Whitestone REIT announced its operating and financial results for the third quarter of 2020 along with an update on its business activities in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Whitestone is a community-centered shopping center REIT that acquires, owns, manages, develops and redevelops high-quality open-air neighborhood centers primarily in the largest, fastest-growing and most affluent markets in the Sunbelt. Whitestone seeks to create communities that thrive through creating local connections between consumers in the surrounding communities and a well-crafted mix of national, regional and local tenants that provide daily necessities, needed services, entertainment and experiences. Whitestone is a monthly dividend paying stock and has consistently paid dividends for over 15 years. Whitestone’s strong balanced and managed capital structure provides stability and flexibility for growth and positions Whitestone to perform well through economic cycles.
All per share amounts are on a diluted per common share and operating partnership (“OP”) unit basis unless stated otherwise.
Third Quarter Operating and Financial Highlights:
COVID-19 Update Summary (as of October 26, 2020)
Jim Mastandrea, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Whitestone REIT, commented, “We continue to produce strong operating results and lead the shopping center sector in cash rental collections. Our business has performed well during the pandemic as our entrepreneurial tenants persevere through these uncertain times. Our team has worked tirelessly to help our service-focused, community-centered tenants find creative ways to utilize our open-air properties to serve their local neighborhoods. Our focus remains on protecting our employees, tenants, and communities and the value we have created for the stakeholders we serve.”
Financial Results
Reconciliations of Net Income Attributable to Whitestone REIT to FFO and FFO Core are included herein.
Net income attributable to common shareholders for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 was $0.9 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, inclusive of $1.4 million, or $0.03 per share, related to credit loss and straight-line rent reserve, primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Net income attributable to common shareholders for the quarter ended September 30, 2019 was $1.8 million, or $0.04 per share.
FFO for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 was $8.5 million, or $0.19 per share, as compared to $9.2 million, or $0.22 per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. The decrease is primarily due to the $1.4 million of bad debt/uncollectable revenue primarily related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. FFO Core for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 was $10.1 million or $0.23 per share, compared to $11.0 million, or $0.26 per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2019.
Operating Results
For the periods ending September 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company’s operating highlights were as follows:
Third Quarter 2020 | Third Quarter 2019 | |
Occupancy: | ||
Wholly Owned Properties | 88.9% | 90.4% |
Same Store Property Net Operating Income Change(1) | (4.5)% | 2.7% |
Rental Rate Growth – Total (GAAP Basis): | 11.0% | 14.4% |
New Leases | 2.9% | 6.6% |
Renewal Leases | 13.9% | 16.4% |
Leasing Transactions: | ||
Number of New Leases | 32 | 26 |
New Leases – Annualized Revenue (millions) | $9.9 | $9.3 |
Number of Renewal Leases | 46 | 42 |
Renewal Leases – Annualized Revenue (millions) | $9.7 | $9.4 |
(1) Excludes straight-line rent, amortization of above/below market rates and lease termination fees in both periods.
Real Estate Portfolio Update
Community Centered Properties™ Portfolio Statistics:
As of September 30, 2020, Whitestone wholly owned 58 Community Centered Properties™ with 5.0 million square feet of gross leasable area (“GLA”). Five of the 58 Community Centered Properties™ are land parcels held for future development. The portfolio is comprised of 30 properties in Texas, 27 in Arizona and one in Illinois. Whitestone’s Community Centered Properties™ are located in Austin (4), San Antonio (3), Chicago (1), Dallas-Fort Worth (8), Houston (15) and the greater Phoenix metropolitan area (27). In addition to being business friendly, these are six of the top markets in the country in terms of size, economic strength and population growth. 2017 estimates show the projected 5-year population growth rates for both Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth to be 9.7%, San Antonio to be 8.6%, Houston to be 8.0%, and Phoenix to be 6.6% (1). The Company’s properties in these markets are generally located on the best retail corners embedded in affluent communities. The Company also owns an 81.4% equity interest in and manages eight properties containing 0.9 million square feet of GLA through its investment in Pillarstone OP.
At the end of the third quarter, the Company’s diversified tenant base was comprised of 1,386 tenants, with the largest tenant accounting for only 2.8% of annualized base rental revenues. Lease terms range from less than one year for smaller tenants to over 15 years for larger tenants. Whitestone’s leases generally include minimum monthly lease payments and tenant reimbursements for payment of taxes, insurance and maintenance, and typically exclude restrictive lease clauses.
(1) Source: Claritas, as of April 2017.
COVID-19 Update Summary
During the third quarter of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact the Company’s operations. As of the end of the third quarter, approximately 97% (% of ABR) of the Company’s tenants were open for business. Cash collections for the quarter totaled 90% of contractual rents, up from 81% in the prior quarter. These strong collections are a result of the Company’s strategic locations, well-crafted tenant mix and the efforts of its team members in proactively working with tenants to assist them through these difficult times. Cash collections in October are 90% collected to date.
Balance Sheet and Liquidity
As of October 23, 2020, Whitestone had $40.7 million in cash and cash equivalents, $13.0 million of availability and $110.5 million of capacity under its credit facility. At September 30, 2020, Whitestone had $39.0 million of cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet, $13.0 million of availability and $110.5 million of capacity under its credit facility.
In the third quarter of 2020, Whitestone repaid a $9 million mortgage loan at maturity, resulting in no real estate debt maturing until 2022.
The Company has undepreciated real estate assets of $1.1 billion at September 30, 2020.
At September 30, 2020, 51 of the Company’s wholly owned 58 properties were unencumbered by mortgage debt, with an undepreciated cost basis of $824.6 million. At September 30, 2020, the Company had total real estate debt, net of cash, of $628.3 million, of which approximately 84% was subject to fixed interest rates. The Company’s weighted average interest rate on all fixed rate debt as of the end of the third quarter was 4.1% and the weighted average remaining term was 4.6 years.
Dividend
On September 22, 2020, the Company declared a quarterly cash distribution of $0.105 per common share and OP unit for the fourth quarter of 2020, to be paid in three equal installments of $0.035 in October, November, and December of 2020. Going forward, Whitestone’s Board of Trustees will continue to evaluate dividend declarations each quarter. Whitestone intends to maintain compliance with REIT taxable income distribution requirements.
Conference Call Information
In conjunction with the issuance of its financial results, the Company invites you to listen to the its earnings release conference call to be broadcast live on Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 8:30 A.M. Eastern Time. The call will be led by James C. Mastandrea, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and David K. Holeman, Chief Financial Officer. Conference call access information is as follows:
Dial-in number for domestic participants: | (800) 263-0877 |
Dial-in number for international participants: | (646) 828-8143 |
The conference call will be recorded, and a telephone replay will be available through Tuesday, November 10, 2020. Replay access information is as follows:
Replay number for domestic participants: | (844) 512-2921 |
Replay number for international participants: | (412) 317-6671 |
Passcode (for all participants): | 7032366 |
To listen to a webcast of the conference call, click on the Investor Relations tab of the Company’s website, www.whitestonereit.com, and then click on the webcast link. A replay of the call will be available on Whitestone’s website via the webcast link until the Company’s next earnings release. Additional information about Whitestone can be found on the Company’s website.
The third quarter earnings release and supplemental data package will be located in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website. For those without internet access, the earnings release and supplemental data package will be available by mail upon request. To receive a copy, please call the Company’s Investor Relations line at (713) 435-2219.
Supplemental Financial Information
Supplemental materials and details regarding Whitestone’s results of operations, communities and tenants are available on the Company’s website at www.whitestonereit.com.
About Whitestone REIT
Whitestone is a community-centered shopping center REIT that acquires, owns, manages, develops and redevelops high-quality open-air neighborhood centers primarily in the largest, fastest-growing and most affluent markets in the Sunbelt. Whitestone seeks to create communities that thrive through creating local connections between consumers in the surrounding communities and a well-crafted mix of national, regional and local tenants that provide daily necessities, needed services, entertainment and experiences. Whitestone is a monthly dividend paying stock and has consistently paid dividends for over 15 years. Whitestone’s strong, balanced and managed capital structure provides stability and flexibility for growth and positions Whitestone to perform well through economic cycles. For additional information, please visit www.whitestonereit.com.
Investors Contact:
Kevin Reed, Director of Investor Relations
Whitestone REIT
(713) 435-2219
ir@whitestonereit.com