Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. current report, 17 February 2021

Business Context and Reporting Period

Company: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT) and Empire State Realty OP, L.P.
Filing Type: Form 8-K (Current Report)
Date of Report: February 17, 2021
Reporting Period: Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020

This filing serves as a notification that the Company issued a press release announcing financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2020. The detailed financial data is contained in attached Exhibits 99.1 (Press Release) and 99.2 (Supplemental Report), which are incorporated by reference but not deemed "filed" under Section 18 of the Exchange Act.

Key Financial Metrics

Revenue, Profit, Cash Flow, Margins, Debt, and Liquidity: The provided text does not contain specific numerical values for revenue, net income, cash flow, margins, debt levels, or liquidity ratios. These figures are located in the referenced Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, which are not included in the input text.

Non-GAAP Measures Defined: The filing details the Company's methodology for several supplemental financial measures:

  • Funds From Operations (FFO): Net income excluding impairment writedowns, gains/losses from debt restructurings and property sales, plus real estate depreciation/amortization.
  • Modified FFO: FFO adjusted for above or below-market ground lease amortization.
  • Core FFO: Modified FFO excluding non-recurring items such as acquisition expenses, loss on early extinguishment of debt, severance, and IPO litigation expenses.
  • Core Funds Available for Distribution (Core FAD): Core FFO adjusted for non-real estate depreciation, financing costs, non-cash compensation, and capital expenditures.
  • Net Operating Income (NOI): Property-level performance measure excluding cost of funds, depreciation, and corporate expenses.
  • EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA: Net income plus interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (with Adjusted EBITDA adding back impairment charges).

Material Changes

The filing text does not provide specific comparative data or material changes between the current period and the prior comparable period. It only confirms the announcement of results for Q4 and full-year 2020.

Guidance, Outlook, and Risks

Guidance and Outlook: No specific forward-looking guidance or outlook is provided in this text.

Risks and Contingencies: The filing includes standard disclaimers regarding the limitations of non-GAAP measures:

  • FFO, Modified FFO, Core FFO, Core FAD, NOI, and EBITDA do not represent cash generated from operating activities.
  • These measures should not be considered alternatives to GAAP net income or cash flow from operating activities.
  • There is no assurance that these measures are comparable to similarly titled measures used by other REITs.
  • These metrics do not indicate cash available to fund ongoing needs or distributions.

Investor Verification Checklist

  • Review Exhibit 99.1 (Press Release) for specific Q4 and full-year 2020 revenue, net income, and FFO figures.
  • Review Exhibit 99.2 (Supplemental Report) for detailed reconciliations of non-GAAP measures and property-level NOI data.
  • Verify the impact of the below-market ground lease amortization on Modified FFO, as noted as a material non-cash item.
  • Confirm the specific amounts excluded from Core FFO regarding acquisition expenses, debt extinguishment losses, and litigation costs.
  • Assess liquidity and debt covenants using the GAAP financial statements referenced in the exhibits, as the 8-K text does not provide debt balances.