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8-K - 8-K - LIBERTY PROPERTY TRUSTa14-10859_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

News Release

 

Inquiries: Jeanne Leonard, Liberty Property Trust, 610.648.1704

 

Liberty Property Trust Announces First Quarter 2014 Results

 

Malvern, PA — April 22, 2014 - Liberty Property Trust reported that funds from operations available to common shareholders (diluted) (“FFO”) for the first quarter of 2014 was $0.58 per share, compared to $0.65 per share for the first quarter of 2013. Funds from operations for the first quarter of 2014 and 2013 include $3.9 million and $3.8 million, respectively, of additional compensation expense due to the accelerated vesting of long-term compensation due to the years of service and ages of certain employees.

 

Net income per common share (diluted) was $0.49 for the quarter ended March 31, 2014, compared to $0.60 for the quarter ended March 31, 2013. Net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 included net gains on property dispositions of $46.0 million ($0.31 per share) versus $43.5 million ($0.36 per share) for the corresponding quarter in 2013.

 

Results for the first quarter of 2014 reflect the sale of 6.6 million square feet of suburban office and flex properties which closed in two installments during December 2013 and January 2014. Year-over-year results are reflective of strategic portfolio transformation activities that have increased Liberty’s industrial portfolio and decreased its office exposure.

 

“In the first quarter, Liberty finalized our transformational sale of suburban office and flex properties, we announced the largest office build-to-suit development in the company’s history, and we lowered our cost of borrowing with a new, expanded line of credit,” said Bill Hankowsky, chairman and chief executive officer. “With the exception of the effects of the winter’s unusually harsh weather conditions, our portfolio performed as expected and budgeted in the first quarter. We continue to see strong activity in our industrial markets and anticipate accelerating growth in earnings in the second half of 2014 consistent with our previously announced earnings guidance.”

 

Portfolio Performance

 

Leasing: At March 31, 2014, Liberty’s in-service portfolio of 101.5 million square feet was 91.0% occupied, compared to 91.6% at the end of the fourth quarter of 2013. During the quarter, Liberty completed lease transactions totaling 5.3 million square feet of space.

 

- more -

 



 

Same Store Performance: Property level operating income for same store properties decreased by 1.4% on a cash basis and by 1.8% on a straight line basis for the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same quarter in 2013.

 

Real Estate Investments

 

Development: In the first quarter, Liberty brought into service three development properties for a total investment of $30.5 million. The properties contain 502,000 square feet of leasable space and were 86.4% occupied as of March 31, 2014. The current yield on these properties is 7.4% and the projected stabilized yield is 8.4%.

 

Also during the quarter, Liberty began development on two properties for a projected investment of $61.0 million. The properties consist of two distribution properties for inventory in Texas: a 199,000 square foot distribution facility in Coppell and a 207,000 square foot office building in Houston.

 

In addition, Liberty announced preliminary terms to develop, in a joint venture with Comcast Corporation, a 1.5 million square foot office and hotel property in Philadelphia, for $900 million. The joint venture will be 20% owned by Liberty and will be managed by Liberty. Development is expected to commence in summer 2014.

 

Acquisitions: Liberty acquired two properties for $37.6 million during the quarter: a vacant 523,000 square foot distribution facility in California’s Inland Empire, and a fully-leased, 90,000 square foot distribution facility in Greenville, South Carolina.

 

Real Estate Dispositions

 

In December 2013, Liberty entered into an agreement to sell 159 acres of land and 97 operating properties totaling 6.6 million square feet of leasable space. In December, the company closed on the first installment of the sale for $367.7 million. This installment comprised 140 acres of land and 49 properties totaling 4.0 million square feet of leasable space. In January 2014, the remaining 19 acres of land and 48 properties totaling 2.6 million square feet of leasable space were sold for $329.6 million. At the time of sale the combined percentage leased for the 97 properties was 88.2%.

 

Liberty sold one additional operating property during the quarter, a vacant 60,000 square foot distribution building in southern California for $5.0 million.

 

2



 

Capital Activities and Balance Sheet Management

 

Liberty replaced its existing $500 million credit facility which was due November 2015 with a new, $800 million facility.  The new facility matures in March 2018 and the company has options to extend the maturity date for up to one additional year. Based upon the company’s current credit ratings, borrowings under the new facility bear interest at LIBOR plus 105 basis points.

 

FFO Guidance

 

Liberty expects to report 2014 funds from operations (“FFO”) per share in the range of $2.45 - $2.55. A reconciliation of projected FFO to projected GAAP net income for 2014 is below (all amounts projected):

 

 

 

2014 Range

 

 

 

Low

 

High

 

Net income per share

 

$

1.30

 

$

1.40

 

Depreciation and amortization of unconsolidated joint ventures

 

0.09

 

0.11

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

1.53

 

1.61

 

Gain on property dispositions

 

(0.44

)

(0.54

)

Noncontrolling interest share of addbacks

 

(0.03

)

(0.03

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funds from operations per share

 

$

2.45

 

$

2.55

 

 

About the Company

 

Liberty Property Trust (NYSE:LPT) is a leader in commercial real estate, serving customers in the United States and United Kingdom through the development, acquisition, ownership and management of superior office and industrial properties. Liberty’s 101 million square foot portfolio includes more than 700 properties which provide office, distribution and light manufacturing facilities to 1,800 tenants.

 

Additional information about the Company, including Liberty’s Quarterly Supplemental Package with detailed financial information, is available in the Investors section of the Company’s web site at www.libertyproperty.com. If you are unable to access the web site, a copy of the supplemental package may be obtained by contacting Liberty by phone at 610-648-1704, or by e-mail to jleonard@libertyproperty.com.

 

3



 

Liberty will host a conference call during which management will discuss first quarter results, on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To access the conference call, please dial 855-277-7530. The passcode needed for access is 24534109. A replay of the call will be available until May 22, 2014, by dialing 1-855-859-2056 using the same passcode as above. The call can also be accessed in the Investors section of Liberty’s web site at www.libertyproperty.com.

 

The statements contained in this press release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities law. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to, among others things, future asset dispositions, expectations for our operating results, business and financial condition, the impact of the Cabot acquisition on our portfolio and business and our growth prospects, as well as statements that are generally accompanied by words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,” “should,” “seeks,” “intends,” “proposed,” “planned,” “outlook” and “goal” or similar expressions. Although Liberty believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved.  As forward-looking statements, these statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expected results.  These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, without limitation, uncertainties affecting real estate business generally (such as entry into new leases, renewals of leases and dependence on tenants’ business operations), risks relating to the integration of the operations of entities that we have acquired or may acquire, risks relating to financing arrangements and sales of securities, possible environmental liabilities, risks relating to leverage and debt service (including availability of financing terms acceptable to the company and sensitivity of the company’s operations and financing arrangements to fluctuations in interest rates), dependence on the primary markets in which the company’s properties are located, the existence of complex regulations relating to status as a REIT and the adverse consequences of the failure to qualify as a REIT, risks relating to litigation, including without limitation litigation involving entities that we have a acquired or may acquire, and the potential adverse impact of market interest rates on the market price for the company’s securities, and other risks and uncertainties detailed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.  The company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events.

 

# # #

 

4



 

Liberty Property Trust

Statement of Operations

March 31, 2014

(Unaudited and in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

 

Quarter Ended

 

 

 

March 31, 2014

 

March 31, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Revenue

 

 

 

 

 

Rental

 

$

138,934

 

$

104,716

 

Operating expense reimbursement

 

58,681

 

42,411

 

Total operating revenue

 

197,615

 

147,127

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

Rental property

 

38,561

 

25,229

 

Real estate taxes

 

24,501

 

17,957

 

General and administrative

 

18,361

 

19,793

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

56,734

 

37,220

 

Total operating expenses

 

138,157

 

100,199

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Income

 

59,458

 

46,928

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Income/Expense

 

 

 

 

 

Interest and other

 

2,535

 

2,573

 

Interest

 

(39,207

)

(27,739

)

Total other income/expense

 

(36,672

)

(25,166

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before property dispositions, income taxes, noncontrolling interest and equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures

 

22,786

 

21,762

 

(Loss) gain on property dispositions

 

(83

)

1,800

 

Income taxes

 

(531

)

(491

)

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures

 

4,159

 

1,757

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from continuing operations

 

26,331

 

24,828

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discontinued operations (including net gains on property dispositions of $46,117 and $41,713 for the quarters ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively)

 

47,775

 

49,828

 

Net Income

 

74,106

 

74,656

 

Noncontrolling interest - operating partnerships

 

(1,853

)

(3,417

)

Noncontrolling interest - consolidated joint ventures

 

(353

)

 

Net Income available to common shareholders

 

$

71,900

 

$

71,239

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

74,106

 

$

74,656

 

Other comprehensive income (loss) - foreign currency translation

 

1,346

 

(4,851

)

Other comprehensive loss - change in net unrealized gain on derivative instruments

 

(511

)

 

Comprehensive income

 

74,941

 

69,805

 

Less: comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

(2,226

)

(3,271

)

Comprehensive income attributable to common shareholders

 

$

72,715

 

$

66,534

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic income per common share

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing operations

 

$

0.17

 

$

0.19

 

Discontinued operations

 

$

0.32

 

$

0.41

 

Total basic income per common share

 

$

0.49

 

$

0.60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted income per common share

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing operations

 

$

0.17

 

$

0.19

 

Discontinued operations

 

$

0.32

 

$

0.41

 

Total diluted income per common share

 

$

0.49

 

$

0.60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average shares

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

146,425

 

118,688

 

Diluted

 

147,095

 

119,532

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amounts attributable to common shareholders

 

 

 

 

 

Income from continuing operations

 

$

25,250

 

$

22,908

 

Discontinued operations

 

46,650

 

48,331

 

Net income

 

$

71,900

 

$

71,239

 

 



 

Liberty Property Trust

Balance Sheet

March 31, 2014

(Unaudited and in thousands, except share and unit amounts)

 

 

 

March 31, 2014

 

December 31, 2013

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Real estate:

 

 

 

 

 

Land and land improvements

 

$

1,149,233

 

$

1,139,455

 

Building and improvements

 

5,206,349

 

5,144,758

 

Less: accumulated depreciation

 

(1,094,397

)

(1,057,680

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating real estate

 

5,261,185

 

5,226,533

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Development in progress

 

242,771

 

209,187

 

Land held for development

 

239,755

 

233,055

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net real estate

 

5,743,711

 

5,668,775

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

370,553

 

163,414

 

Restricted cash

 

20,041

 

51,456

 

Accounts receivable

 

17,963

 

13,900

 

Deferred rent receivable

 

102,729

 

99,956

 

Deferred financing and leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization (2014, $150,476; 2013, $140,958)

 

222,832

 

226,607

 

Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures

 

181,249

 

179,655

 

Assets held for sale

 

 

275,957

 

Prepaid expenses and other assets

 

103,587

 

95,840

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

$

6,762,665

 

$

6,775,560

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

Mortgage loans

 

$

542,809

 

$

545,306

 

Unsecured notes

 

2,708,440

 

2,708,213

 

Credit facility

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

53,458

 

70,406

 

Accrued interest

 

42,218

 

25,777

 

Dividend and distributions payable

 

71,653

 

71,323

 

Other liabilities

 

215,253

 

250,819

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities

 

3,633,831

 

3,671,844

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noncontrolling interest - operating partnership - 301,483 preferred units outstanding as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013

 

7,537

 

7,537

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

Common shares of beneficial interest, $.001 par value, 183,987,000 shares authorized, 148,541,749 (includes 1,249,909 in treasury) and 147,846,801 (includes 1,249,909 in treasury) shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively

 

149

 

148

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

3,691,717

 

3,669,618

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

10,558

 

9,742

 

Distributions in excess of net income

 

(589,775

)

(591,713

)

Common shares in treasury, at cost, 1,249,909 shares as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013

 

(51,951

)

(51,951

)

Total shareholders’ equity

 

3,060,698

 

3,035,844

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noncontrolling interest - operating partnership 3,553,566 and 3,556,566 common units outstanding as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively

 

56,681

 

56,713

 

Noncontrolling interest - consolidated joint ventures

 

3,918

 

3,622

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total equity

 

3,121,297

 

3,096,179

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities, noncontrolling interest - operating partnership & equity

 

$

6,762,665

 

$

6,775,560

 

 



 

Liberty Property Trust

Statement of Funds From Operations

March 31, 2014

(Unaudited and in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

 

Quarter Ended

 

 

 

March 31, 2014

 

March 31, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

Per

 

 

 

Per

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted

 

 

 

Weighted

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

 

 

Average

 

 

 

Dollars

 

Share

 

Dollars

 

Share

 

Reconciliation of net income to FFO - basic:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic - income available to common shareholders

 

$

71,900

 

$

0.49

 

$

71,239

 

$

0.60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adjustments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization of unconsolidated joint ventures

 

3,291

 

 

 

3,397

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

56,107

 

 

 

44,972

 

 

 

Gain on property dispositions

 

(45,526

)

 

 

(41,706

)

 

 

Noncontrolling interest share in addback for depreciation and amortization and gain on property dispositions

 

(327

)

 

 

(200

)

 

 

Funds from operations available to common shareholders - basic

 

$

85,445

 

$

0.58

 

$

77,702

 

$

0.65

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of net income to FFO - diluted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted - income available to common shareholders

 

$

71,900

 

$

0.49

 

$

71,239

 

$

0.60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adjustments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization of unconsolidated joint ventures

 

3,291

 

 

 

3,397

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

56,107

 

 

 

44,972

 

 

 

Gain on property dispositions

 

(45,526

)

 

 

(41,706

)

 

 

Noncontrolling interest excluding preferred unit distributions

 

1,735

 

 

 

2,206

 

 

 

Funds from operations available to common shareholders - diluted

 

$

87,507

 

$

0.58

 

$

80,108

 

$

0.65

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of weighted average shares:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common shares - all basic calculations

 

146,425

 

 

 

118,688

 

 

 

Dilutive shares for long term compensation plans

 

670

 

 

 

844

 

 

 

Diluted shares for net income calculations

 

147,095

 

 

 

119,532

 

 

 

Weighted average common units

 

3,556

 

 

 

3,714

 

 

 

Diluted shares for Funds from operations calculations

 

150,651

 

 

 

123,246

 

 

 

 

The Company believes that the calculation of Funds from operations is helpful to investors and management as it is a measure of the Company’s operating performance that excludes depreciation and amortization and gains and losses from property dispositions.  As a result, year over year comparison of Funds from operations reflects the impact on operations from trends in occupancy rates, rental rates, operating costs, development activities, general and administrative expenses, and interest costs, providing perspective not immediately apparent from net income.  In addition, management believes that Funds from operations provides useful information to the investment community about the Company’s financial performance when compared to other REITs since Funds from operations is generally recognized as the standard for reporting the operating performance of a REIT.  Funds from operations available to common shareholders is defined by NAREIT as net income (computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”)), excluding gains (or losses) from sales of property, plus depreciation and amortization, and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Funds from operations available to common shareholders does not represent net income or cash flows from operations as defined by GAAP and does not necessarily indicate that cash flows will be sufficient to fund cash needs. It should not be considered as an alternative to net income as an indicator of the Company’s operating performance or to cash flows as a measure of liquidity. Funds from operations available to common shareholders also does not represent cash flows generated from operating, investing or financing activities as defined by GAAP.