WAYNE, Pa., Oct. 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Liberty Property Trust (NYSE: LPT) announced financial and operating results for the third quarter of 2019.
Financial Results
Net Income: Net income available to common shareholders was $0.66 per diluted share for the third quarter of 2019, compared to $1.01 per diluted share for the same period in 2018. For the nine months ended September 30, 2019, net income available to common shareholders was $1.70 per diluted share, compared to $2.09 per diluted share for the same period in 2018.Net income for the third quarter and first nine months of 2019 reflects gain on property dispositions net of impairments (including the Company’s share of impairment in unconsolidated joint ventures) of $49.8 million and $109.3 million, respectively, as compared to $96.9 million and $239.4 million, respectively, for the comparative periods in 2018. Net income for first nine months of 2018 includes $86.0 million in charges for the Comcast Technology Center and Camden Waterfront projects.NAREIT FFO* available to common shareholders was $0.69 per diluted share for the third quarters of both 2019 and 2018. FFO for the third quarter of 2019 includes gains on sales of non-depreciable assets, partially offset by expensed pursuit costs, totaling $6.4 million, or $0.04 per diluted share.NAREIT FFO* available to common shareholders for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was $2.00 per diluted share, compared to $1.46 per diluted share for the first nine months of 2018. FFO for the first nine months of 2018 includes $86.0 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, in charges for the Comcast and Camden projects discussed above.Industrial Operating Performance
Occupancy: At September 30, 2019, Liberty’s in-service operating portfolio of 107.0 million square feet was 94.6% occupied, compared to 95.2% at the end of the second quarter of 2019.Leasing Activity: During the quarter, Liberty completed core lease transactions totaling 6.2 million square feet. Rents on retention and replacement leases commenced during the quarter increased 5.4% on a cash basis (16.0% GAAP).Same Store Performance: Property level operating income for same store properties increased by 0.1% on a cash basis (0.3% GAAP) for the third quarter of 2019, compared to the same quarter in 2018.Real Estate InvestmentsDevelopment Deliveries: Liberty brought into service six industrial properties for a total investment of $193.6 million. The properties contain 3.0 million square feet and were 59.5% occupied as of the end of the quarter. Completed development also includes a 219-room Four Seasons Hotel for a total investment of $231.9 million which was developed by a joint venture in which Liberty has a 20% interest.Development Starts: Development commenced on five industrial properties totaling 1.1 million square feet at a projected investment of $99.2 million.Acquisitions: Liberty acquired a fully leased industrial property in the South Bay submarket of Los Angeles, totaling 203,000 square feet for $55.5 million.Real Estate Dispositions
Liberty sold six properties totaling 763,000 square feet for $197.3 million. The properties sold included two flex industrial properties in suburban Philadelphia for $30 million and a 136,000 square foot industrial building in Morrisville, NC, sold to the user for $14.1 million. The remaining dispositions were office properties including a 291,000 square foot office building in Washington DC for $92.5 million, and two office buildings at the Philadelphia Navy Yard totaling 156,000 square feet for $60.7 million.Subsequent to quarter end, Liberty sold 7075 Flying Cloud Drive, a 345,000 square foot office property in (plus 17 acres of adjacent land), Eden Prairie, MN for $28.6 million.Balance Sheet Management
In September 2019, Liberty completed the sale of 9.2 million common shares, generating proceeds of $447.9 million. Proceeds of the offering were used to fund the early redemption on October 12 of Liberty’s $350 million 4.75% senior notes due October 2020. In conjunction with such early redemption, the Company incurred charges of approximately $9 million.Third Quarter Conference Call and Earnings Guidance
Due to Liberty’s proposed merger announced today, Liberty’s third quarter 2019 conference call is canceled, and the Company will no longer provide earnings guidance. 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.*Funds from Operations: Liberty uses the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts’ (“NAREIT”) definition of Funds from Operations (“FFO”) as an operating measure of the company’s financial performance. A reconciliation of U.S. GAAP (“GAAP”) net income to NAREIT FFO is included in the financial data tables accompanying this press release.About the Company
Liberty Property Trust 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 logistics, warehouse, manufacturing, and R&D facilities in key markets. Liberty’s 112 million square foot operating portfolio provides productive work environments to 1,200 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 [email protected].Forward-Looking StatementsThe 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 other things, achievement of strategic targets, expectations for our operating results, business and financial condition, 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,” “remain confident,” 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 our ability to maintain and increase property occupancy and rental rates, risks relating to the continued repositioning of the Company’s portfolio, risks relating to construction and development activities, risks relating to acquisition and disposition activities, risks relating to the integration of the operations of entities that we have acquired or may acquire, risks relating to joint venture relationships and any possible need to perform under certain guarantees that we have issued or may issue in connection with such relationships, risks related to properties developed by the Company on a fee basis, risks associated with tax abatement, tax credit programs, or other government incentives, 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 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. The company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events.Inquiries: Jeanne Leonard, Liberty Property Trust, 610.648.1704
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