Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. quarterly report, Q1 FY2014

Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. — Q1 2014 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Three months ended March 31, 2014; balance-sheet comparisons are to December 31, 2013. Sabra owns and finances healthcare real estate, primarily under triple-net leases. Its portfolio included 129 properties, 11 debt investments and two preferred equity investments across 28 states.

Financial results and position

MetricQ1 2014Q1 2013 / comparison
Total revenue$40.9 million$32.0 million; up 27%
Rental income$36.1 million$31.5 million; up 15%
Interest and other income$4.8 million$0.5 million
Net income (loss)$(7.3) million$9.6 million
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders$(9.9) million; $(0.25) per share$9.3 million; $0.25 per share
Operating cash flow$1.2 million$21.6 million
FFO / AFFO$(0.5) million / $0.3 million; $(0.01) / $0.01 per diluted share$17.5 million / $16.6 million; $0.46 / $0.43 per diluted share
Total assets$1.331 billion$1.198 billion at year-end
Total debt$842.1 million$691.2 million at year-end
Cash and available revolver capacity$4.3 million cash; $125.5 million available$129.8 million total reported liquidity

Interest expense was $11.1 million versus $10.0 million. The filing does not present a headline operating margin; the quarter’s net loss was substantially affected by a $22.1 million loss on extinguishment of debt. Sabra reported $438.7 million of total equity at quarter-end. Operating cash flow fell sharply, principally reflecting $20.8 million of early-redemption payments on the 2018 Notes. Investing used $128.1 million of cash, while financing provided $126.9 million.

Material changes and transactions

  • Sabra acquired six skilled nursing facilities and two senior housing facilities for $117.7 million in Q1, including the $90 million Nye Portfolio and facilities acquired through exercise of the Chai option. It also originated or funded $19.4 million of loans.
  • Sabra issued $350 million of 5.5% senior notes due 2021 and retired its remaining $211.3 million of 8.125% notes due 2018. The tender and redemption premiums and related write-offs drove the debt-extinguishment charge.
  • Sabra refinanced $44.8 million of variable-rate mortgage debt with HUD-insured loans at 4.25%, with maturities from 2039 to 2044. At March 31, $29.8 million of variable-rate mortgage debt remained; it was repaid on May 1 using the revolving facility.
  • Properties increased from 121 at year-end to 129 at March 31. Real estate investments, net, increased to $1.022 billion from $915.4 million.
  • Genesis-affiliated tenants leased 81 of 129 properties and contributed 49% of Q1 revenue, compared with 64% in Q1 2013. The filing notes that Genesis information is unaudited, supplied by Genesis and not independently verified by Sabra.

Outlook, risks and unusual items

  • Management expects to grow primarily through senior housing and memory care acquisitions, with additional skilled nursing, other healthcare real estate, lending and joint-venture investments. It expects cash flows to rise as acquired investments contribute for full periods; no numerical company earnings or revenue guidance is provided.
  • Management stated that cash, operating cash flows and revolver availability should be sufficient for operations, scheduled debt service and dividends over the next 12 months. The revolving facility had $162.0 million drawn, $125.5 million available and a 3.15% rate at quarter-end; it matures in 2016 and has a one-year extension option. Sabra reported compliance with applicable debt covenants.
  • Interest-rate risk is material: $191.8 million of debt was variable-rate at quarter-end. A 100-basis-point increase, holding debt constant, was estimated to raise interest expense by $1.7 million over the following 12 months.
  • Key risks include reliance on tenant performance and government reimbursement, concentration in Genesis, significant indebtedness and debt covenants, interest-rate and refinancing exposure, access to capital, and REIT qualification. Sabra reported no material change to its prior-year risk-factor assessment and no material legal proceeding.
  • Subsequent events: on April 29 Sabra acquired the 140-unit Park Place campus for $23.8 million, assuming a $14.1 million HUD-insured mortgage; on May 1 it repaid the $29.8 million variable-rate mortgage using revolver proceeds. The board declared Q2 dividends of $0.38 per common share and $0.4453125 per preferred share.
  • Contingent consideration liabilities totaled $10.4 million at quarter-end. After quarter-end, $5.3 million of Forest Park escrow was released to the seller, with $5.2 million remaining subject to performance hurdles.

Most important facts to verify

  • Whether tenant coverage and rent-paying capacity—especially for Genesis-affiliated facilities—remain adequate, and whether Sabra can continue diversifying tenant exposure.
  • How recurring operating performance and cash generation compare with GAAP results after excluding the one-time debt-redemption charge; assess FFO and AFFO alongside, not instead of, cash flow.
  • Debt-service capacity, covenant headroom, revolver availability and refinancing needs, including the 2016 revolver maturity and the effect of variable rates.
  • Acquisition performance, integration and yields, including Nye, Chai and Park Place, and the eventual amount payable under contingent consideration arrangements.
  • Whether liquidity and recurring cash flows support the declared dividends, future investment commitments and debt obligations.