Federal Realty Investment Trust Announces First Quarter 2022 Operating Results

NORTH BETHESDA, Md., May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT) today reported operating results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2022. For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, net income available for common shareholders was $0.63 per diluted share and $0.60 per diluted share, respectively.

Highlights for the quarter and subsequent events include:

• Generated funds from operations available to common shareholders (FFO) per diluted share of $1.50 for the quarter compared to $1.17 for the first quarter 2021.
• Generated comparable property operating income (POI) growth of 14.5% for the first quarter.
• Continued record levels of leasing with 119 signed leases for 444,398 square feet of comparable space in the first quarter, our most active first quarter on record.
• Federal Realty's portfolio was 91.2% occupied and 93.7% leased, representing year-over-year increases of 170 basis points and 190 basis points, respectively.
• Maintained a 250 basis point spread between leased and occupied.
• Continued strong small shop leasing, ending the quarter at 88.7% leased, an increase of 130 basis points over the fourth quarter and an increase of 490 basis points year over year. 
• Subsequent to quarter end, closed on phase one of the acquisition of Kingstowne Towne Center in Kingstowne, Virginia, for $100 million and expect to close on phase two for $100 million in July 2022, subject to customary closing conditions. Combined, the property comprises 410,000 square feet of retail space on 45 acres of land.
• Increased 2022 earnings per diluted share guidance to $2.36 - $2.56 and increased 2022 FFO per diluted share guidance to $5.85 - $6.05, an increase of 10 cents at the midpoint.

"Demand for our product has outpaced even our continually raised expectations," said Donald C. Wood, Chief Executive Officer. "Record leasing combined with in-process expansion at our established mixed-use centers, our continued redevelopment and property improvement efforts and recent selective acquisitions continue to drive bottom line earnings growth. These multiple drivers of growth are what differentiate us over cycles."

Financial Results

Net Income

Net income available for common shareholders was $50.0 million and earnings per diluted share was $0.63 for first quarter 2022 versus $46.2 million and $0.60, respectively, for first quarter 2021.

FFO

In the first quarter 2022, Federal Realty generated FFO of $119.1 million, or $1.50 per diluted share. This compares to FFO of $91.1 million, or $1.17 per diluted share, in first quarter 2021.

FFO is a non-GAAP supplemental earnings measure which the Trust considers meaningful in measuring its operating performance.  A reconciliation of FFO to net income is attached to this press release.

Portfolio Results

Occupancy

The portfolio was 91.2% occupied as of March 31, 2022, an increase of 170 basis points over the first quarter 2021. The portfolio was 93.7% leased as of March 31, 2022, an increase of 190 basis points over the first quarter 2021. Both portfolio occupancy and leased rate increased 10 basis points over the fourth quarter 2021, a strong result given that occupancy and leased metrics typically trend down in the first quarter due to traditional seasonality of the business. The spread between our leased and occupied percentages was 250 basis points at the end of the first quarter.

Additionally, our comparable residential properties were 97.7% leased as of March 31, 2022, a sequential increase of 50 basis points over fourth quarter and year-over-year increase of 160 basis points.

Leasing Activity

During the first quarter 2022, Federal Realty signed 124 leases for 460,062 square feet of retail space. On a comparable space basis (i.e., spaces for which there was a former tenant), Federal Realty leased 444,398 square feet at an average rent of $36.77 per square foot compared to the average contractual rent of $34.31 per square foot for the last year of the prior leases, representing a cash basis rollover growth on those comparable spaces of 7%, 17% on a straight-line basis.

Transaction Activity

Subsequent to quarter end, Federal Realty closed on phase one of the acquisition of Kingstowne Towne Center in Kingstowne, Virginia, for $100 million and expects to close on phase two for $100 million in July 2022, subject to customary closing conditions. Combined, the property comprises 410,000 square feet of retail space on 45 acres of land and is anchored by Safeway, Giant, T.J. Maxx, Ross and HomeGoods.

Regular Quarterly Dividends

Federal Realty announced today that its Board of Trustees declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $1.07 per common share, resulting in an indicated annual rate of $4.28 per common share. The regular common dividend will be payable on July 15, 2022 to common shareholders of record as of June 22, 2022.

Federal Realty's Board of Trustees also declared a quarterly cash dividend on its Class C depositary shares, each representing 1/1000 of a 5.000% Series C Cumulative Preferred Share of Beneficial Interest, of $0.3125 per depositary share. All dividends on the depositary shares will be payable on July 15, 2022 to shareholders of record as of July 1, 2022.

Guidance

Federal Realty increased its 2022 guidance for earnings per diluted share from $2.30 - $2.50 to $2.36 - $2.56 and 2022 FFO per diluted share from $5.75 to $5.95 to $5.85 - $6.05.

Conference Call Information

Federal Realty's management team will present an in-depth discussion of Federal Realty's operating performance on its first quarter 2022 earnings conference call, which is scheduled for Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET.  To participate, please call 877.407.9208 five to ten minutes prior to the call start time and use the passcode 13729384 (required).  The teleconference can also be accessed via a live webcast at www.federalrealty.com in the Investors section. A replay of the webcast will be available on Federal Realty's website at www.federalrealty.com. A telephonic replay of the conference call will also be available through May 19, 2022 by dialing 844.512.2921; Passcode: 13729384.

About Federal Realty

Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation and redevelopment of high-quality retail-based properties located primarily in major coastal markets from Washington, D.C. to Boston as well as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Founded in 1962, Federal Realty's mission is to deliver long-term, sustainable growth through investing in communities where retail demand exceeds supply. Its expertise includes creating urban, mixed-use neighborhoods like Santana Row in San Jose, California, Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland and Assembly Row in Somerville, Massachusetts. These unique and vibrant environments that combine shopping, dining, living and working provide a destination experience valued by their respective communities. Federal Realty's 104 properties include approximately 3,100 tenants, in 25 million square feet, and approximately 3,400 residential units. 

Federal Realty has increased its quarterly dividends to its shareholders for 54 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P 500 index member and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For additional information about Federal Realty and its properties, visit www.federalrealty.com.

Safe Harbor Language

Certain matters discussed within this Press Release may be deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Although Federal Realty believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained. These factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 10, 2022, and include the following:

• risks that our tenants will not pay rent, may vacate early or may file for bankruptcy or that we may be unable to renew leases or re-let space at favorable rents as leases expire or to fill existing vacancy;
• risks that we may not be able to proceed with or obtain necessary approvals for any development, redevelopment or renovation project, and that completion of anticipated or ongoing property development, redevelopment or renovation projects that we do pursue may cost more, take more time to complete or fail to perform as expected;
• risks normally associated with the real estate industry, including risks that occupancy levels at our properties and the amount of rent that we receive from our properties may be lower than expected, that new acquisitions may fail to perform as expected, that competition for acquisitions could result in increased prices for acquisitions, that costs associated with the periodic maintenance and repair or renovation of space, insurance and other operations may increase, that environmental issues may develop at our properties and result in unanticipated costs, and, because real estate is illiquid, that we may not be able to sell properties when appropriate;
• risks that our growth will be limited if we cannot obtain additional capital;
• risks associated with general economic conditions, including local economic conditions in our geographic markets;
• risks of financing on terms which are acceptable to us, our ability to meet existing financial covenants and the limitations imposed on our operations by those covenants, and the possibility of increases in interest rates that would result in increased interest expense;
• risks related to our status as a real estate investment trust, commonly referred to as a REIT, for federal income tax purposes, such as the existence of complex tax regulations relating to our status as a REIT, the effect of future changes in REIT requirements as a result of new legislation, and the adverse consequences of the failure to qualify as a REIT; and
• risks related to natural disasters, climate change and public health crises (such as the outbreak and worldwide spread of COVID-19), and the measures that international, federal, state and local governments, agencies, law enforcement and/or health authorities implement to address them, may precipitate or materially exacerbate one or more of the above-mentioned risks, and may significantly disrupt or prevent us from operating our business in the ordinary course for an extended period.

Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements that we make, including those in this Press Release. Except as required by law, we make no promise to update any of the forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. You should review the risks contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 10, 2022.

Notes:

1. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, dividends on our Series 1 preferred stock were not deducted in the calculation of FFO available to common shareholders, as the related shares were dilutive and included in "weighted average common shares, diluted."
2. The weighted average common shares used to compute FFO per diluted common share includes downREIT operating partnership units that were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS. Conversion of these operating partnership units is dilutive in the computation of FFO per diluted share but is anti-dilutive for the computation of dilutive EPS for these periods.

SOURCE Federal Realty Investment Trust