GLADSTONE COMMERCIAL CORP quarterly report, Q1 FY2012

Gladstone Commercial Corporation — Q1 2012 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Three months ended March 31, 2012; unaudited financial statements. Dollar amounts below are in millions unless noted. The company is a REIT focused on net-leased industrial, commercial and retail properties. At quarter-end it owned 73 properties totaling 7.1 million square feet.

Financial results and position

MetricQ1 2012Q1 2011 / comparison
Total operating revenue$12.10$10.52; up 15%
Net income$1.30$1.48; down 12%
Net income available to common stockholders$0.259$0.442; down 41%
Basic and diluted common EPS$0.02$0.05
FFO available to common stockholders$4.16$3.81
Basic and diluted FFO per common share$0.38$0.41
Net cash from operating activities$5.63$4.74
Net cash used in investing activities$(12.57)$(1.05)
Net cash from financing activities$9.30$3.57

Revenue growth primarily reflected eight properties acquired after Q1 2011, including one acquired in January 2012 for $10.8 million. Higher depreciation and amortization, interest expense, and distributions on newly issued Series C preferred stock contributed to lower net income and common EPS. FFO rose in total, but FFO per share declined as weighted-average common shares increased. Common distributions were $0.375 per share, unchanged from Q1 2011.

At March 31, total assets were $467.97 million, mortgage notes payable were $282.07 million, and stockholders’ equity was $131.67 million. The $38.5 million Series C term preferred stock is classified as a liability and its distributions as interest expense. Cash and cash equivalents were $5.69 million; restricted cash was $3.05 million. Reported available liquidity was $27.8 million, including $22.1 million of line-of-credit capacity. Operating cash flow included $1.1 million of leasing commissions paid.

Mortgage debt had a 5.72% weighted-average rate. The $75 million revolving credit facility had no borrowings outstanding, but $6.1 million of letters of credit were outstanding; the company reported $22.1 million of available borrowing capacity and covenant compliance. Seven properties secured the facility, and only four properties were unencumbered and potentially available to support additional capacity.

Changes, outlook and risks

  • In February, the company issued 1.54 million shares of 7.125% Series C term preferred stock, generating $38.5 million gross proceeds. Net proceeds were used for line-of-credit repayment, acquisitions and working capital. The stock is mandatorily redeemable January 31, 2017; it is generally not redeemable before January 31, 2016.
  • The credit facility was expanded from $50 million to $75 million in January 2012. Subsequent to quarter-end, the company borrowed $19 million under a 6.1% mortgage due May 2022, secured by four properties; proceeds were intended for acquisitions and working capital.
  • A $45.2 million mortgage was scheduled to mature in 2012, with one extension option remaining through 2013. Management expected to exercise the option, subject to covenant compliance. The filing also identifies $58.1 million of mortgage principal due in 2013 and says the company had begun discussions with lenders about extensions or refinancing.
  • Management said available liquidity should cover near-term distributions, debt service and operating costs, and that operating cash flow and future financing should support longer-term needs. Growth and refinancing capacity depend on access to equity and debt markets. No specific earnings or FFO guidance is provided.
  • Two properties were vacant—Hazelwood, Missouri and Richmond, Virginia—representing 2.0% of annualized rental income and $0.3 million in annual carrying costs. Management was seeking tenants. A tenant bankruptcy at Hazelwood had led to the property becoming vacant; other tenants were reported current on rent.
  • Leases were extended at South Hadley, Massachusetts; San Antonio, Texas; and Roseville, Minnesota. At Roseville, the renewed lease covers about one-third of the property, and the company continued seeking tenants for the remainder after the existing tenant’s full-building rent obligation ends in 2012.
  • Management reported no property impairment at March 31. The filing highlights tenant credit and bankruptcy risk, real-estate and capital-market conditions, refinancing risk, interest-rate exposure, and the subjective estimates used in acquisition purchase-price allocations and impairment reviews. Five of 58 leases had interest-rate-linked escalations; the company had no derivatives.
  • The Adviser waived $0.6 million of incentive fees in Q1, leaving a net incentive fee of approximately $0.3 million. The waivers were irrevocable and not recoupable, but future waivers are discretionary and not assured. The filing notes an out-of-period Q1 2011 adjustment related to a 2010 acquisition; management concluded it was not material to 2010 or 2011 results.

Investor verification priorities

  1. Confirm the extension or refinancing outcome for the $45.2 million 2012 mortgage maturity and the plan for 2013 maturities.
  2. Track lease-up progress at Hazelwood and Richmond, and occupancy of the unleased portion of the Roseville property.
  3. Assess liquidity against distributions, debt service and acquisition needs, including the limited unencumbered collateral and actual availability under the credit facility.
  4. Review the economics and liability treatment of Series C preferred stock, including its 7.125% cost and mandatory 2017 redemption.
  5. Compare common distributions with FFO and monitor reliance on discretionary Adviser fee waivers to support distributions.