and comparisons of our FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO with the same or similar measures disclosed by other REITs may not be meaningful.
Neither the SEC nor any other regulatory body has passed judgment on the acceptability of the adjustments to FFO that we use to calculate Core FFO and AFFO. In the future, the SEC, Nareit or another regulatory body may decide to standardize the allowable adjustments across the REIT industry and in response to such standardization we may have to adjust our calculation and characterization of Core FFO and AFFO accordingly.
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The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to FFO, Core FFO and AFFO:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 163,312 | $ | 129,475 | $ | 109,528 | ||||||
| Real property depreciation and amortization | 158,346 | 154,673 | 131,999 | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (54,310 | ) | (15,953 | ) | (13,523 | ) | ||||||
| Provision for impairment on investment in rental properties | 31,274 | 5,535 | 28,208 | |||||||||
| FFO | $ | 298,622 | $ | 273,730 | $ | 256,212 | ||||||
| Net write-offs of accrued rental income | 4,458 | 1,326 | 1,938 | |||||||||
| Lease termination fees | (7,500 | ) | (2,469 | ) | (35,000 | ) | ||||||
| Gain on insurance recoveries | — | (341 | ) | — | ||||||||
| Cost of debt extinguishment | 3 | 308 | 368 | |||||||||
| Severance and executive transition costs | 1,622 | 401 | 1,304 | |||||||||
| Change in fair value of earnout liability | — | — | 5,539 | |||||||||
| Other expenses (income) (a) | 1,678 | (5,690 | ) | 62 | ||||||||
| Core FFO | $ | 298,883 | $ | 267,265 | $ | 230,423 | ||||||
| Straight-line rent adjustment | (26,736 | ) | (21,900 | ) | (20,304 | ) | ||||||
| Adjustment to provision for credit losses | (10 | ) | (5 | ) | (38 | ) | ||||||
| Amortization of debt issuance costs | 3,938 | 3,692 | 3,854 | |||||||||
| Amortization of net mortgage premiums | (78 | ) | (104 | ) | (132 | ) | ||||||
| Loss on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense | 1,884 | 2,514 | 698 | |||||||||
| Amortization of lease intangibles | (5,846 | ) | (4,809 | ) | (3,208 | ) | ||||||
| Stock-based compensation | 5,972 | 5,316 | 4,669 | |||||||||
| Deferred taxes | (282 | ) | 204 | — | ||||||||
| AFFO | $ | 277,725 | $ | 252,173 | $ | 215,962 |
(a)
Amount includes $1.7 million, ($5.6) million, and ($0.1) million of unrealized foreign exchange loss (gain) for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively, primarily associated with our Canadian dollar denominated Revolver Credit Facility borrowings.
EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We compute EBITDA as earnings before interest, income taxes and depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is a measure commonly used in our industry. We believe that this ratio provides investors and analysts with a measure of our performance that includes our operating results unaffected by the differences in capital structures, capital investment cycles and useful life of related assets compared to other companies in our industry. We compute EBITDAre in accordance with the definition adopted by Nareit, as EBITDA excluding gains (losses) from the sales of depreciable property and provisions for impairment on investment in real estate. We believe EBITDA and EBITDAre are useful to investors and analysts because they provide important supplemental information about our operating performance exclusive of certain non-cash and other costs. EBITDA and EBITDAre are not measures of financial performance under GAAP, and our EBITDA and EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our EBITDA and EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
We are focused on a disciplined and targeted investment strategy, together with active asset management that includes selective sales of properties. We manage our leverage profile using a ratio of Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, each discussed further below, which we believe is a useful measure of our ability to repay debt and a relative measure of leverage, and is used in communications with our lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. As we fund new investments using our unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, our leverage profile and Net Debt will be immediately impacted by current quarter investments. However, the full benefit of EBITDAre from new investments will not be received in the same quarter in which the properties are acquired. Additionally, EBITDAre for the quarter includes amounts generated by properties that have been sold during the quarter. Accordingly, the variability in EBITDAre caused by the timing of our investments and dispositions can temporarily distort our leverage ratios. We adjust EBITDAre (“Adjusted EBITDAre”) for the most recently completed quarter (i) to recalculate as if all investments and dispositions had occurred at the beginning of the quarter, (ii) to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that are either non-cash, such as cost of debt extinguishments, realized or unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency transactions, or gains on insurance recoveries, or that we believe are one time, or unusual in nature because they relate to unique circumstances or transactions that had not previously occurred and which we do not anticipate occurring in the future, and (iii) to eliminate the impact of lease termination fees and other items that are not a result of normal operations. While investments in property developments have an immediate impact to Net Debt, we do not make an adjustment to EBITDAre until the quarter in which the lease commences. We then annualize quarterly Adjusted EBITDAre by multiplying it by four (“Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre”). You should not unduly rely on this measure as it is based on assumptions and estimates that may prove to be inaccurate. Our actual reported EBITDAre for future periods may be significantly different from our Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre. Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are not measurements of performance under GAAP, and our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
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The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to EBITDA, EBITDAre, and Adjusted EBITDAre. Information is also presented with respect to Annualized EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre:
| For the Three Months Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 6,797 | $ | 36,773 | $ | 32,226 | ||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 39,278 | 45,606 | 33,476 | |||||||||
| Interest expense | 18,972 | 23,773 | 16,997 | |||||||||
| Income taxes | (268 | ) | 105 | 457 | ||||||||
| EBITDA | $ | 64,779 | $ | 106,257 | $ | 83,156 | ||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 29,801 | — | 207 | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (6,270 | ) | (10,625 | ) | (3,732 | ) | ||||||
| EBITDAre | $ | 88,310 | $ | 95,632 | $ | 79,631 | ||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter acquisition activity (a) | 153 | 1,283 | 2,002 | |||||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter disposition activity (b) | (156 | ) | (440 | ) | (180 | ) | ||||||
| Adjustment to exclude non-recurring expenses (income) (c) | 128 | — | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude net write-offs of accrued rental income | 4,161 | — | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude gain on insurance recoveries | — | (341 | ) | — | ||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude realized/unrealized foreign exchange loss | 1,453 | 796 | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude cost of debt extinguishments | — | 77 | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude lease termination fees | — | (1,678 | ) | — | ||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 94,049 | $ | 95,329 | $ | 81,453 | ||||||
| Annualized EBITDAre | $ | 353,240 | $ | 382,528 | $ | 318,526 | ||||||
| Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 376,196 | $ | 381,316 | $ | 325,812 |
(a)
Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all investments during the quarter as if they had been made as of the beginning of the quarter.
(b)
Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all dispositions during the quarter as if they had been sold as of the beginning of the quarter.
(c)
Amounts include $0.2 million of employee severance and ($0.1) million of forfeited stock-based compensation for the three months ended December 31, 2023.
Net Debt, Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We define Net Debt as gross debt (total reported debt plus debt issuance costs) less cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. We believe that the presentation of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre is useful to investors and analysts because these ratios provide information about gross debt less cash and cash equivalents, which could be used to repay debt, compared to our performance as measured using EBITDAre, and is used in communications with lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. The following table reconciles total debt (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to Net Debt, and presents the ratio of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, respectively:
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | ||||||
| Debt | ||||||||
| Revolving Credit Facility | $ | 90,434 | $ | 197,322 | ||||
| Unsecured term loans, net | 895,947 | 894,692 | ||||||
| Senior unsecured notes, net | 845,309 | 844,555 | ||||||
| Mortgages, net | 79,068 | 86,602 | ||||||
| Debt issuance costs | 8,848 | 10,905 | ||||||
| Gross Debt | 1,919,606 | 2,034,076 | ||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | (19,494 | ) | (21,789 | ) | ||||
| Restricted cash | (1,138 | ) | (38,251 | ) | ||||
| Net Debt | $ | 1,898,974 | $ | 1,974,036 | ||||
| Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre | 5.4x | 5.2x | ||||||
| Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | 5.0x | 5.2x |
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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses as well as other disclosures in the financial statements. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. These judgments affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates and assumptions; however, actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions, which in turn could have a material impact on our financial statements. A summary of our significant accounting policies and procedures are included in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”, contained in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Management believes the following critical accounting policies, among others, affect its more significant estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Investment in Rental Property
Rental property accounted for under operating leases is recorded at cost. Rental property accounted for under direct financing leases and sales-type are recorded at its net investment, which generally represents the cost of the property at the inception of the lease.
We account for acquisitions of real estate as asset acquisitions in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations, as substantially all of the fair value of the assets acquired are concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets.
We allocate the purchase price of investments in rental property accounted for as asset acquisitions based on the relative fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. These generally include tangible assets, consisting of land and land improvements, buildings and other improvements, and equipment, and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities, including the value of in-place leases and acquired above-market and below-market leases.
We use multiple sources to estimate fair value, including information obtained about each property as a result of our pre-acquisition due diligence and our marketing and leasing activities. Factors that impact our fair value determination include real estate market conditions, industry conditions that the tenant operates in, and characteristics of the real estate and/or real estate appraisals. Changes in any of these factors could impact the future purchase prices of our investments and the corresponding capitalization rates recognized.
The estimated fair value of the tangible assets of an acquired property is determined by valuing the property as if it were vacant. The as-if-vacant value is then allocated to land and land improvements, buildings, and equipment based on comparable sales and other relevant information with respect to the property, as estimated by management. Specifically, the “if vacant” value of buildings and equipment is calculated using an income approach. Assumptions used in the income approach to value the buildings include: capitalization and discount rates, lease-up time, market rents, make ready costs, land value, and land improvement value.
The estimated fair value of acquired in-place leases are the costs we would have had to incur to lease the properties to the occupancy level of the properties at the date of acquisition. Such costs include the fair value of leasing commissions and other operating costs that would have been incurred to lease the properties, had they been vacant, to their acquired occupancy level. Acquired in-place leases as of the date of acquisition are amortized over the remaining non-cancellable lease terms of the respective leases to amortization expense.
Acquired above-market and below-market lease values are recorded based on the present value (using an interest rate that reflects the risks associated with the lease acquired) of the differences between the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the in-place leases and management’s estimate of fair market value lease rates at the time of acquisition for the corresponding in-place leases. The capitalized above-market and below-market lease values are amortized as adjustments to rental income over the remaining term of the respective leases.
Management estimates the fair value of assumed mortgages based upon indications of then-current market pricing for similar types of debt with similar maturities. Assumed mortgages are initially recorded at their estimated fair value as of the assumption date, and the difference between such estimated fair value and the notes’ outstanding principal balance is amortized to interest expense over the remaining term of the debt.
Long-lived Asset Impairment
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. An impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the fair value. Significant judgment is made to determine if and when impairment should be taken. Management’s assessment of impairment as of December 31, 2023 was based on the most current information available to management. Certain of our properties may have fair values less than their carrying amounts. However, based on management’s plans with respect to each of those properties, we believe that their carrying amounts are recoverable and therefore, no impairment charges were recognized other than those described below. If the operating conditions mentioned above deteriorate or if our expected holding period for assets changes, subsequent tests for impairments could result in additional impairment charges in the future.
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Inputs used in establishing fair value for real estate assets generally fall within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, which are characterized as requiring significant judgment as little or no current market activity may be available for validation. The main indicator used to establish the classification of the inputs is current market conditions, as derived through the use of published commercial real estate market information. We determine the valuation of impaired assets using generally accepted valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis, income capitalization, analysis of recent comparable sales transactions, actual sales negotiations, and bona fide purchase offers received from third parties. We may consider a single valuation technique or multiple valuation techniques, as appropriate, when estimating the fair value of our real estate.
The following table summarizes our impairment charges resulting primarily from changes in our long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||
| Number of properties | 4 | 3 | 7 | ||||||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 62,720 | $ | 12,721 | $ | 48,604 | |||||
| Fair value | 31,446 | 7,186 | 20,396 | ||||||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 31,274 | $ | 5,535 | $ | 28,208 |
During the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized an impairment charge of $26.4 million on a healthcare property due to changes in our tenant’s ability to perform under the lease agreement, leading to a change in management’s long-term hold strategy and desire to sell in the near term. We determined the fair value measurement using a range of significant unobservable inputs, including a third-party appraisal, broker market information, and recent comparable vacant sales transactions. Decreases in the sale price assumptions based on continued marketing of the property could result in additional impairment in the future. Based on the range of fair value estimates, which was the best available information, an additional $9 million of impairment would be recorded if we sold the property at the low end of the range. The remaining impairments recognized during the year ended December 31, 2023 were immaterial.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the amount paid over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination and it assigned to one or more reporting units. We evaluate goodwill for impairment when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable, or at least annually. Our annual testing date is November 30.
The goodwill impairment evaluation is completed using either a qualitative or quantitative approach. Under a qualitative approach, the impairment review for goodwill consists of an assessment of whether it is more-likely-than-not that the reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value, including goodwill. If a qualitative approach indicates it is more likely-than-not that the estimated carrying value of a reporting unit (including goodwill) exceeds its fair value, or if we choose to bypass the qualitative approach, we perform the quantitative approach described below.
When we perform a quantitative test of goodwill for impairment, we compare the carrying value of a reporting unit with its fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, we do not consider goodwill to be impaired and no further analysis would be required. If the fair value is determined to be less than its carrying value, the amount of goodwill impairment equals the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill.
Management determined that we have one reporting unit, consistent with our segment reporting analysis, which includes the acquisition, leasing, and ownership of net leased properties (i.e., the consolidated entity). When necessary to perform the quantitative test for goodwill impairment, our estimate of fair value is determined using a market approach, leveraging assumptions such as the fair value of our equity, and consideration of a control premium, if necessary, which includes an analysis of similar market transactions. While we believe the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of our reporting unit are reasonable, changes in these assumptions may have a material impact on our financial results. Based on the results of our annual goodwill impairment test on November 30, 2023, our annual goodwill impairment test date, we concluded that goodwill was not impaired.
Revenue Recognition
We account for leases in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. We commence revenue recognition on our leases based on a number of factors, including the initial determination that the contract is or contains a lease. Generally, all of our property related contracts are or contain leases, and therefore revenue is recognized when the lessee takes possession of or controls the physical use of the leased assets. In most instances this occurs on the lease commencement date. At the time of lease assumption or at the inception of a new lease, including new leases that arise from amendments, we assess the terms and conditions of the lease to determine the proper lease classification.
A lease is classified as an operating lease if none of the following criteria are met: (i) ownership transfers to the lessee at the end of the lease term, (ii) the lessee has a purchase option that is reasonably expected to be exercised, (iii) the lease term is for a major part of the economic life of the leased property, (iv) the present value of the future lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee that is not already reflected in the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the leased property, and (v) the leased property is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no future alternative use to the Company at the end of the lease term. If one or
55
more of these criteria are met, the lease will generally be classified as a sales-type lease, unless the lease contains a residual value guarantee from a third party other than the lessee, in which case it would be classified as a direct financing lease under certain circumstances.
We account for the right to use land as a separate lease component, unless the accounting effect of doing so would be insignificant. Determination of significance requires management judgment. In determining whether the accounting effect of separately reporting the land component from other components for its real estate leases is significant, we assess: (i) whether separating the land component impacts the classification of any lease component, (ii) the value of the land component in the context of the overall contract, and (iii) whether the right to use the land is coterminous with the rights to use the other assets.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Management uses interest rate swap agreements to manage risks related to interest rate movements. Management documents its risk management strategy and hedge effectiveness at the inception of, and during the term of, each hedge. Our interest rate risk management strategy is intended to stabilize cash flow requirements by maintaining interest rate swap agreements to convert certain variable-rate debt to a fixed rate.
The interest rate swap agreements, designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges, are reported at fair value. Interest rate swaps are measured at fair value using inputs that are directly observable in active markets and are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy, using an income approach. Specifically, the fair value of the interest rate swaps is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected future cash flows of each instrument. This analysis utilizes observable market data including yield curves and implied volatilities to determine the market’s expectation of the future cash flows of the variable component. The fixed and variable components of the interest rate swaps are then discounted using calculated discount factors developed based on the overnight indexed swap (“OIS”) curve and are aggregated to arrive at a single valuation for the period. The Company also incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its interest rate swaps fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with its interest rate swaps utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by itself and its counterparties. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company has assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation. As a result, the Company has determined that its interest rate swap valuations in their entirety are appropriately classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
When an existing cash flow hedge is terminated, we determine the accounting treatment for the accumulated gain or loss recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), based on the probability of the hedged forecasted transaction occurring within the period the cash flow hedge was anticipated to affect earnings. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is probable of occurring during the original period, the accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings over the remaining life of the cash flow hedge using a straight-line method. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is not probable of occurring during the original period, the entire amount of accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings at such time.
Impact of Recent Accounting Pronouncements
For information on the impact of recent accounting pronouncements on our business, see the captions Recently Adopted Accounting Standards and Other Recently Issued Accounting Standards in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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FY 2022 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0000950170-23-004115.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand our results of operations and financial condition. This MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
We own and manage primarily single-tenant commercial real estate properties that are net leased on a long-term basis to a diversified group of tenants. Since our inception in 2007, we have selectively invested in net leased assets in the industrial, healthcare, restaurant, retail, and office property types. As of December 31, 2022, our portfolio has grown to 804 properties, with 797 properties located in 44 U.S. states and seven properties located in four Canadian provinces.
We focus on investing in real estate that is operated by creditworthy single tenants in industries characterized by positive business drivers and trends. We target properties that are an integral part of the tenants’ businesses and are therefore opportunities to secure long-term net leases. Through long-term net leases, our tenants are able to retain operational control of their strategically important locations, while allocating their debt and equity capital to fund core business operations rather than real estate ownership.
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Diversified Portfolio. As of December 31, 2022, our portfolio comprised approximately 39.1 million rentable square feet of operational space, and was highly diversified based on property type, geography, tenant, and industry, and is cross-diversified within each (e.g., property-type diversification within a geographic concentration):
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Property Type: We are focused primarily on industrial, healthcare, restaurant, retail, and office property types based on our extensive experience in and conviction around these sectors. Within these sectors, we have meaningful concentrations in manufacturing, distribution and warehouse, food processing, casual dining, clinical, quick service restaurants, general merchandise, and flex/research and development.
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Geographic Diversification: Our properties are located in 44 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, with no single geographic concentration exceeding 9.7% of our ABR.
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Tenant and Industry Diversification: Our properties are occupied by 221 different commercial tenants who operate 211 different brands that are diversified across 55 different industries, with no single tenant accounting for more than 4.0% of our ABR.
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Strong In-Place Leases with Significant Remaining Lease Term. As of December 31, 2022, our portfolio was approximately 99.4% leased with an ABR weighted average remaining lease term of approximately 10.9 years, excluding renewal options.
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Standard Contractual Base Rent Escalation. Approximately 97.3% of our leases have contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average minimum increase of 2.0%.
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Extensive Tenant Financial Reporting. Approximately 94.3% of our tenants, based on ABR, provide financial reporting, of which 85.8% are required to provide us with specified financial information on a periodic basis and an additional 8.5% of our tenants report financial statements publicly, either through SEC filings or otherwise.
Factors That Impact Our Result of Operations
Our results of operations and financial condition are affected by numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control. Key factors that typically impact our results of operations and financial condition, include rental rates, property dispositions, lease renewals and occupancy, investment activity, net lease terms, interest expense, general and administrative expenses, tenant bankruptcies, and impairments.
Rental Rates
Our ability to grow rental revenue from our existing portfolio will depend on our ability to realize the rental escalations built into our leases. As of December 31, 2022, leases contributing approximately 97.3% of our ABR provided for increases in future annual base rent, generally ranging from 1.5% to 2.5% annually, with an ABR weighted average minimum increase of 2.0%. Generally, our rent escalators increase rent on specified dates by a fixed percentage. Approximately 11.6% of our rent escalators are based on an increase in the CPI over a specified period and 2.7% of our leases are flat leases, meaning they do not provide for rent increases during their terms.
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Property Dispositions
From time to time, we strategically dispose of properties, primarily when we believe the risk profile has changed and become misaligned with our then current risk-adjusted return objectives. The resulting gains or losses on dispositions may materially impact our operating results, and the recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market at the time a property is listed for sale.
Lease Renewals and Occupancy
As of December 31, 2022, the ABR weighted average remaining term of our portfolio was approximately 10.9 years, excluding renewal options, and leases for six properties will expire during 2023. Less than 4% of the properties in our portfolio are subject to leases without at least one renewal option. Approximately 56.4% of our ABR was derived from leases that will expire after 2030, and no more than 6.2% of our ABR was derived from leases that expire in any single year prior to 2030. The stability of the rental revenue generated by our properties depends principally on our tenants’ ability to pay rent and our ability to collect rents, renew expiring leases or re-lease space upon the expiration or other termination of leases, lease currently vacant properties, and maintain or increase rental rates at our leased properties. To the extent our properties become vacant and are not subject to a lease, we would forego rental income while remaining responsible for the payment of property taxes and maintaining the property until it is re-leased, which could negatively impact our operating results. Our portfolio was 99.4% occupied as of December 31, 2022.
Investment Activity
Our historical growth in revenues and earnings has been achieved through rent escalations associated with existing in-place leases, coupled with rental income generated from accretive property investments. Our ability to grow revenue will depend, to a significant degree, on our ability to identify and complete acquisitions that meet our investment criteria. Changes in capitalization rates, interest rates, or other factors may impact our acquisition opportunities in the future. Market conditions may also impact the total returns we can achieve on our investments. Our investment volume also depends on our ability to access third-party debt and equity financing.
Net Lease Terms
Substantially all of our leases are net, pursuant to which our tenant generally is obligated to pay most recurring expenses associated with the leased property including real estate taxes, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. The remaining leases generally require that we pay some property expenses such as real estate taxes, insurance, or certain repairs and maintenance. Additionally, we seek to use master lease structures when possible, pursuant to which we lease multiple properties to a single tenant on an all or none basis. Master leases strengthen our ability to preserve rental revenue and prevent costs associated with vacancies for underperforming properties. As of December 31, 2022, master leases contributed 67.7% of the ABR associated with multi-site tenants (418 of our 489 properties), and 40.8% of our overall ABR (489 of our 804 properties).
Interest Expense
We anticipate that we will continue to incur debt to fund future investment activity, which will increase the amount of interest expense we incur. In addition, although we attempt to limit our total floating-rate debt exposure, changes in the interest rate environment could either increase or decrease our weighted average interest rate in the future. Any changes to our debt structure or debt financing associated with property investments, could materially influence our operating results depending on the terms of any such debt. Our current investment grade credit ratings are ‘BBB’ from S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”), which allow us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt. However, a downgrade in our credit rating, or interest rate change due to governmental monetary and tax policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions, or other factors beyond our control, could also increase the amount of interest we pay under our debt agreements.
General and Administrative Expenses
Our general and administrative expenses primarily consist of employee compensation and related costs, third party legal, accounting, and consulting expenses, travel and entertainment, and general office expenses.
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Impact of Inflation
Our leases with tenants of our properties are long-term in nature, with a current weighted average remaining lease term of 10.9 years as of December 31, 2022. To mitigate the impact of inflation on our fixed revenue streams, we have implemented limited escalation clauses in our leases. As of December 31, 2022, substantially all of our leases had contractual lease escalations, with an annual weighted average of 2.0%. A majority of our leases have fixed annual rent increases or periodic escalations over the term of the lease (e.g., a 10% increase every five years), and the remaining portion has annual lease escalations based on increases in the CPI. These lease escalations mitigate the risk of fixed revenue streams in the case of an inflationary economic environment, and provide increased return in otherwise stable market conditions. As a majority of our portfolio has fixed lease escalations, we are limited in our same store rental revenue inflation protection.
Our focus on single-tenant, net leases also shelters us from fluctuations in the cost of services and maintenance as a result of inflation. For a portion of our portfolio, we have leases that are not fully triple-net, and, therefore, we bear certain responsibilities for the maintenance and structural component replacements (e.g., roof, structure, or parking lot) that may be required in the future, although the tenants are still required to pay all operating expenses associated with the property (e.g., real estate taxes, insurance, and maintenance). Inflation and increased costs may have an adverse impact to our tenants and their creditworthiness if the increase in costs are greater than their increase in revenue. Where we cannot implement a triple-net lease, we attempt to limit our exposure to inflation through the use of warranties and other remedies that reduce the likelihood of a significant capital outlay.
Tenant Bankruptcies
Adverse economic conditions, particularly those that affect the markets in which our properties are located, or downturns in our tenants’ industries could impair our tenants’ ability to meet their lease obligations to us and our ability to renew expiring leases or re-lease space. In particular, the bankruptcy of one or more of our tenants could adversely affect our ability to collect rents from such tenants and maintain our portfolio’s occupancy. We have historically experienced only a limited number of tenant bankruptcies, which have not been material to our financial results.
Impairments
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. Significant judgment is made as to if and when impairment should be taken. If our strategy, or one or more of the assumptions described above, changes in the future, we may have to recognize an impairment. Indications of a tenant’s inability to continue as a going concern, changes in our view or strategy relative to a tenant’s business or industry, or changes in our long-term hold strategies, could each be indicative of an impairment triggering event. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized $5.5 million of impairment due to a change in our long-term hold strategy for three properties.
Results of Operations
Discussion of our Results of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020 was previously filed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the heading “Results of Operations—Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to Year Ended year ended December 31, 2020.”
Overview
As of December 31, 2022, our real estate investment portfolio included 804 commercial real estate properties, with 797 properties located in 44 U.S. states and seven properties located in four Canadian provinces, and leased to tenants in various industries. All but three of our properties were subject to a lease as of December 31, 2022.
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Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2021
Lease revenues, net
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenues: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Contractual rental amounts billed for operating leases | $ | 359,317 | $ | 308,624 | $ | 50,693 | 16.4 | % | ||||||||||||
| Adjustment to recognize contractual operating lease billings on a straight-line basis | 22,353 | 19,847 | 2,506 | 12.6 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Write-off of accrued rental income | (1,326 | ) | (442 | ) | (884 | ) | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||
| Variable rental amount earned | 1,507 | 768 | 739 | 96.2 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Earned income from direct financing leases | 2,856 | 2,909 | (53 | ) | (1.8) | % | ||||||||||||||
| Interest income from sales-type leases | 58 | 58 | - | - | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses billed to tenants | 19,779 | 17,462 | 2,317 | 13.3 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Other income from real estate transactions | 3,069 | 33,549 | (30,480 | ) | (90.8) | % | ||||||||||||||
| Adjustment to revenue recognized for uncollectible rental amounts billed, net | (100 | ) | 101 | (201 | ) | (100.0) | % | |||||||||||||
| Total Lease revenues, net | $ | 407,513 | $ | 382,876 | $ | 24,637 | 6.4 | % |
The increase in Lease revenues, net was primarily due to growth in our real estate portfolio through accretive property acquisitions during 2021 and 2022 partially offset by the reductions of revenues associated with property dispositions. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we invested $907.2 million, in 87 properties at a weighted average initial cash capitalization rate of 6.4%. The increase in lease revenues was partially offset by a decrease in lease termination fee income, which we classified as other income from real estate transactions in the table above. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized $2.5 million of lease termination income, compared to $35.0 million in lease termination fee income during the year ended December 31, 2021. In September 2021, we executed the early termination of a long-term, master lease with an investment-grade office tenant in exchange for a termination fee of $35.0 million. Simultaneously, we sold the underlying vacant properties to an unrelated third party. Through these simultaneous transactions, we recorded $33.8 million of revenue, $4.1 million of amortization, and $25.7 million of impairment, for a net $4.0 million increase to net income. This resulted in a $33.8 million increase to generated FFO, but no impact to generated AFFO or net debt to annualized adjusted EBITDAre. Refer to our non-GAAP reconciliations in the Non-GAAP Measures section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Operating Expenses
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | $ | 154,807 | $ | 132,096 | $ | 22,711 | 17.2 | % | ||||||||
| Property and operating expense | 21,773 | 18,459 | 3,314 | 18.0 | % | |||||||||||
| General and administrative | 37,375 | 36,366 | 1,009 | 2.8 | % | |||||||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 5,535 | 28,208 | (22,673 | ) | (80.4 | )% | ||||||||||
| Asset management fees | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Property management fees | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | $ | 219,490 | $ | 215,129 | $ | 4,361 | 2.0 | % |
Depreciation and amortization
The increase in depreciation and amortization was due to growth in our real estate portfolio during the year ended December 31, 2022, partially offset by a decrease in certain accelerated amortization associated with certain lease terminations during the year ended December 31, 2021, as discussed in Lease revenues, net above.
Property and operating expense
The increase in property and operating expense was primarily attributable to the number of properties we own for which we are responsible for engaging a third-party manager to manage ongoing property maintenance, along with insurance and real estate taxes associated with those properties. We pay a majority of these expenses and are reimbursed by the tenants under the terms of the respective leases. There was a corresponding increase in operating expenses billed to tenants, which is included within Lease revenues, net.
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Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties
During the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized $5.5 million of impairment on our investments in rental properties, primarily due to a change in our long-term hold strategy for three properties, compared to $28.2 million of impairment during the year ended December 31, 2021. The following table presents the impairment charges for their respective periods:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2022 | 2021 | |||||
| Number of properties | 3 | 7 | |||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 12,721 | $ | 48,604 | |||
| Fair value | 7,186 | 20,396 | |||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 5,535 | $ | 28,208 |
The timing and amount of impairment fluctuates from period to period depending on the specific facts and circumstances.
Other income (expenses)
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | $ | % | ||||||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | $ | 44 | $ | 17 | $ | 27 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||
| Interest expense | (78,652 | ) | (64,146 | ) | 14,506 | 22.6 | % | |||||||||||
| Cost of debt extinguishment | (308 | ) | (368 | ) | (60 | ) | (16.3 | )% | ||||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | 15,953 | 13,523 | 2,430 | 18.0 | % | |||||||||||||
| Income taxes | (1,275 | ) | (1,644 | ) | (369 | ) | (22.4 | )% | ||||||||||
| Change in fair value of earnout liability | — | (5,539 | ) | 5,539 | (100.0 | )% | ||||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | 5,690 | (62 | ) | (5,752 | ) | (100.0 | )% |
Interest expense
The increase in interest expense reflects an increase in our weighted average cost of borrowings combined with increased average outstanding borrowings during the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. Since December 31, 2021, we increased total outstanding borrowings by $334.9 million to partially fund our acquisitions. Of our total outstanding indebtedness, approximately 93.5% is fixed or hedged via interest rates swaps and therefore not subject to the impact of fluctuations in interest rates.
Gain on sale of real estate
Our recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized gains of $16.0 million on the sale of eight properties, compared to gains of $13.5 million on the sale of 31 properties during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Change in fair value of earnout liability
The fair value of the earnout liability was remeasured each reporting period, with changes recorded as Change in fair value of earnout liability in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. The change in the fair value of the earnout liability during the year ended December 31, 2022, reflects our achievement of all four milestones applicable to the earnout during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Other income (expenses)
The change in other income during the year ended December 31, 2022 was primarily $5.6 million of unrealized foreign exchange gain recognized on the remeasurement of our $100 million CAD revolver borrowings, compared to a $0.2 million unrealized foreign exchange loss recognized during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Net Income and Net earnings per diluted share
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2022 | 2021 | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 129,475 | $ | 109,528 | $ | 19,947 | 18.2 | % | ||||||||
| Net earnings per diluted share | 0.72 | 0.67 | 0.05 | 7.5 | % |
The increase in net income is primarily due to revenue growth of $24.6 million, together with a $22.7 million decrease in the provision for impairment. These factors were partially offset by a $22.7 million increase in depreciation and amortization and a $14.5 million increase in interest expense.
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GAAP net income includes items such as gain or loss on sale of real estate and provisions for impairment, among others, which can vary from quarter to quarter and impact period-over-period comparisons.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
General
We invest in real estate using a combination of debt and equity capital and with cash from operations that is not otherwise distributed to our stockholders. Our focus is on maximizing the risk-adjusted return to our stockholders through an appropriate balance of debt and equity in our capital structure. We are committed to maintaining an investment grade balance sheet through active management of our leverage profile and overall liquidity position. We believe our leverage strategy has allowed us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt while simultaneously strengthening our balance sheet, as evidenced by our current investment grade credit ratings of ‘BBB’ from S&P and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s. We manage our leverage profile using a ratio of Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, a non-GAAP financial measure, which we believe is a useful measure of our ability to repay debt and a relative measure of leverage, and is used in communications with lenders and with rating agencies regarding our credit rating. We seek to maintain on a sustained basis a Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio that is generally less than 6.0x. As of December 31, 2022, we had total debt outstanding and Net Debt of $2.0 billion each, and a Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio of 5.2x.
Net Debt and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are non-GAAP financial measures, and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre is calculated based upon EBITDA, EBITDAre, and Adjusted EBITDAre, each of which is also a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to Non-GAAP Measures below for further details concerning our calculation of non-GAAP measures and reconciliations to the comparable GAAP measure.
Liquidity/REIT Requirements
Liquidity is a measure of our ability to meet potential cash requirements, including our ongoing commitments to repay debt, fund our operations, acquire properties, make distributions to our stockholders, and other general business needs. As a REIT, we are required to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gain, on an annual basis. As a result, it is unlikely that we will be able to retain substantial cash balances to meet our long-term liquidity needs, including repayment of debt and the acquisition of additional properties, from our annual taxable income. Instead, we expect to meet our long-term liquidity needs primarily by relying upon external sources of capital.
Short-term Liquidity Requirements
Our short-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to pay for our operating expenses, including our general and administrative expenses as well as interest payments on our outstanding debt, to pay distributions, and to fund our acquisitions that are under control or expected to close within a short time period. We do not currently anticipate making significant capital expenditures or incurring other significant property costs, including as a result of inflationary pressures in the current economic environment, because of the strong occupancy levels across our portfolio and the net lease nature of our leases. We expect to meet our short-term liquidity requirements primarily from cash and cash equivalents balances, net cash provided by operating activities, borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility and capital recycled through selective property dispositions. We intend to match fund our acquisitions with an appropriate mix of debt and equity capital. We use cash on hand and borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility to initially fund acquisitions, which are subsequently repaid or replaced with proceeds from our equity and debt capital markets activities and cash flows in excess of distributions.
As detailed in the contractual obligations table below, we have approximately $87.5 million of expected obligations due throughout 2023, primarily consisting of $7.6 million of mortgage maturities, and $79.2 million of interest expense due, including the impact of our interest rate swaps. We expect our cash provided by operating activities, as discussed below, will be sufficient to pay for our current obligations including interest expense on our borrowings. We expect to either repay the maturing mortgages with available cash on hand generated from our results of operations or borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, or refinance with property-level borrowings.
Long-term Liquidity Requirements
Our long-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to repay debt and invest in additional revenue generating properties. We expect to source debt capital from unsecured term loans from commercial banks, revolving credit facilities, private placement senior unsecured notes, and public bond offerings.
The source and mix of our debt capital in the future will be impacted by market conditions as well as our continued focus on lengthening our debt maturity profile to better align with our portfolio’s long-term leases, staggering debt maturities to reduce the risk that a significant amount of debt will mature in any single year in the future, and managing our exposure to interest rate risk. As of December 31, 2022, we have $802.7 million of available capacity under our Revolving Credit Facility.
We expect to meet our long-term liquidity requirements primarily from borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, future debt and equity financings, and proceeds from selective sales of our properties. Our ability to access these capital sources may be impacted by unfavorable market conditions, particularly in the debt and equity capital markets, that are outside of our control. In addition, our success will depend on our operating performance, our borrowing restrictions, our degree of leverage, and other factors. Our acquisition growth
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strategy significantly depends on our ability to obtain acquisition financing on favorable terms. We seek to reduce the risk that long-term debt capital may be unavailable to us by strengthening our balance sheet by investing in real estate with creditworthy tenants and lease guarantors, and by maintaining an appropriate mix of debt and equity capitalization. We also, from time to time, obtain or assume non-recourse mortgage financing from banks and insurance companies secured by mortgages on the corresponding specific property. Mortgages, however, are not currently a strategic focus of the active management of our capital structure.
Equity Capital Resources
Our equity capital is primarily provided through our at-the-market common equity offering program (“ATM Program”), as well as follow-on equity offerings. Under the terms of our ATM Program we may, from time to time, publicly offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $400 million. The ATM Program provides for forward sale agreements, enabling us to set the price of shares upon pricing the offering while delaying the issuance of shares and the receipt of the net proceeds. As of December 31, 2022, we have $145.4 million of available capacity under our ATM Program.
The following table presents information about our ATM Program activity:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share amounts) | 2022 | 2021 | |||||
| Number of common shares issued | 10,471 | 1,072 | |||||
| Weighted average sale price per share | $ | 21.66 | $ | 26.26 | |||
| Net proceeds | $ | 222,895 | $ | 27,300 | |||
| Gross proceeds | 226,483 | 28,100 |
In August 2022, we completed a public offering to sell an aggregate of 13,000,000 shares of common stock at a price of $21.35 per share, subject to certain adjustments, in connection with a forward sale agreement. On December 28, 2022, we settled all 13,000,000 outstanding shares for net proceeds of $272.6 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of $3.4 million and $0.6 million in other expenses.
Our public offerings have been used to repay debt, fund acquisitions, and for other general corporate purposes.
As we continue to invest in accretive real estate properties, we expect to balance our debt and equity capitalization, while maintaining a Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio below 6.0x on a sustained basis, through the anticipated use of follow-on equity offerings and the ATM Program.
Unsecured Indebtedness and Capital Markets Activities as of and for the Year Ended December 31, 2022
The following table sets forth our outstanding Revolving Credit Facility, unsecured term loans and senior unsecured notes at December 31, 2022.
| (in thousands, except interest rates) | Outstanding Balance | Interest Rate | Maturity Date | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsecured revolving credit facility | $ | 197,322 | Applicable reference rate + 0.85% | Mar. 2026 | ||||
| Unsecured term loans: | ||||||||
| 2026 Unsecured Term Loan | 400,000 | one-month LIBOR + 1.00% | Feb. 2026 | |||||
| 2027 Unsecured Term Loan | 200,000 | one-month adjusted SOFR + 0.95% | Aug. 2027 | |||||
| 2029 Unsecured Term Loan | 300,000 | one-month adjusted SOFR + 1.25% | Aug. 2029 | |||||
| Total unsecured term loans | 900,000 | |||||||
| Senior unsecured notes: | ||||||||
| 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A | 150,000 | 4.84% | Apr. 2027 | |||||
| 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B | 225,000 | 5.09% | Jul. 2028 | |||||
| 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C | 100,000 | 5.19% | Jul. 2030 | |||||
| 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes | 375,000 | 2.60% | Sep. 2031 | |||||
| Total senior unsecured notes | 850,000 | |||||||
| Total unsecured debt | $ | 1,947,322 |
Revolving Credit Facility
On January 28, 2022, we amended and restated the Revolving Credit Facility, upsizing the capacity to $1 billion and extending its maturity date to March 2026. In addition to United States Dollars (“USD”), borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility can be made in Pound Sterling, Euros or Canadian Dollars (“CAD”) up to an aggregate amount of $500.0 million. Borrowings under the amended credit facility are subject to interest only payments at variable rates equal to the applicable reference rate plus a margin of 0.85% based on our
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current credit ratings of ‘BBB’ and ‘Baa2’ from S&P and Moody’s, respectively. In addition, the amended credit facility is subject to a facility fee on the amount of the revolving commitments, based on our credit rating. The applicable facility fee is 0.20% per annum.
2026 Unsecured Term Loan
Borrowings under the 2026 Unsecured Term Loan are subject to interest at variable rates based on LIBOR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.85% and 1.65% based on our credit rating. At December 31, 2022, the applicable margin was 1.00%. Upon the cessation of the publication of LIBOR, borrowings under the 2026 Unsecured Term Loan will automatically become subject to SOFR.
2027 Unsecured Term Loan and 2029 Unsecured Term Loan
On August 1, 2022, we entered into two new unsecured bank term loans, including a $200.0 million, five-year term loan that matures in 2027 (the “2027 Unsecured Term Loan”), and a $300.0 million, seven-year term loan that matures in 2029 (the “2029 Unsecured Term Loan”). Borrowings on the new term loans bear interest at variable rates based on adjusted SOFR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.80% and 1.60% per annum for the 2027 Unsecured Term Loan, and 1.15% and 2.20% per annum for the 2029 Unsecured Term Loan. At December 31, 2022, the applicable margin was 0.95% and 1.25% for the 2027 Unsecured Term Loan and 2029 Unsecured Term Loan, respectively.
2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A
The 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A are payable interest only semiannually during their term, bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.84% per annum, and mature in April 2027.
2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C
The 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C are payable interest only semiannually during their term, and bear interest at fixed rates of 5.09% per annum and 5.19% per annum, respectively. Series B Notes mature in July 2028, and the Series C Notes mature in July 2030.
2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes
Borrowings under the 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes are subject to interest only, semi-annual payments at a fixed rate of 2.60% per annum and mature in September 2031.
Debt Covenants
We are subject to various covenants and financial reporting requirements pursuant to our debt facilities, which are summarized below. As of December 31, 2022, we believe we were in compliance with all of our covenants on all outstanding borrowings. In the event of default, either through default on payments or breach of covenants, we may be restricted from paying dividends to our stockholders in excess of dividends required to maintain our REIT qualification. For each of the previous three years, we paid dividends out of our cash flows from operations in excess of the distribution amounts required to maintain our REIT qualification.
| Covenants | Requirement | |
|---|---|---|
| Leverage Ratio | ≤ 0.60 to 1.00 | |
| Secured Indebtedness Ratio | ≤ 0.40 to 1.00 | |
| Unencumbered Coverage Ratio | ≥ 1.75 to 1.00 | |
| Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio | ≥ 1.50 to 1.00 | |
| Total Unsecured Indebtedness to Total Unencumbered Eligible Property Value | ≤ 0.60 to 1.00 | |
| Dividends and Other Restricted Payments | Only applicable in case of default | |
| Aggregate Debt Ratio | ≤ 0.60 to 1.00 | |
| Consolidated Income Available for Debt to Annual Debt Service Charge | ≥ 1.50 to 1.00 | |
| Total Unencumbered Assets to Total Unsecured Debt | ≥ 1.50 to 1.00 | |
| Secured Debt Ratio | ≤ 0.40 to 1.00 |
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Contractual Obligations
The following table provides information with respect to our contractual commitments and obligations as of December 31, 2022 (in thousands). Refer to the discussion in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section above for further discussion over our short and long-term obligations.
| Year of Maturity | Term Loans | Revolving Credit Facility(1) | Senior Notes | Mortgages | Interest Expense(2) | Tenant Improvement Allowances(3) | Operating Leases | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 7,582 | $ | 79,171 | $ | 57 | $ | 705 | $ | 87,515 | |||||||||||||||
| 2024 | — | — | — | 2,260 | 78,906 | — | 320 | 81,486 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | — | — | — | 20,195 | 80,686 | — | 326 | 101,207 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 400,000 | 197,322 | — | 16,843 | 57,180 | — | 332 | 671,677 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2027 | 200,000 | — | 150,000 | 1,596 | 42,401 | — | 277 | 394,274 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thereafter | 300,000 | — | 700,000 | 38,278 | 64,255 | — | 3,462 | 1,105,995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 900,000 | $ | 197,322 | $ | 850,000 | $ | 86,754 | $ | 402,599 | $ | 57 | $ | 5,422 | $ | 2,442,154 |
(1)
On January 28, 2022, we amended and restated the Revolving Credit Facility, extending its maturity date to March 2026. The amended agreement contains two six-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625% of the revolving commitments.
(2)
Interest expense is projected based on the outstanding borrowings and interest rates in effect as of December 31, 2022. This amount includes the impact of interest rate swap agreements.
(3)
We expect to pay tenant improvement allowances out of cash flows from operations or from additional borrowings.
At December 31, 2022 and 2021, investment in rental property of $143.3 million and $161.6 million, respectively, was pledged as collateral against our mortgages.
Additionally, we are a party to two separate tax protection agreements with the contributing members of two distinct UPREIT transactions and a tax protection agreement in connection with the Internalization. The tax protection agreements require us to indemnify the beneficiaries in the event of a sale, exchange, transfer, or other disposal of the contributed property, and in the case of the tax protection agreement entered into in connection with the Internalization, the entire Company, in a taxable transaction that would cause such beneficiaries to recognize a gain that is protected under the agreements, subject to certain exceptions. Based on values as of December 31, 2022, taxable sales of the applicable properties would trigger liability under the three agreements of approximately $20.4 million. Based on information available, we do not believe that the events resulting in damages as detailed above have occurred or are likely to occur in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, we have excluded these commitments from the contractual commitments table above.
In the normal course of business, we enter into various types of commitments to purchase real estate properties. These commitments are generally subject to our customary due diligence process and, accordingly, a number of specific conditions must be met before we are obligated to purchase the properties.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
We are exposed to interest rate risk arising from changes in interest rates on the floating-rate borrowings under our unsecured credit facilities and a certain mortgage. Borrowings pursuant to our unsecured credit facilities bear interest at floating rates based on the applicable reference rate plus an applicable margin. Accordingly, fluctuations in market interest rates may increase or decrease our interest expense, which will in turn, increase or decrease our net income and cash flow.
We attempt to manage our interest rate risk by entering into interest rate swaps. As of December 31, 2022, we had 32 interest rate swaps outstanding in an aggregate notional amount of $973.8 million. Under these agreements, we receive monthly payments from the counterparties equal to the related variable interest rates multiplied by the outstanding notional amounts. In turn, we pay the counterparties each month an amount equal to a fixed interest rate multiplied by the related outstanding notional amounts. The intended net impact of these transactions is that we pay a fixed interest rate on our variable-rate borrowings. The interest rate swaps have been designated by us as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes and are reported at fair value. We assess, both at inception and on an ongoing basis, the effectiveness of our qualifying cash flow hedges. We have not entered, and do not intend to enter, into derivative or interest rate transactions for speculative purposes.
In addition, we own investments in Canada, and as a result are subject to risk from the effects of exchange rate movements in the Canadian dollar, which may affect future costs and cash flows. We funded a significant portion of our Canadian investments through Canadian dollar borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, which is intended to act as a natural hedge against our Canadian dollar investments. The Canadian dollar revolving borrowings are remeasured each reporting period, with the unrealized foreign currency gains and losses flowing through earnings. These unrealized foreign currency gains and losses do not impact our cash flows from operations until settled, and are expected to directly offset the changes in the value of our net investments as a result of changes in the Canadian dollar. Our Canadian investments are recorded at their historical exchange rates, and therefore are not impacted by changes in the value of the Canadian dollar.
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Cash Flows
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $60.0 million, $27.8 million, and $110.7 million at December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. The table below shows information concerning cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 255,914 | $ | 244,937 | $ | 179,028 | ||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (859,643 | ) | (582,304 | ) | (60,236 | ) | ||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 636,000 | 254,408 | (28,375 | ) | ||||||||
| Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash | $ | 32,271 | $ | (82,959 | ) | $ | 90,417 |
The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was mainly due to growth in our real estate portfolio.
The increase in net cash used in investing activities during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was mainly due to increased acquisition volume. The increase in 2021 as compared to 2020 was also driven by a decrease in cash paid in connection with the Internalization.
The increase in net cash provided by (used in) financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, mainly reflects an increase in net proceeds from equity and debt offerings in 2022 to fund growth in our real estate portfolio. The change in net cash (used in) financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, mainly reflects an increase in net proceeds from equity and debt offerings in 2021 to fund growth in our real estate portfolio.
Non-GAAP Measures
FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO
We compute FFO in accordance with the standards established by the Board of Governors of Nareit, the worldwide representative voice for REITs and publicly traded real estate companies with an interest in the U.S. real estate and capital markets. Nareit defines FFO as GAAP net income or loss adjusted to exclude net gains (losses) from sales of certain depreciated real estate assets, depreciation and amortization expense from real estate assets, gains and losses from change in control, and impairment charges related to certain previously depreciated real estate assets. FFO is used by management, investors, and analysts to facilitate meaningful comparisons of operating performance between periods and among our peers, primarily because it excludes the effect of real estate depreciation and amortization and net gains (losses) on sales, which are based on historical costs and implicitly assume that the value of real estate diminishes predictably over time, rather than fluctuating based on existing market conditions.
We compute Core FFO by adjusting FFO, as defined by Nareit, to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that we believe are infrequently recurring, unusual in nature, or not related to its core real estate operations, including write-offs or recoveries of accrued rental income, lease termination fees, non-cash gains on insurance recoveries, the change in fair value of our earnout liability, cost of debt extinguishments, unrealized and realized gains or losses on foreign currency transactions, severance, and other extraordinary items. Exclusion of these items from similar FFO-type metrics is common within the equity REIT industry, and management believes that presentation of Core FFO provides investors with a metric to assist in their evaluation of our operating performance across multiple periods and in comparison to the operating performance of our peers, because it removes the effect of unusual items that are not expected to impact our operating performance on an ongoing basis.
We compute AFFO, by adjusting Core FFO for certain non-cash revenues and expenses, including straight-line rents, amortization of lease intangibles, amortization of debt issuance costs, amortization of net mortgage premiums, loss (gain) on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense, realized gains or losses on foreign currency transactions, stock-based compensation, severance, extraordinary items, and other specified non-cash items. We believe that excluding such items assists management and investors in distinguishing whether changes in our operations are due to growth or decline of operations at our properties or from other factors. We use AFFO as a measure of our performance when we formulate corporate goals, and is a factor in determining management compensation. We believe that AFFO is a useful supplemental measure for investors to consider because it will help them to better assess our operating performance without the distortions created by non-cash revenues or expenses.
Specific to our adjustment for straight-line rents, our leases include cash rents that increase over the term of the lease to compensate us for anticipated increases in market rental rates over time. Our leases do not include significant front-loading or back-loading of payments, or significant rent-free periods. Therefore, we find it useful to evaluate rent on a contractual basis as it allows for comparison of existing rental rates to market rental rates. In situations where we granted short-term rent deferrals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and such deferrals were probable of collection and expected to be repaid within a short term, we continued to recognize the same amount of GAAP lease revenues each period. Consistent with GAAP lease revenues, the short-term deferrals associated with COVID-19, and the corresponding payments, did not impact our AFFO.
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FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other REITs, and comparisons of our FFO, Core FFO, and AFFO with the same or similar measures disclosed by other REITs may not be meaningful.
Neither the SEC nor any other regulatory body has passed judgment on the acceptability of the adjustments to FFO that we use to calculate Core FFO and AFFO. In the future, the SEC, Nareit or another regulatory body may decide to standardize the allowable adjustments across the REIT industry and in response to such standardization we may have to adjust our calculation and characterization of Core FFO and AFFO accordingly.
The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to FFO, Core FFO and AFFO:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 129,475 | $ | 109,528 | $ | 56,276 | ||||||
| Real property depreciation and amortization | 154,673 | 131,999 | 132,613 | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (15,953 | ) | (13,523 | ) | (14,985 | ) | ||||||
| Provision for impairment on investment in rental properties | 5,535 | 28,208 | 19,077 | |||||||||
| FFO | $ | 273,730 | $ | 256,212 | $ | 192,981 | ||||||
| Write-off of accrued rental income | 1,326 | 1,938 | 4,235 | |||||||||
| Lease termination fee | (2,469 | ) | (35,000 | ) | — | |||||||
| Gain on insurance recoveries | (341 | ) | — | — | ||||||||
| Cost of debt extinguishment | 308 | 368 | 417 | |||||||||
| Severance | 401 | 1,304 | 94 | |||||||||
| Change in fair value of earnout liability | — | 5,539 | (1,800 | ) | ||||||||
| Other (income) expenses | (5,690 | ) | (a) | 62 | 7 | |||||||
| Core FFO | $ | 267,265 | $ | 230,423 | $ | 195,934 | ||||||
| Straight-line rent adjustment | (21,900 | ) | (20,304 | ) | (24,066 | ) | ||||||
| Adjustment to provision for credit losses | (5 | ) | (38 | ) | (148 | ) | ||||||
| Amortization of debt issuance costs | 3,692 | 3,854 | 3,445 | |||||||||
| Amortization of net mortgage premiums | (104 | ) | (132 | ) | (142 | ) | ||||||
| Loss (gain) on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense | 2,514 | 698 | (166 | ) | ||||||||
| Amortization of lease intangibles | (4,809 | ) | (3,208 | ) | (1,118 | ) | ||||||
| Stock-based compensation | 5,316 | 4,669 | 1,989 | |||||||||
| Deferred taxes | 204 | — | — | |||||||||
| Internalization expenses | — | — | 3,705 | |||||||||
| Capital improvements/reserves | — | — | 1,662 | |||||||||
| AFFO | $ | 252,173 | $ | 215,962 | $ | 181,095 |
(a)
Amount includes $5.6 million of unrealized foreign exchange loss, primarily associated with our CAD denominated revolving borrowings.
EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We compute EBITDA as earnings before interest, income taxes and depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is a measure commonly used in our industry. We believe that this ratio provides investors and analysts with a measure of our performance that includes our operating results unaffected by the differences in capital structures, capital investment cycles and useful life of related assets compared to other companies in our industry. We compute EBITDAre in accordance with the definition adopted by Nareit, as EBITDA excluding gains (losses) from the sales of depreciable property and provisions for impairment on investment in real estate. We believe EBITDA and EBITDAre are useful to investors and analysts because they provide important supplemental information about our operating performance exclusive of certain non-cash and other costs. EBITDA and EBITDAre are not measures of financial performance under GAAP, and our EBITDA and EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our EBITDA and EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
We are focused on a disciplined and targeted acquisition strategy, together with active asset management that includes selective sales of properties. We manage our leverage profile using a ratio of Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, each discussed further below, which we believe is a useful measure of our ability to repay debt and a relative measure of leverage, and is used in communications with our lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. As we fund new acquisitions using our unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, our leverage profile and Net Debt will be immediately impacted by current quarter acquisitions. However, the full benefit of EBITDAre from newly acquired properties will not be received in the same quarter in which the properties are acquired. Additionally, EBITDAre for the quarter includes amounts generated by properties that have been sold during the quarter. Accordingly, the variability in EBITDAre caused by the timing of our acquisitions and dispositions can temporarily distort our leverage ratios. We adjust EBITDAre (“Adjusted EBITDAre”) for the most recently completed quarter (i) to recalculate as if all acquisitions and dispositions had occurred at the beginning of the quarter,
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(ii) to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that are either non-cash, such as cost of debt extinguishments, realized or unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency transactions, or the change in fair value of our earnout liability, or that we believe are one time, or unusual in nature because they relate to unique circumstances or transactions that had not previously occurred and which we do not anticipate occurring in the future, and (iii) to eliminate the impact of lease termination fees and other items that are not a result of normal operations. We then annualize quarterly Adjusted EBITDAre by multiplying it by four (“Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre”). You should not unduly rely on this measure as it is based on assumptions and estimates that may prove to be inaccurate. Our actual reported EBITDAre for future periods may be significantly different from our Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre. Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are not measurements of performance under GAAP, and our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to EBITDA, EBITDAre, and Adjusted EBITDAre. Information is also presented with respect to Annualized EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre:
| For the Three Months Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 36,773 | $ | 32,226 | $ | 17,619 | ||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 45,606 | 33,476 | 30,182 | |||||||||
| Interest expense | 23,773 | 16,997 | 17,123 | |||||||||
| Income taxes | 105 | 457 | (141 | ) | ||||||||
| EBITDA | $ | 106,257 | $ | 83,156 | $ | 64,783 | ||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | — | 207 | 1,678 | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (10,625 | ) | (3,732 | ) | (5,260 | ) | ||||||
| EBITDAre | $ | 95,632 | $ | 79,631 | $ | 61,201 | ||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter acquisition activity (1) | 1,283 | 2,002 | 1,703 | |||||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter disposition activity (2) | (440 | ) | (180 | ) | (318 | ) | ||||||
| Adjustment to exclude non-recurring expenses (income) (3) | — | — | 182 | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude change in fair value of earnout liability | — | — | 6,706 | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude write-off of accrued rental income | — | — | 242 | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude gain on insurance recoveries | (341 | ) | — | — | ||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude realized/unrealized foreign exchange loss | 796 | — | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude cost of debt extinguishments | 77 | — | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude lease termination fees | (1,678 | ) | — | — | ||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 95,329 | $ | 81,453 | $ | 69,716 | ||||||
| Annualized EBITDAre | $ | 382,528 | $ | 318,526 | $ | 244,805 | ||||||
| Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 381,316 | $ | 325,812 | $ | 278,867 |
(1)
Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all acquisitions during the quarter as if they had been acquired as of the beginning of the quarter.
(2)
Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all dispositions during the quarter as if they had been sold as of the beginning of the quarter.
(3)
Amounts represent expense directly associated with the Internalization.
Net Debt, Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We define Net Debt as gross debt (total reported debt plus debt issuance costs) less cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. We believe that the presentation of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre is useful to investors and analysts because these ratios provide information about gross debt less cash and cash equivalents, which could be used to repay debt, compared to our performance as measured using EBITDAre, and is used in communications with lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. The following table reconciles total debt (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to Net Debt, and presents the ratio of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, respectively:
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| As of December 31, | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||
| Debt | ||||||||
| Unsecured revolving credit facility | $ | 197,322 | $ | 102,000 | ||||
| Unsecured term loans, net | 894,692 | 646,671 | ||||||
| Senior unsecured notes, net | 844,555 | 843,801 | ||||||
| Mortgages, net | 86,602 | 96,846 | ||||||
| Debt issuance costs | 10,905 | 9,842 | ||||||
| Gross Debt | 2,034,076 | 1,699,160 | ||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | (21,789 | ) | (21,669 | ) | ||||
| Restricted cash | (38,251 | ) | (6,100 | ) | ||||
| Net Debt | $ | 1,974,036 | $ | 1,671,391 | ||||
| Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre | 5.2x | 5.3x | ||||||
| Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | 5.2x | 5.1x |
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses as well as other disclosures in the financial statements. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. These judgments affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates and assumptions; however, actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions, which in turn could have a material impact on our financial statements. A summary of our significant accounting policies and procedures are included in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”, contained in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Management believes the following critical accounting policies, among others, affect its more significant estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Investment in Rental Property
Rental property accounted for under operating leases is recorded at cost. Rental property accounted for under direct financing leases and sales-type are recorded at its net investment, which generally represents the cost of the property at the inception of the lease.
We account for acquisitions of real estate as asset acquisitions in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations, as substantially all of the fair value of the assets acquired are concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets.
We allocate the purchase price of investments in rental property accounted for as asset acquisitions based on the relative fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. These generally include tangible assets, consisting of land and land improvements, buildings and other improvements, and equipment, and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities, including the value of in-place leases and acquired above-market and below-market leases.
We use multiple sources to estimate fair value, including information obtained about each property as a result of our pre-acquisition due diligence and our marketing and leasing activities. Factors that impact our fair value determination include real estate market conditions, industry conditions that the tenant operates in, and characteristics of the real estate and/or real estate appraisals. Changes in any of these factors could impact the future purchase prices of our investments and the corresponding capitalization rates recognized.
The estimated fair value of the tangible assets of an acquired property is determined by valuing the property as if it were vacant. The as-if-vacant value is then allocated to land and land improvements, buildings, and equipment based on comparable sales and other relevant information with respect to the property, as estimated by management. Specifically, the “if vacant” value of buildings and equipment is calculated using an income approach. Assumptions used in the income approach to value the buildings include: capitalization and discount rates, lease-up time, market rents, make ready costs, land value, and land improvement value.
The estimated fair value of acquired in-place leases are the costs we would have had to incur to lease the properties to the occupancy level of the properties at the date of acquisition. Such costs include the fair value of leasing commissions and other operating costs that would have been incurred to lease the properties, had they been vacant, to their acquired occupancy level. Acquired in-place leases as of the date of acquisition are amortized over the remaining non-cancellable lease terms of the respective leases to amortization expense.
Acquired above-market and below-market lease values are recorded based on the present value (using an interest rate that reflects the risks associated with the lease acquired) of the differences between the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the in-place leases and management’s estimate of fair market value lease rates at the time of acquisition for the corresponding in-place leases. The capitalized above-market and below-market lease values are amortized as adjustments to rental income over the remaining term of the respective leases.
Management estimates the fair value of assumed mortgages based upon indications of then-current market pricing for similar types of debt with similar maturities. Assumed mortgages are initially recorded at their estimated fair value as of the assumption date, and the
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difference between such estimated fair value and the notes’ outstanding principal balance is amortized to interest expense over the remaining term of the debt.
Long-lived Asset Impairment
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. An impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the fair value. Significant judgment is made to determine if and when impairment should be taken. Management’s assessment of impairment as of December 31, 2022 was based on the most current information available to management. Certain of our properties may have fair values less than their carrying amounts. However, based on management’s plans with respect to each of those properties, we believe that their carrying amounts are recoverable and therefore, no impairment charges were recognized other than those described below. If the operating conditions mentioned above deteriorate or if our expected holding period for assets changes, subsequent tests for impairments could result in additional impairment charges in the future.
Inputs used in establishing fair value for real estate assets generally fall within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, which are characterized as requiring significant judgment as little or no current market activity may be available for validation. The main indicator used to establish the classification of the inputs is current market conditions, as derived through the use of published commercial real estate market information. We determine the valuation of impaired assets using generally accepted valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis, income capitalization, analysis of recent comparable sales transactions, actual sales negotiations, and bona fide purchase offers received from third parties. We may consider a single valuation technique or multiple valuation techniques, as appropriate, when estimating the fair value of our real estate.
The following table summarizes our impairment charges resulting primarily from changes in our long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||||
| Number of properties | 3 | 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 12,721 | $ | 48,604 | $ | 55,674 | |||||
| Fair value | 7,186 | 20,396 | 36,597 | ||||||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 5,535 | $ | 28,208 | $ | 19,077 |
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the amount paid over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination and it assigned to one or more reporting units. We evaluate goodwill for impairment when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable, or at least annually. Our annual testing date is November 30.
The goodwill impairment evaluation is completed using either a qualitative or quantitative approach. Under a qualitative approach, the impairment review for goodwill consists of an assessment of whether it is more-likely-than-not that the reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value, including goodwill. If a qualitative approach indicates it is more likely-than-not that the estimated carrying value of a reporting unit (including goodwill) exceeds its fair value, or if we choose to bypass the qualitative approach, we perform the quantitative approach described below.
When we perform a quantitative test of goodwill for impairment, we compare the carrying value of a reporting unit with its fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, we do not consider goodwill to be impaired and no further analysis would be required. If the fair value is determined to be less than its carrying value, the amount of goodwill impairment equals the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill.
Management determined that we have one reporting unit, consistent with our segment reporting analysis, which includes the acquisition, leasing, and ownership of net leased properties (i.e., the consolidated entity). When necessary to perform the quantitative test for goodwill impairment, our estimate of fair value is determined using a market approach, leveraging assumptions such as the fair value of our equity, and consideration of a control premium, if necessary, which includes an analysis of similar market transactions. While we believe the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of our reporting unit are reasonable, changes in these assumptions may have a material impact on our financial results. Based on the results of our annual goodwill impairment test on November 30, 2022, our annual goodwill impairment test date, we concluded that goodwill was not impaired.
Revenue Recognition
We account for leases in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. We commence revenue recognition on our leases based on a number of factors, including the initial determination that the contract is or contains a lease. Generally, all of our property related contracts are or
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contain leases, and therefore revenue is recognized when the lessee takes possession of or controls the physical use of the leased assets. In most instances this occurs on the lease commencement date. At the time of lease assumption or at the inception of a new lease, including new leases that arise from amendments, we assess the terms and conditions of the lease to determine the proper lease classification.
A lease is classified as an operating lease if none of the following criteria are met: (i) ownership transfers to the lessee at the end of the lease term, (ii) the lessee has a purchase option that is reasonably expected to be exercised, (iii) the lease term is for a major part of the economic life of the leased property, (iv) the present value of the future lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee that is not already reflected in the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the leased property, and (v) the leased property is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no future alternative use to the Company at the end of the lease term. If one or more of these criteria are met, the lease will generally be classified as a sales-type lease, unless the lease contains a residual value guarantee from a third party other than the lessee, in which case it would be classified as a direct financing lease under certain circumstances.
We account for the right to use land as a separate lease component, unless the accounting effect of doing so would be insignificant. Determination of significance requires management judgment. In determining whether the accounting effect of separately reporting the land component from other components for its real estate leases is significant, we assess: (i) whether separating the land component impacts the classification of any lease component, (ii) the value of the land component in the context of the overall contract, and (iii) whether the right to use the land is coterminous with the rights to use the other assets.
Lease Termination Fee Income
The Company recognizes lease termination fee income as other income from real estate transactions, a component of Lease revenues, net, when all conditions of the termination agreement have been met, and collection of the lease termination fee is probable. If the tenant immediately vacates the property upon satisfying the conditions of the termination agreement, the Company recognizes the lease termination fee income net of accrued rental income associated with the lease immediately, as other income from real estate transactions, a component of Lease revenues, net, in the Consolidated Statement of Income and Comprehensive Income.
Forward Sale Agreements
The Company occasionally sells shares of common stock through forward sale agreements to enable the Company to set the price of such shares upon pricing the offering (subject to certain adjustments) while delaying the issuance of such shares and the receipt of the net proceeds by the Company. To account for the forward sale agreements, the Company considers the accounting guidance governing financial instruments and derivatives. To date, the Company has concluded that its forward sale agreements are not liabilities as they do not embody obligations to repurchase its shares nor do they embody obligations to issue a variable number of shares for which the monetary value is predominantly fixed, varying with something other than the fair value of the shares, or varying inversely in relation to its shares. The Company then evaluates whether the agreements meet the derivatives and hedging guidance scope exception to be accounted for as equity instruments. The Company has concluded that the agreements are classifiable as equity contracts based on the following assessments: (i) none of the agreements’ exercise contingencies are based on observable markets or indices besides those related to the market for the Company’s own stock price and operations; and (ii) none of the settlement provisions preclude the agreements from being indexed to its own stock. The Company also considers the potential dilution resulting from the forward sale agreements on the earnings per share calculations. The Company uses the treasury stock method to determine the dilution resulting from the forward sale agreements during the period of time prior to settlement.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Management uses interest rate swap agreements to manage risks related to interest rate movements. Management documents its risk management strategy and hedge effectiveness at the inception of, and during the term of, each hedge. Our interest rate risk management strategy is intended to stabilize cash flow requirements by maintaining interest rate swap agreements to convert certain variable-rate debt to a fixed rate.
The interest rate swap agreements, designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges, are reported at fair value. Interest rate swaps are measured at fair value using inputs that are directly observable in active markets and are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy, using an income approach. Specifically, the fair value of the interest rate swaps is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected future cash flows of each instrument. This analysis utilizes observable market data including yield curves and implied volatilities to determine the market’s expectation of the future cash flows of the variable component. The fixed and variable components of the interest rate swaps are then discounted using calculated discount factors developed based on the overnight indexed swap (“OIS”) curve and are aggregated to arrive at a single valuation for the period. The Company also incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its interest rate swaps fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with its interest rate swaps utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by itself and its counterparties. At December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company has assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation. As a result, the Company has determined that its interest rate swap valuations in their entirety are appropriately classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
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When an existing cash flow hedge is terminated, we determine the accounting treatment for the accumulated gain or loss recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), based on the probability of the hedged forecasted transaction occurring within the period the cash flow hedge was anticipated to affect earnings. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is probable of occurring during the original period, the accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings over the remaining life of the cash flow hedge using a straight-line method. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is not probable of occurring during the original period, the entire amount of accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings at such time.
Impact of Recent Accounting Pronouncements
For information on the impact of recent accounting pronouncements on our business, see the captions Recently Adopted Accounting Standards and Other Recently Issued Accounting Standards in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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FY 2021 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001193125-22-049969.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand our results of operations and financial condition. This MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
Overview
We acquire, own, and manage primarily single-tenant commercial real estate properties that are net leased on a long-term basis to a diversified group of tenants. Since our inception in 2007, we have selectively invested in net leased assets in the industrial, healthcare, restaurant, retail, and office property types. During the year
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ended December 31, 2021, we invested $654.7 million, excluding capitalized acquisition costs, in 116 properties at a weighted average initial cash capitalization rate of 6.3%. The acquisitions included properties in industrial (47%, based on ABR), retail (26%), healthcare (23%), and restaurant (4%) asset classes located across 28 states with a weighted average initial lease term and minimum annual rent increases of 15.9 years and 1.5%, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, our portfolio has grown to 726 properties, with 725 properties located in 42 U.S. states and one property located in British Columbia, Canada.
We focus on investing in real estate that is operated by creditworthy single tenants in industries characterized by positive business drivers and trends. We target properties that are an integral part of the tenants’ businesses and are therefore opportunities to secure long-term net leases. Through long-term net leases, our tenants are able to retain operational control of their strategically important locations, while allocating their debt and equity capital to fund core business operations rather than real estate ownership.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Diversified Portfolio. As of December 31, 2021, our portfolio comprised approximately 32.2 million rentable square feet of operational space, and was highly diversified based on property type, geography, tenant, and industry, and is cross-diversified within each (e.g., property-type diversification within a geographic concentration): |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Property Type: We are focused primarily on industrial, healthcare, restaurant, retail, and office property types based on our extensive experience in and conviction around these sectors. Within these sectors, we have meaningful concentrations in manufacturing, distribution and warehouse, clinical, quick service restaurant, food processing, casual dining, flex/research and development, and general merchandise. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Geographic Diversification: Our properties are located in 42 U.S. states and British Columbia, Canada, with no single geographic concentration exceeding 10.6% of our ABR. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Tenant and Industry Diversification: Our properties are occupied by approximately 204 different commercial tenants who operate 189 different brands that are diversified across 56 differing industries, with no single tenant accounting for more than 2.1% of our ABR. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Strong In-Place Leases with Significant Remaining Lease Term. As of December 31, 2021, our portfolio was approximately 99.8% leased with an ABR weighted average remaining lease term of approximately 10.5 years, excluding renewal options. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Standard Contractual Base Rent Escalation. Approximately 97.3% of our leases have contractual rent escalations, with an ABR weighted average minimum increase of 2.0%. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Extensive Tenant Financial Reporting. Approximately 94.0% of our tenants, based on ABR provide financial reporting, of which 84.6% are required to provide us with specified financial information on a periodic basis and an additional 9.4% of our tenants report financial statements publicly, either through SEC filings or otherwise. |
Factors That Impact Our Result of Operations
Our results of operations and financial condition are affected by numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control. Key factors that typically impact our results of operations and financial condition, include rental rates, property dispositions, lease renewals and occupancy, acquisition activity, net lease terms, interest expense, general and administrative expenses, tenant bankruptcies, and impairments.
Rental Rates
Our ability to grow rental revenue from our existing portfolio will depend on our ability to realize the rental escalations built into our leases. As of December 31, 2021, leases contributing approximately 97.3% of our ABR provided for increases in future annual base rent, generally ranging from 1.5% to 2.5% annually, with an ABR
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weighted average minimum increase of 2.0%. Generally, our rent escalators increase rent on specified dates by a fixed percentage. Approximately 13.6% of our rent escalators are based on an increase in the CPI over a specified period and 2.7% of our leases are flat leases, meaning they do not provide for rent increases during their terms. During periods of low inflation, small increases in the CPI will result in limited increases in rental revenue from our leases that contain rent escalators based on CPI increases. However, when the CPI decreases or does not change over the relevant period, our rental revenue from such leases is not reduced and will remain the same.
Property Dispositions
From time to time, we strategically dispose of properties, primarily when we believe the risk profile has changed and become misaligned with our then current risk-adjusted return objectives. The resulting gains or losses on dispositions may materially impact our operating results, and the recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market at the time a property is listed for sale.
Lease Renewals and Occupancy
As of December 31, 2021, the ABR weighted average remaining term of our portfolio was approximately 10.5 years, excluding renewal options, and approximately 14.5% of our leases (based on ABR) will expire prior to January 1, 2027. The stability of the rental revenue generated by our properties depends principally on our tenants’ ability to pay rent and our ability to collect rents, renew expiring leases or
re-lease
space upon the expiration or other termination of leases, lease currently vacant properties, and maintain or increase rental rates at our leased properties. To the extent our properties become vacant and are not subject to a lease, we would forego rental income while remaining responsible for the payment of property taxes and maintaining the property until it is
re-leased,
which could negatively impact our operating results. Our portfolio was 99.8% occupied as of December 31, 2021.
Acquisition Activity
Our historical growth in revenues and earnings has been achieved through rent escalations associated with existing
in-place
leases, coupled with rental income generated from accretive property acquisitions. Our ability to grow revenue will depend, to a significant degree, on our ability to identify and complete acquisitions that meet our investment criteria. Changes in capitalization rates, interest rates, or other factors may impact our acquisition opportunities in the future. Market conditions may also impact the total returns we can achieve on our investments. Our acquisition volume also depends on our ability to access third-party debt and equity financing.
Net Lease Terms
Substantially all of our leases are net leases pursuant to which our tenant generally is obligated to pay most recurring expenses associated with the leased property including real estate taxes, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. The remaining leases generally require that we pay some property expenses such as real estate taxes, insurance, or certain
non-structural
repairs and maintenance. Additionally, we seek to use master lease structures where it fits market practice in the particular property type, pursuant to which we seek to lease multiple properties to a single tenant on an all or none basis. Master leases strengthen our ability to preserve rental revenue and prevent costs associated with vacancies for underperforming properties. We believe the master lease structure is most prevalent and applicable to leases in our restaurant and retail property types, while less relevant to our other property types, such as healthcare and industrial. As of December 31, 2021, master leases contributed approximately 32.7% of our overall ABR (our largest master lease by ABR related to 43 properties and contributed 2.1% of our ABR, and our smallest master lease by ABR related to two properties and contributed 0.1% of our ABR), 73.7% of our restaurant property ABR (156 of our 235 restaurant properties), and 37.9% of our retail property ABR (84 of our 191 retail properties).
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Interest Expense
We anticipate that we will continue to incur debt to fund future acquisition activity, which will increase the amount of interest expense we incur. In addition, although we attempt to limit our total floating-rate debt exposure, changes in the interest rate environment could either increase or decrease our weighted average interest rate in the future. Any changes to our debt structure or debt financing associated with property acquisitions, could materially influence our operating results depending on the terms of any such debt. In January 2021, we received an initial credit rating of ‘BBB’ with a stable outlook from S&P, which lowered the applicable margin on our existing $965 million of bank loans by 25 basis points in February 2021, as well as a 20 basis point decrease in the applicable margin on future Revolving Credit Facility borrowings. In September 2021, Moody’s upgraded our credit rating to ‘Baa2’ with a stable outlook, which aligned with S&P’s credit rating and therefore had no impact to our actual interest expense. However, a downgrade in our credit rating could also increase the amount of interest we pay under our debt agreements.
General and Administrative Expenses
Our general and administrative expenses primarily consist of compensation and related costs, third party legal, accounting, and consulting expenses, travel and entertainment, and general office expenses.
Impact of Inflation
Our leases with tenants of our properties are long-term in nature, with a current weighted average remaining lease term of 10.5 years as of December 31, 2021. To mitigate the impact of inflation on our fixed revenue streams, we have implemented limited escalation clauses in our leases. As of December 31, 2021, substantially all of our leases had contractual lease escalations, with an annual weighted average of 2.0%. A majority of our leases have fixed annual rent increases or periodic escalations over the term of the lease (
e.g.
, a 10% increase every five years), and the remaining portion has annual lease escalations based on increases in the CPI. These lease escalations mitigate the risk of fixed revenue streams in the case of an inflationary economic environment, and provide increased return in otherwise stable market conditions. As a majority of our portfolio has fixed lease escalations, there is a risk that inflation could be greater than the contractual rent increases.
Our focus on single-tenant, net leases also shelters us from fluctuations in the cost of services and maintenance as a result of inflation. For a portion of our portfolio, we have leases that are not fully
triple-net,
and, therefore, we bear certain responsibilities for the maintenance and structural component replacements (
e.g.,
roof, structure, or parking lot) that may be required in the future, although the tenants are still required to pay all operating expenses associated with the property (
e.g.
, real estate taxes, insurance, and maintenance). Inflation and increased costs may have an adverse impact to our tenants and their creditworthiness if the increase in costs are greater than their increase in revenue. Where we cannot implement a
triple-net
lease, we attempt to limit our exposure to inflation through the use of warranties and other remedies that reduce the likelihood of a significant capital outlay.
Tenant Bankruptcies
Adverse economic conditions, particularly those that affect the markets in which our properties are located, or downturns in our tenants’ industries could impair our tenants’ ability to meet their lease obligations to us and our ability to renew expiring leases or
re-lease
space. In particular, the bankruptcy of one or more of our tenants could adversely affect our ability to collect rents from such tenants and maintain our portfolio’s occupancy. We have historically experienced only a limited number of tenant bankruptcies, which have not been material to our financial results.
Impairments
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes
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in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. Significant judgment is made as to if and when impairment should be taken. If our strategy, or one or more of the assumptions described above, changes in the future, we may have to recognize an impairment. Indications of a tenant’s inability to continue as a going concern, changes in our view or strategy relative to a tenant’s business or industry, or changes in our long-term hold strategies, could each be indicative of an impairment triggering event. For the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized $28.2 million of impairment, of which approximately $25.7 million related to the termination of a long-term master lease in exchange for a termination fee of $35 million. Simultaneously, we sold the underlying vacant properties to an unrelated third party for net proceeds of approximately $15.3 million. Due to the nature of the separate transactions, on a gross basis we recorded $33.8 million of revenue, $4.1 million of depreciation and amortization, and $25.7 million of impairment, for a net $4 million impact to net income.
Results of Operations
Our historical results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021, discussed below, include a full year of direct compensation expenses and incremental general and administrative expenses associated with being internally managed. Our historical results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020, discussed below, include the payment of asset and property management fees that we no longer pay following the Internalization, and do not include the full extent of expected direct compensation expenses or incremental general and administrative expenses associated with being internally managed.
Discussion of our Results of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019 was previously filed in our Annual Report on Form
10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2020. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the heading “
Results of Operations—Year Ended December
31, 2020 Compared to Year Ended year ended December
31, 2019
.”
Overview
As of December 31, 2021, our real estate investment portfolio included 726 commercial real estate properties, with 725 properties located in 42 U.S. states and one property located in British Columbia, Canada, and leased to tenants in various industries. All but two of our properties were subject to a lease as of December 31, 2021.
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Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to Year Ended year ended December 31, 2020
Lease revenues, net
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| Revenues: | ||||||||||||||||
| Contractual rental amounts billed for operating leases | $ | 308,624 | $ | 281,998 | $ | 26,626 | 9.4 | % | ||||||||
| Adjustment to recognize contractual operating lease billings on a straight-line basis | 19,847 | 25,200 | (5,353 | ) | (21.2 | )% | ||||||||||
| Write-off of accrued rental income | (442 | ) | (4,235 | ) | 3,793 | (89.6 | )% | |||||||||
| Variable rental amount earned | 768 | 743 | 25 | 3.4 | % | |||||||||||
| Earned income from direct financing leases | 2,909 | 3,355 | (446 | ) | (13.3 | )% | ||||||||||
| Interest income from sales-type leases | 58 | 5 | 53 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||
| Operating expenses billed to tenants | 17,462 | 15,845 | 1,617 | 10.2 | % | |||||||||||
| Other income from real estate transactions | 33,549 | 799 | 32,750 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||
| Adjustment to revenue recognized for uncollectible rental amounts billed, net | 101 | (2,073 | ) | 2,174 | (100.0 | )% | ||||||||||
| Total Lease revenues, net | $ | 382,876 | $ | 321,637 | $ | 61,239 | 19.0 | % |
The increase in Lease revenues, net was primarily due to growth in our real estate portfolio through accretive property acquisitions during 2021, partially offset by the reductions of revenues associated with property dispositions. During year, we invested $654.7 million, excluding capitalized acquisition costs, in 116 properties at a weighted average initial cash capitalization rate of 6.3%. Lease revenues also increased due to lease termination fee income of $35.0 million (which we classified as other income from real estate transactions in the table above) during the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $0.4 million in lease termination fee income during the year ended December 31, 2020. In September 2021, we executed the early termination of a long-term, master lease with an investment-grade office tenant in exchange for a termination fee of $35.0 million. Simultaneously, we sold the underlying vacant properties to an unrelated third party. Through the simultaneous transactions, we recorded $33.8 million of revenue, $4.1 million of amortization, and $25.7 million of impairment, for a net $4.0 million increase to net income. This resulted in a $33.8 million increase to generated funds from operations (“FFO”), but no impact to generated adjusted funds from operations (“AFFO”) or net debt to annualized adjusted EBITDAre. Refer to our
non-GAAP
reconciliations in the
Non-GAAP
Measures
section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Operating Expenses
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | $ | 132,096 | $ | 132,685 | $ | (589 | ) | (0.4 | )% | |||||||
| Property and operating expense | 18,459 | 17,478 | 981 | 5.6 | % | |||||||||||
| General and administrative | 36,366 | 27,988 | 8,378 | 29.9 | % | |||||||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 28,208 | 19,077 | 9,131 | 47.9 | % | |||||||||||
| Asset management fees | — | 2,461 | (2,461 | ) | (100.0 | )% | ||||||||||
| Property management fees | — | 1,275 | (1,275 | ) | (100.0 | )% | ||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | $ | 215,129 | $ | 200,964 | $ | 14,165 | 7.0 | % |
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Depreciation and amortization
The decrease in depreciation and amortization was due to $11.1 million of accelerated amortization during the year ended December 31, 2020 as a result of the
COVID-19
pandemic and certain lease terminations compared to only $4.1 million of accelerated amortization during the year ended December 31, 2021, offset by additional depreciation and amortization recognized from growth in our real estate portfolio.
General and administrative
Following the Internalization in February 2020, our asset and property management fees were replaced with compensation and related expenses, along with associated general and administrative expenses. The increase in general and administrative expenses was a direct result of the Internalization.
Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized $28.2 million of impairment on our investments in rental properties, primarily attributable to our simultaneous early lease termination transaction and sale of underlying properties as discussed in Lease revenues, net above, compared to $19.1 million of impairment during the year ended December 31, 2020. The following table presents the impairment charges for their respective periods:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2021 | 2020 | |||||
| Number of properties | 7 | 7 | |||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 48,604 | $ | 55,674 | |||
| Fair value | 20,396 | 36,597 | |||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 28,208 | $ | 19,077 |
The timing and amount of impairment fluctuates from period to period depending on the specific facts and circumstances.
Asset management fees and Property management fees
The decrease in asset management fees and property management fees was due to the completion of the Internalization in February 2020, which terminated the associated agreements with our third-party manager.
Other income (expenses)
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | $ | 17 | $ | 24 | $ | (7 | ) | (29.2 | )% | |||||||
| Interest expense | (64,146 | ) | (76,138 | ) | (11,992 | ) | (15.8 | )% | ||||||||
| Cost of debt extinguishment | (368 | ) | (417 | ) | (49 | ) | (11.8 | )% | ||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | 13,523 | 14,985 | (1,462 | ) | (9.8 | )% | ||||||||||
| Income taxes | (1,644 | ) | (939 | ) | 705 | 75.1 | % | |||||||||
| Internalization expenses | — | (3,705 | ) | (3,705 | ) | (100.0 | )% | |||||||||
| Change in fair value of earnout liability | (5,539 | ) | 1,800 | (7,339 | ) | (100.0 | )% | |||||||||
| Other expenses | (62 | ) | (7 | ) | 55 | 100.0 | % |
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Interest expense
The decrease in interest expense primarily reflects a decrease in our average outstanding borrowings, combined with a decrease in our weighted average cost of borrowings. In September 2020, we used the proceeds of our IPO to repay $456.7 million of outstanding borrowings, including accrued interest, significantly reducing our leverage profile. In January 2021, we received an initial credit rating of ‘BBB’ with a stable outlook from S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”), which had the effect of lowering the applicable margin on our then existing $965 million of bank loans by 25 basis points beginning in February 2021. In September 2021, Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) upgraded our credit rating to ‘Baa2’ with a stable outlook, which aligned with S&P’s credit rating and therefore had no impact to our actual interest expense. We also repriced and partially repaid our 2026 Unsecured Term Loan in March 2021, reducing the applicable margin and principal balance by an additional 60 basis points and $50 million, respectively. Our Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio, used as a relative leverage measure, decreased from 7.04x as of January 1, 2020, to 5.13x as of December 31, 2021.
Gain on sale of real estate
Our recognition of a gain or loss on the sale of real estate varies from transaction to transaction based on fluctuations in asset prices and demand in the real estate market. During the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized gains of $13.5 million on the sale of 31 properties, compared to gains of $15.0 million on the sale of 24 properties during the year ended December 31, 2020.
Internalization expenses
During the year ended December 31, 2020, we incurred $3.7 million of third-party fees and consulting expenses associated with the Internalization. We did not incur these expenses during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Change in fair value of earnout liability
The fair value of the earnout liability was remeasured each reporting period, with changes recorded as Change in fair value of earnout liability in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. The change in the fair value of the earnout liability during the year ended December 31, 2021, reflects our achievement of all four milestones applicable to the earnout during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Net Income and Net earnings per diluted share
| Year Ended December 31, | Increase/(Decrease) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2021 | 2020 | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 109,528 | $ | 56,276 | $ | 53,252 | 94.6 | % | ||||||||
| Net earnings per diluted share | 0.67 | 0.44 | 0.23 | 52.3 | % |
The increase in net income is primarily due to revenue growth of $61.2 million, a $12.0 million decrease in interest expense, a $3.7 million decrease in asset and property management fees, and a $3.7 million decrease in Internalization expenses. These factors were partially offset by a $9.1 million increase in impairment of investment in rental properties, a $8.4 million increase in general and administrative expenses, a $7.3 million increase in the fair value of our earnout liability, and a $1.5 million decrease on gain on sale of real estate.
GAAP net income includes items such as gain or loss on sale of real estate and provisions for impairment, among others, which can vary from quarter to quarter and impact period-over-period comparisons.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
General
We acquire real estate using a combination of debt and equity capital and with cash from operations that is not otherwise distributed to our stockholders. Our focus is on maximizing the risk-adjusted return to our stockholders through an appropriate balance of debt and equity in our capital structure. We are committed to maintaining an investment grade balance sheet through active management of our leverage profile and overall liquidity position. We believe our leverage strategy has allowed us to take advantage of the lower cost of debt while simultaneously strengthening our balance sheet, as evidenced by our current investment grade credit ratings of ‘BBB’ from S&P and ‘Baa2’ from Moody’s. We manage our leverage profile using a ratio of Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, a
non-GAAP
financial measure, which we believe is a useful measure of our ability to repay debt and a relative measure of leverage, and is used in communications with lenders and with rating agencies regarding our credit rating. We seek to maintain on a sustained basis a Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio that is generally less than 6.0x. As of December 31, 2021, we had total debt outstanding and Net Debt of $1.7 billion, and a Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio of 5.13x.
Net Debt and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are
non-GAAP
financial measures, and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre is calculated based upon EBITDA, EBITDAre, and Adjusted EBITDAre, each of which is also a
non-GAAP
financial measure. Refer to
Non-GAAP
Measures
below for further details concerning our calculation of
non-GAAP
measures and reconciliations to the comparable GAAP measure.
Liquidity/REIT Requirements
Liquidity is a measure of our ability to meet potential cash requirements, including our ongoing commitments to repay debt, fund our operations, acquire properties, make distributions to our stockholders, and other general business needs. As a REIT, we are required to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gain, on an annual basis. As a result, it is unlikely that we will be able to retain substantial cash balances to meet our long-term liquidity needs, including repayment of debt and the acquisition of additional properties, from our annual taxable income. Instead, we expect to meet our long-term liquidity needs primarily by relying upon external sources of capital.
Short-term Liquidity Requirements
Our short-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to pay for our operating expenses, including our general and administrative expenses as well as interest payments on our outstanding debt, and to pay distributions. We do not currently anticipate making significant capital expenditures or incurring other significant property costs because of the strong occupancy levels across our portfolio and the net lease nature of our leases. We expect to meet our short-term liquidity requirements primarily from cash and cash equivalents balances and net cash provided by operating activities, supplemented by borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility.
As detailed in the contractual obligations table below, we have approximately $124.2 million of expected obligations due throughout 2022, primarily consisting of the $60.0 million 2022 Unsecured Term Loan, $2.9 million of mortgage maturities, and $60.5 million of interest expense due, including the impact of our interest rate swaps. We expect to repay our $60.0 million 2022 Unsecured Term Loan with borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility. We expect our cash provided by operating activities, as discussed below, will be sufficient to pay for our current obligations including interest expense on our borrowings. We expect to either repay the maturing mortgages with available cash on hand generated from our results of operations or borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, or refinance with property-level borrowings.
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Long-term Liquidity Requirements
Our long-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of funds necessary to repay debt and invest in additional revenue generating properties. Debt capital has historically been provided through unsecured term loans from commercial banks, revolving credit facilities, and private placement senior unsecured notes. In September 2021, we completed our inaugural public bond offering of $375 million aggregate principal amount of 2.600% senior unsecured notes due 2031 (the “2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes”), and expect to use additional public bond offerings in the future as a form of growth capital.
The source and mix of our debt capital in the future will be impacted by market conditions as well as our continued focus on lengthening our debt maturity profile to better align with our portfolio’s long-term leases, staggering debt maturities to reduce the risk that a significant amount of debt will mature in any single year in the future, and managing our exposure to interest rate risk. With outstanding borrowings of $102.0 million at December 31, 2021, we have $798.0 million of available capacity under our Revolving Credit Facility.
We expect to meet our long-term liquidity requirements primarily from borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility, future debt and equity financings, and proceeds from limited sales of our properties. Our ability to access these capital sources may be impacted by unfavorable market conditions, particularly in the debt and equity capital markets, that are outside of our control. In addition, our success will depend on our operating performance, our borrowing restrictions, our degree of leverage, and other factors. Our acquisition growth strategy significantly depends on our ability to obtain acquisition financing on favorable terms. We seek to reduce the risk that long-term debt capital may be unavailable to us by strengthening our balance sheet by investing in real estate with creditworthy tenants and lease guarantors, and by maintaining an appropriate mix of debt and equity capitalization. We also, from time to time, obtain or assume
non-recourse
mortgage financing from banks and insurance companies secured by mortgages on the corresponding specific property. Mortgages, however, are not currently a strategic focus of the active management of our capital structure.
Equity Capital Resources
On September 21, 2020, we completed our IPO and issued 37 million shares of stock for net proceeds of $588.3 million, including shares issued subsequently pursuant to the underwriters’ partial exercise of their over-allotment option.
On June 28, 2021, we completed our first public
follow-on
equity offering and issued 11,500,000 shares of common stock, including shares issued pursuant to the underwriters’ full exercise of their over-allotment option, at $23.00 per share. The net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of $10.6 million and $0.4 million of other expenses, were $253.5 million.
On August 23, 2021, we established an
at-the-market
common equity offering program (“ATM Program”), through which we may, from time to time, publicly offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $400 million. The ATM Program provides for forward sale agreements, enabling us to set the price of shares upon pricing the offering while delaying the issuance of shares and the receipt of the net proceeds.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we issued 1,071,500 shares of common stock under our ATM Program, at a weighted average sale price of $26.26 per share. The net proceeds, after deducting $0.3 million for commissions and $0.5 million for other issuance expenses, were $27.3 million. At December 31, 2021, we could issue additional common stock with an aggregate sales price of up to $371.9 million under the ATM Program.
Our public offerings have been used to repay debt, fund acquisitions, and for other general corporate purposes.
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As we continue to invest in accretive real estate properties, we expect to balance our debt and equity capitalization, while maintaining a Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre ratio below 6.0x on a sustained basis, through the anticipated use of
follow-on
equity offerings and the ATM Program.
Unsecured Indebtedness and Capital Markets Activities as of and for the Year Ended December 31, 2021
The following table sets forth our outstanding Revolving Credit Facility, Unsecured Term Loans and Senior Unsecured Notes at December 31, 2021.
| (in thousands, except interest rates) | Outstanding Balance | Interest Rate | Maturity Date | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsecured revolving credit facility | $ | 102,000 | one-month LIBOR + 1.00% | Sep. 2023 | |||||||
| Unsecured term loans: | |||||||||||
| 2022 Unsecured Term Loan | 60,000 | one-month LIBOR + 1.00% | Feb. 2022 | ||||||||
| 2024 Unsecured Term Loan | 190,000 | one-month LIBOR + 1.00% | Jun. 2024 | ||||||||
| 2026 Unsecured Term Loan | 400,000 | one-month LIBOR + 1.00% | Feb. 2026 | ||||||||
| Total unsecured term loans | 650,000 | ||||||||||
| Senior unsecured notes: | |||||||||||
| 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A | 150,000 | 4.84% | Apr. 2027 | ||||||||
| 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B | 225,000 | 5.09% | Jul. 2028 | ||||||||
| 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C | 100,000 | 5.19% | Jul. 2030 | ||||||||
| 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes | 375,000 | 2.60% | Sep. 2031 | ||||||||
| Total senior unsecured notes | 850,000 | ||||||||||
| Total unsecured debt | $ | 1,602,000 |
Revolving Credit Facility
The Revolving Credit Facility has a maximum availability of $900.0 million and includes $20.0 million available for issuance of letters of credit. The Revolving Credit Facility has an initial maturity date of September 2023 and provides for two
six-month
extensions, at our election, subject to certain conditions set forth in the agreement and payment of a 0.0625% fee on the revolving commitments. The Revolving Credit Facility contains an applicable facility fee ranging between 0.125% and 0.30% per annum, based on our credit rating. At December 31, 2021, the facility fee was 0.20% per annum based on our credit ratings of ‘BBB’ and ‘Baa2’ from S&P and Moody’s, respectively.
Borrowings on the Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at variable rates based on LIBOR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.825% and 1.55% per annum. At December 31, 2021, the applicable margin was 1.00%.
Subsequent to
year-end,
on January 28, 2022 we amended and restated the Revolving Credit Facility, upsizing the capacity to $1 billion, extending its maturity date to March 2026, and reducing the applicable margin to 0.85%.
2022 Unsecured Term Loan
The 2022 Unsecured Term Loan has an initial maturity date of February 2022. Borrowings under the 2022 Unsecured Term Loan are subject to interest only payments at variable rates equal to LIBOR plus a margin based on our credit rating, ranging between 0.85% and 1.65% per annum. At December 31, 2021, the applicable margin was 1.00%.
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2024 Unsecured Term Loan
The 2024 Unsecured Term Loan has an initial maturity date of June 2024. Borrowings under the 2024 Unsecured Term Loan are subject to interest at variable rates based on LIBOR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 0.85% and 1.65% per annum. At December 31, 2021, the applicable margin was 1.00%.
2026 Unsecured Term Loan
On March 12, 2021, we amended the 2026 Unsecured Term Loan and made a $50.0 million paydown on the loan. Prior to the amendment, the borrowings under the 2026 Unsecured Term Loan were subject to interest at variable rates based on LIBOR plus a margin based on our credit rating ranging between 1.45% and 2.4% per annum. The amendment reduced the margin to a range between 0.85% and 1.65% based on our credit rating. At December 31, 2021, the applicable margin was 1.00%.
2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A
The 2027 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series A are payable interest only semiannually during their term, bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.84% per annum, and mature in April 2027.
2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C
The 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series B and 2030 Senior Unsecured Notes - Series C are payable interest only semiannually during their term, and bear interest at fixed rates of 5.09% per annum and 5.19% per annum, respectively. Series B Notes mature in July 2028, and the Series C Notes mature in July 2030.
2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes
On September 15, 2021, we completed our inaugural public bond offering of our 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes. We used the proceeds to repay the Revolving Credit Facility and a $265.0 million term loan in full that matured in 2020, to fund acquisitions, and for other general corporate purposes. Borrowings under the 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes are subject to interest only, semi-annual payments at a fixed rate of 2.60% per annum and mature in September 2031. The 2031 Senior Unsecured Public Notes were issued by our OP and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company. The assets, liabilities and results of operations of the OP are not materially different than the corresponding amounts in Company’s consolidated financial statements included herein.
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Debt Covenants
We are subject to various covenants and financial reporting requirements pursuant to our debt facilities, which are summarized below. As of December 31, 2021, we believe we were in compliance with all of our covenants on all outstanding borrowings. In the event of default, either through default on payments or breach of covenants, we may be restricted from paying dividends to our stockholders in excess of dividends required to maintain our REIT qualification. For each of the previous three years, we paid dividends out of our cash flows from operations in excess of the distribution amounts required to maintain our REIT qualification.
| Covenants | Requirement | |
|---|---|---|
| Leverage Ratio | ≤ 0.60 to 1.00 | |
| Secured Indebtedness Ratio | ≤ 0.40 to 1.00 | |
| Unencumbered Coverage Ratio | ≥ 1.75 to 1.00 | |
| Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio | ≥ 1.50 to 1.00 | |
| Total Unsecured Indebtedness to Total Unencumbered Eligible Property Value | ≤ 0.60 to 1.00 | |
| Dividends and Other Restricted Payments | Only applicable in case of default | |
| Aggregate Debt Ratio | ≤ 0.60 to 1.00 | |
| Consolidated Income Available for Debt to Annual Debt Service Charge | ≥ 1.50 to 1.00 | |
| Total Unencumbered Assets to Total Unsecured Debt | ≥ 1.50 to 1.00 | |
| Secured Debt Ratio | ≤ 0.40 to 1.00 |
Contractual Obligations
The following table provides information with respect to our contractual commitments and obligations as of December 31, 2021 (in thousands). Refer to the discussion in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section above for further discussion over our short and long-term obligations.
| Year of Maturity | Term Loans | Revolving Credit Facility(1) | Senior Notes | Mortgages | Interest Expense(2) | Tenant Improvement Allowances(3) | Operating Leases | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $ | 60,000 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 2,906 | $ | 60,542 | $ | 57 | $ | 723 | $ | 124,228 | |||||||||||||||
| 2023 | — | 102,000 | — | 7,582 | 59,432 | — | 539 | 169,553 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 190,000 | — | — | 9,760 | 55,578 | — | 153 | 255,491 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | — | — | — | 20,195 | 52,126 | — | 155 | 72,476 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 400,000 | — | — | 16,843 | 43,682 | — | 157 | 460,682 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thereafter | — | — | 850,000 | 39,874 | 94,113 | — | 3,620 | 987,607 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 650,000 | $ | 102,000 | $ | 850,000 | $ | 97,160 | $ | 365,473 | $ | 57 | $ | 5,347 | $ | 2,070,037 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | On January 28, 2022, we amended and restated the Revolving Credit Facility, extending its maturity date to March 2026. The amended agreement contains two six-month extension options subject to certain conditions, including the payment of an extension fee equal to 0.0625% of the revolving commitments. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | Interest expense is projected based on the outstanding borrowings and interest rates in effect as of December 31, 2021. This amount includes the impact of interest rate swap agreements. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | We expect to pay tenant improvement allowances out of cash flows from operations or from additional borrowings. |
At December 31, 2021 and 2020, investment in rental property of $161.6 million and $173.5 million, respectively, was pledged as collateral against our mortgages.
Additionally, we are a party to three separate tax protection agreements with the contributing members of three distinct UPREIT transactions and we entered into the Founding Owners’ Tax Protection Agreement in connection with the Internalization. The tax protection agreements require us to indemnify the beneficiaries in
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the event of a sale, exchange, transfer, or other disposal of the contributed property, and in the case of the Founding Owners’ Tax Protection Agreement, the entire Company, in a taxable transaction that would cause such beneficiaries to recognize a gain that is protected under the agreements, subject to certain exceptions. Based on values as of December 31, 2021, taxable sales of the applicable properties would trigger liability under the four agreements of approximately $22.3 million. Based on information available, we do not believe that the events resulting in damages as detailed above have occurred or are likely to occur in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, we have excluded these commitments from the contractual commitments table above.
In the normal course of business, we enter into various types of commitments to purchase real estate properties. These commitments are generally subject to our customary due diligence process and, accordingly, a number of specific conditions must be met before we are obligated to purchase the properties.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
We are exposed to interest rate risk arising from changes in interest rates on the floating-rate borrowings under our unsecured credit facilities and a certain mortgage. Borrowings pursuant to our unsecured credit facilities bear interest at floating rates based on LIBOR plus an applicable margin. Accordingly, fluctuations in market interest rates may increase or decrease our interest expense, which will in turn, increase or decrease our net income and cash flow.
We attempt to manage our interest rate risk by entering into interest rate swaps. As of December 31, 2021, we had 24 interest rate swaps outstanding in an aggregate notional amount of $640.0 million. Under these agreements, we receive monthly payments from the counterparties equal to the related variable interest rates multiplied by the outstanding notional amounts. In turn, we pay the counterparties each month an amount equal to a fixed interest rate multiplied by the related outstanding notional amounts. The intended net impact of these transactions is that we pay a fixed interest rate on our variable-rate borrowings. The interest rate swaps have been designated by us as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes and are reported at fair value. We assess, both at inception and on an ongoing basis, the effectiveness of our qualifying cash flow hedges. We have not entered, and do not intend to enter, into derivative or interest rate transactions for speculative purposes.
Cash Flows
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $27.8 million, $110.7 million, and $20.3 million at December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. The table below shows information concerning cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 244,937 | $ | 179,028 | $ | 147,358 | ||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (582,304 | ) | (60,236 | ) | (831,707 | ) | ||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 254,408 | (28,375 | ) | 685,671 | ||||||||
| (Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash | $ | (82,959 | ) | $ | 90,417 | $ | 1,322 |
The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, as compared to the comparable prior periods, was mainly due to growth in our real estate portfolio and cost savings associated with the Internalization, in addition to $35 million lease termination fee we received during the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities during the years ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, was mainly due to growth in our real estate portfolio and cost savings associated with the Internalization.
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The increase in net cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, was mainly due to increased acquisition volume in 2021 offset by decrease in cash paid in connection with the Internalization. The change in net cash used in investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, was mainly due to decreased acquisition volume, offset by cash paid in connection with the Internalization and decreased proceeds from the disposal of properties in 2020.
The increase in net cash provided by (used in) financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, mainly reflects an increase in net proceeds from equity and debt offerings in 2021 to fund growth in our real estate portfolio. The change in net cash (used in) provided by financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, mainly reflects a net repayment of debt in 2020 with proceeds from our IPO, compared to net borrowings in 2019 that were partially offset by increased proceeds from the sale of common stock.
Non-GAAP
Measures
FFO and AFFO
We compute FFO in accordance with the standards established by the Board of Governors of Nareit, the worldwide representative voice for REITs and publicly traded real estate companies with an interest in the U.S. real estate and capital markets. Nareit defines FFO as GAAP net income or loss adjusted to exclude net gains (losses) from sales of certain depreciated real estate assets, depreciation and amortization expense from real estate assets, gains and losses from change in control, and impairment charges related to certain previously depreciated real estate assets. To derive AFFO, we modify the Nareit computation of FFO to include other adjustments to GAAP net income related to certain
non-cash
and
non-recurring
revenues and expenses, including straight-line rents,
write-off
of accrued rental income, the change in fair value of our earnout liability, cost of debt extinguishments, amortization of lease intangibles, amortization of debt issuance costs, amortization of net mortgage premiums, (gain) loss on interest rate swaps and other
non-cash
interest expense, realized gains or losses on foreign currency transactions, internalization expenses, stock-based compensation, severance, extraordinary items, and other specified
non-cash
items. We believe that excluding such items assists management and investors in distinguishing whether changes in our operations are due to growth or decline of operations at our properties or from other factors.
Our leases include cash rents that increase over the term of the lease to compensate us for anticipated increases in market rental rates over time. Our leases do not include significant front-loading or back-loading of payments, or significant rent-free periods. Therefore, we find it useful to evaluate rent on a contractual basis as it allows for comparison of existing rental rates to market rental rates. In situations where we granted short-term rent deferrals as a result of the
COVID-19
pandemic, and such deferrals were probable of collection and expected to be repaid within a short term, we continued to recognize the same amount of GAAP lease revenues each period. Consistent with GAAP lease revenues, the short-term deferrals associated with
COVID-19,
and the corresponding payments, did not impact our AFFO.
We further exclude the change in fair value of our earnout liability, lease terminations fees, costs or gains recorded on the extinguishment of debt,
non-cash
interest expense and gains, the amortization of debt issuance costs, net mortgage premiums, and lease intangibles, realized gains and losses on foreign currency transactions, internalization expenses, stock-based compensation and severance, as these items are not indicative of ongoing operational results. We use AFFO as a measure of our performance when we formulate corporate goals.
FFO is used by management, investors, and analysts to facilitate meaningful comparisons of operating performance between periods and among our peers, primarily because it excludes the effect of real estate depreciation and amortization and net gains on sales, which are based on historical costs and implicitly assume that the value of real estate diminishes predictably over time, rather than fluctuating based on existing market
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conditions. We believe that AFFO is a useful supplemental measure for investors to consider because it will help them to better assess our operating performance without the distortions created by
non-cash
revenues or expenses. FFO and AFFO may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other REITs, and comparisons of our FFO and AFFO with the same or similar measures disclosed by other REITs may not be meaningful.
Neither the SEC nor any other regulatory body has passed judgment on the acceptability of the adjustments to FFO that we use to calculate AFFO. In the future, the SEC, Nareit or another regulatory body may decide to standardize the allowable adjustments across the REIT industry and in response to such standardization we may have to adjust our calculation and characterization of AFFO accordingly.
The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to FFO and AFFO:
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except per share data) | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 109,528 | $ | 56,276 | $ | 85,114 | ||||||
| Real property depreciation and amortization | 131,999 | 132,613 | 108,818 | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (13,523 | ) | (14,985 | ) | (29,914 | ) | ||||||
| Provision for impairment on investment in rental properties | 28,208 | 19,077 | 3,452 | |||||||||
| FFO | $ | 256,212 | $ | 192,981 | $ | 167,470 | ||||||
| Straight-line rent adjustment | (20,304 | ) | (24,066 | ) | (21,986 | ) | ||||||
| Write-off of accrued rental income | 1,938 | 4,235 | 43 | |||||||||
| Lease termination fee | (35,000 | ) | — | — | ||||||||
| Adjustment to provision for credit losses | (38 | ) | (148 | ) | — | |||||||
| Cost of debt extinguishment | 368 | 417 | 1,176 | |||||||||
| Amortization of debt issuance costs | 3,854 | 3,445 | 2,685 | |||||||||
| Amortization of net mortgage premiums | (132 | ) | (142 | ) | (143 | ) | ||||||
| Loss (gain) on interest rate swaps and other non-cash interest expense | 698 | (166 | ) | (205 | ) | |||||||
| Amortization of lease intangibles | (3,208 | ) | (1,118 | ) | (3,410 | ) | ||||||
| Stock-based compensation | 4,669 | 1,989 | — | |||||||||
| Severance | 1,304 | 94 | — | |||||||||
| Change in fair value of earnout liability | 5,539 | (1,800 | ) | — | ||||||||
| Internalization expenses | — | 3,705 | 3,658 | |||||||||
| Capital improvements/reserves | — | 1,662 | (97 | ) | ||||||||
| Other expenses | 62 | 7 | 6 | |||||||||
| AFFO | $ | 215,962 | $ | 181,095 | $ | 149,197 |
EBITDA, EBITDAre, Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We compute EBITDA as earnings before interest, income taxes and depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is a measure commonly used in our industry. We believe that this ratio provides investors and analysts with a measure of our performance that includes our operating results unaffected by the differences in capital structures, capital investment cycles and useful life of related assets compared to other companies in our industry. We compute EBITDAre in accordance with the definition adopted by Nareit, as EBITDA excluding gains (loss) from the sales of depreciable property and provisions for impairment on investment in real estate. We believe EBITDA and EBITDAre are useful to investors and analysts because they provide important supplemental information about our operating performance exclusive of certain
non-cash
and other costs. EBITDA and
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EBITDAre are not measures of financial performance under GAAP, and our EBITDA and EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our EBITDA and EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
We are focused on a disciplined and targeted acquisition strategy, together with active asset management that includes selective sales of properties. We manage our leverage profile using a ratio of Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, each discussed further below, which we believe is a useful measure of our ability to repay debt and a relative measure of leverage, and is used in communications with our lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. As we fund new acquisitions using our unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, our leverage profile and Net Debt will be immediately impacted by current quarter acquisitions. However, the full benefit of EBITDAre from newly acquired properties will not be received in the same quarter in which the properties are acquired. Additionally, EBITDAre for the quarter includes amounts generated by properties that have been sold during the quarter. Accordingly, the variability in EBITDAre caused by the timing of our acquisitions and dispositions can temporarily distort our leverage ratios. We adjust EBITDAre (“Adjusted EBITDAre”) for the most recently completed quarter (i) to recalculate as if all acquisitions and dispositions had occurred at the beginning of the quarter, (ii) to exclude certain GAAP income and expense amounts that are either
non-cash,
such as cost of debt extinguishments or the change in fair value of our earnout liability, or that we believe are one time, or unusual in nature because they relate to unique circumstances or transactions that had not previously occurred and which we do not anticipate occurring in the future, and (iii) to eliminate the impact of lease termination fees and other items that are not a result of normal operations. We then annualize quarterly Adjusted EBITDAre by multiplying it by four (“Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre”). You should not unduly rely on this measure as it is based on assumptions and estimates that may prove to be inaccurate. Our actual reported EBITDAre for future periods may be significantly different from our Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre. Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre are not measurements of performance under GAAP, and our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider our Adjusted EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP.
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The following table reconciles net income (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to EBITDA, EBITDAre, and Adjusted EBITDAre. Information is also presented with respect to Annualized EBITDAre and Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre:
| For the Three Months Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 32,226 | $ | 17,619 | $ | 27,712 | ||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 33,476 | 30,182 | 30,829 | |||||||||
| Interest expense | 16,997 | 17,123 | 21,509 | |||||||||
| Income taxes | 457 | (141 | ) | 1,262 | ||||||||
| EBITDA | $ | 83,156 | $ | 64,783 | $ | 81,312 | ||||||
| Provision for impairment of investment in rental properties | 207 | 1,678 | — | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of real estate | (3,732 | ) | (5,260 | ) | (13,142 | ) | ||||||
| EBITDAre | $ | 79,631 | $ | 61,201 | $ | 68,170 | ||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter acquisition activity (1) | 2,002 | 1,703 | 346 | |||||||||
| Adjustment for current quarter disposition activity (2) | (180 | ) | (318 | ) | (1,015 | ) | ||||||
| Adjustment to exclude non-recurring expenses (income) (3) | — | 182 | 2,463 | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude change in fair value of earnout liability | — | 6,706 | — | |||||||||
| Adjustment to exclude write-off of accrued rental income | — | 242 | — | |||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 81,453 | $ | 69,716 | $ | 69,964 | ||||||
| Annualized EBITDAre | $ | 318,526 | $ | 244,805 | $ | 272,680 | ||||||
| Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | $ | 325,812 | $ | 278,867 | $ | 279,856 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all acquisitions during the quarter as if they had been acquired as of the beginning of the quarter. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | Reflects an adjustment to give effect to all dispositions during the quarter as if they had been sold as of the beginning of the quarter. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | Amounts represent expense directly associated with the Internalization. |
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Net Debt, Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre
We define Net Debt as gross debt (total reported debt plus debt issuance costs) less cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. We believe that the presentation of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre is useful to investors and analysts because these ratios provide information about gross debt less cash and cash equivalents, which could be used to repay debt, compared to our performance as measured using EBITDAre, and is used in communications with lenders and rating agencies regarding our credit rating. The following table reconciles total debt (which is the most comparable GAAP measure) to Net Debt, and presents the ratio of Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre and Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre, respectively:
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||
| Debt | ||||||||
| Unsecured revolving credit facility | $ | 102,000 | $ | — | ||||
| Unsecured term loans, net | 646,671 | 961,330 | ||||||
| Senior unsecured notes, net | 843,801 | 472,466 | ||||||
| Mortgages, net | 96,846 | 107,382 | ||||||
| Debt issuance costs | 9,842 | 6,489 | ||||||
| Gross Debt | 1,699,160 | 1,547,667 | ||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | (21,669 | ) | (100,486 | ) | ||||
| Restricted cash | (6,100 | ) | (10,242 | ) | ||||
| Net Debt | $ | 1,671,391 | $ | 1,436,939 | ||||
| Net Debt to Annualized EBITDAre | 5.25x | 5.87x | ||||||
| Net Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDAre | 5.13x | 5.15x |
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses as well as other disclosures in the financial statements. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. These judgments affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates and assumptions; however, actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions, which in turn could have a material impact on our financial statements. A summary of our significant accounting policies and procedures are included in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”, contained in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” included in this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
Management believes the following critical accounting policies, among others, affect its more significant estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Investment in Rental Property
Rental property accounted for under operating leases is recorded at cost. Rental property accounted for under direct financing leases and sales-type are recorded at its net investment, which generally represents the cost of the property at the inception of the lease.
We account for acquisitions of real estate as asset acquisitions in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805,
Business Combinations,
as substantially all of the fair value of the assets acquired are concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets.
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We allocate the purchase price of investments in rental property accounted for as asset acquisitions based on the relative fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. These generally include tangible assets, consisting of land and land improvements, buildings and other improvements, and equipment, and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities, including the value of
in-place
leases and acquired above-market and below-market leases.
We use multiple sources to estimate fair value, including information obtained about each property as a result of our
pre-acquisition
due diligence and our marketing and leasing activities. Factors that impact our fair value determination include real estate market conditions, industry conditions that the tenant operates in, and characteristics of the real estate and/or real estate appraisals. Changes in any of these factors could impact the future purchase prices of our investments and the corresponding capitalization rates recognized.
The estimated fair value of the tangible assets of an acquired property is determined by valuing the property as if it were vacant. The
as-if-vacant
value is then allocated to land and land improvements, buildings, and equipment based on comparable sales and other relevant information with respect to the property, as estimated by management. Specifically, the “if vacant” value of buildings and equipment is calculated using an income approach. Assumptions used in the income approach to value the buildings include: capitalization and discount rates,
lease-up
time, market rents, make ready costs, land value, and land improvement value.
The estimated fair value of acquired
in-place
leases are the costs we would have had to incur to lease the properties to the occupancy level of the properties at the date of acquisition. Such costs include the fair value of leasing commissions and other operating costs that would have been incurred to lease the properties, had they been vacant, to their acquired occupancy level. Acquired
in-place
leases as of the date of acquisition are amortized over the remaining
non-cancellable
lease terms of the respective leases to amortization expense.
Acquired above-market and below-market lease values are recorded based on the present value (using an interest rate that reflects the risks associated with the lease acquired) of the differences between the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the
in-place
leases and management’s estimate of fair market value lease rates at the time of acquisition for the corresponding
in-place
leases. The capitalized above-market and below-market lease values are amortized as adjustments to rental income over the remaining term of the respective leases.
Management estimates the fair value of assumed mortgages based upon indications of then-current market pricing for similar types of debt with similar maturities. Assumed mortgages are initially recorded at their estimated fair value as of the assumption date, and the difference between such estimated fair value and the notes’ outstanding principal balance is amortized to interest expense over the remaining term of the debt.
Long-lived Asset Impairment
We review long-lived assets to be held and used for possible impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If, and when, such events or changes in circumstances are present, an impairment exists to the extent the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the long-lived asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. Such cash flows include expected future operating income, as adjusted for trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition, and other factors. An impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group exceeds the fair value. Significant judgment is made to determine if and when impairment should be taken. Management’s assessment of impairment as of December 31, 2021 was based on the most current information available to management. Certain of our properties may have fair values less than their carrying amounts. However, based on management’s plans with respect to each of those properties, we believe that their carrying amounts are recoverable and therefore, no impairment charges were recognized other than those described below. If the operating conditions mentioned above deteriorate or if our expected holding period for assets changes, subsequent tests for impairments could result in additional impairment charges in the future.
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Inputs used in establishing fair value for real estate assets generally fall within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, which are characterized as requiring significant judgment as little or no current market activity may be available for validation. The main indicator used to establish the classification of the inputs is current market conditions, as derived through the use of published commercial real estate market information. We determine the valuation of impaired assets using generally accepted valuation techniques including discounted cash flow analysis, income capitalization, analysis of recent comparable sales transactions, actual sales negotiations, and bona fide purchase offers received from third parties. We may consider a single valuation technique or multiple valuation techniques, as appropriate, when estimating the fair value of our real estate.
The following table summarizes our impairment charges resulting primarily from changes in our long-term hold strategy with respect to the individual properties:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands, except number of properties) | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ||||||||
| Number of properties | 7 | 7 | 4 | ||||||||
| Carrying value prior to impairment charge | $ | 48,604 | $ | 55,674 | $ | 15,901 | |||||
| Fair value | 20,396 | 36,597 | 12,449 | ||||||||
| Impairment charge | $ | 28,208 | $ | 19,077 | $ | 3,452 |
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the amount paid over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination and it assigned to one or more reporting units. We evaluate goodwill for impairment when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable, or at least annually. Our annual testing date is November 30.
The goodwill impairment evaluation is completed using either a qualitative or quantitative approach. Under a qualitative approach, the impairment review for goodwill consists of an assessment of whether it is
more-likely-than-not
that the reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value, including goodwill. If a qualitative approach indicates it is more
likely-than-not
that the estimated carrying value of a reporting unit (including goodwill) exceeds its fair value, or if we choose to bypass the qualitative approach, we perform the quantitative approach described below.
When we perform a quantitative test of goodwill for impairment, we compare the carrying value of a reporting unit with its fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, we do not consider goodwill to be impaired and no further analysis would be required. If the fair value is determined to be less than its carrying value, the amount of goodwill impairment equals the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill.
Management determined that we have one reporting unit, consistent with our segment reporting analysis, which includes the acquisition, leasing, and ownership of net leased properties (i.e., the consolidated entity). When necessary to perform the quantitative test for goodwill impairment, our estimate of fair value is determined using a market approach, leveraging assumptions such as the fair value of our equity, and consideration of a control premium, if necessary, which includes an analysis of similar market transactions. While we believe the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of our reporting unit are reasonable, changes in these assumptions may have a material impact on our financial results. Based on the results of our annual goodwill impairment test on November 30, 2021, our inaugural goodwill impairment test date, we concluded that goodwill was not impaired.
Revenue Recognition
We account for leases in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. We commence revenue recognition on our leases based on a number of factors, including the initial determination that the contract is or contains a lease.
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Generally, all of our property related contracts are or contain leases, and therefore revenue is recognized when the lessee takes possession of or controls the physical use of the leased assets. In most instances this occurs on the lease commencement date. At the time of lease assumption or at the inception of a new lease, including new leases that arise from amendments, we assess the terms and conditions of the lease to determine the proper lease classification.
A lease is classified as an operating lease if none of the following criteria are met: (i) ownership transfers to the lessee at the end of the lease term, (ii) the lessee has a purchase option that is reasonably expected to be exercised, (iii) the lease term is for a major part of the economic life of the leased property, (iv) the present value of the future lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee that is not already reflected in the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the leased property, and (v) the leased property is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no future alternative use to the Company at the end of the lease term. If one or more of these criteria are met, the lease will generally be classified as a sales-type lease, unless the lease contains a residual value guarantee from a third party other than the lessee, in which case it would be classified as a direct financing lease under certain circumstances.
We account for the right to use land as a separate lease component, unless the accounting effect of doing so would be insignificant. Determination of significance requires management judgment. In determining whether the accounting effect of separately reporting the land component from other components for its real estate leases is significant, we assess: (i) whether separating the land component impacts the classification of any lease component, (ii) the value of the land component in the context of the overall contract, and (iii) whether the right to use the land is coterminous with the rights to use the other assets.
Lease Termination Fee Income
The Company recognizes lease termination fee income as other income from real estate transactions, a component of Lease revenues, net, when all conditions of the termination agreement have been met, and collection of the lease termination fee is probable. If the tenant immediately vacates the property upon satisfying the conditions of the termination agreement, the Company recognizes the lease termination fee income net of accrued rental income associated with the lease immediately, as other income from real estate transactions, a component of Lease revenues, net, in the Consolidated Statement of Income and Comprehensive Income.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Management uses interest rate swap agreements to manage risks related to interest rate movements. Management documents its risk management strategy and hedge effectiveness at the inception of, and during the term of, each hedge. Our interest rate risk management strategy is intended to stabilize cash flow requirements by maintaining interest rate swap agreements to convert certain variable-rate debt to a fixed rate.
The interest rate swap agreements, designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges, are reported at fair value. Interest rate swaps are measured at fair value using inputs that are directly observable in active markets and are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy, using an income approach. Specifically, the fair value of the interest rate swaps is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected future cash flows of each instrument. This analysis utilizes observable market data including yield curves and implied volatilities to determine the market’s expectation of the future cash flows of the variable component. The fixed and variable components of the interest rate swaps are then discounted using calculated discount factors developed based on the overnight indexed swap (“OIS”) curve and are aggregated to arrive at a single valuation for the period. The Company also incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its interest rate swaps fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with its interest rate swaps utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by itself and its
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counterparties. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company has assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation. As a result, the Company has determined that its interest rate swap valuations in their entirety are appropriately classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
When an existing cash flow hedge is terminated, we determine the accounting treatment for the accumulated gain or loss recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss, based on the probability of the hedged forecasted transaction occurring within the period the cash flow hedge was anticipated to affect earnings. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is probable of occurring during the original period, the accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings over the remaining life of the cash flow hedge using a straight-line method. If management determines that the hedged forecasted transaction is not probable of occurring during the original period, the entire amount of accumulated gain or loss is reclassified into earnings at such time.
Impact of Recent Accounting Pronouncements
For information on the impact of recent accounting pronouncements on our business, see the captions
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
and
Other Recently Issued Accounting Standards
in Note 2, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
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