Morguard North American Residential REIT Announces 2016 Results

Feb 14, 2017

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - Morguard North American Residential REIT (the "REIT") (TSX: MRG.UN) today announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Highlights

The REIT is reporting performance of:

  • Net operating income ("NOI") of $115.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, an increase of $11.1 million, or 10.7% compared to 2015.
     
  • Basic funds from operations ("FFO") of $57.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, an increase of $6.5 million, or 12.7% compared to 2015.
     
  • Basic FFO of $1.24 per Unit for the year ended December 31, 2016, a 12.7% increase as compared to the $1.10 per Unit for 2015.
     
  • Basic adjusted funds from operations ("AFFO") of $0.99 per Unit for the year ended December 31, 2016, a 16.5% increase as compared to the $0.85 per Unit generated over the same period in 2015.
     
  • FFO and AFFO payout ratios for the year ended December 31, 2016 of 49.0% and 61.3%, respectively.

 

On February 1, 2016, the REIT acquired a 370 suite residential property located in Ottawa, Ontario, for $67.0 million (the "160 Chapel Acquisition").  The acquisition was funded by cash on hand and a mortgage of $38.6 million at an interest rate of 2.88% for a term of 10 years.

On November 1, 2016, the Board of Trustees announced an increase in the REIT's annual cash distribution by $0.04 per Unit (6.7%).  The increase was effective for the November 2016 distribution and was paid on December 15, 2016 to unitholders of record as at November 30, 2016. The REIT's annual distributions increased to $0.64 per Unit from the previous level of $0.60 per Unit.

During the year, the REIT completed the refinancing on 13 multi-suite residential properties in the amount of $239.4 million at a weighted average interest rate of 3.27% and a weighted average term of 9.4 years that resulted in $94.5 million of upfinancing mortgage proceeds. These financings further strengthened the balance sheet by increasing the weighted average term to maturity to 5.7 years from 5.1 years while lowering the weighted average interest rate to 3.62% from 3.82% when compared to December 31, 2015.

On January 9, 2017, the REIT completed an offering for 4,370,000 Units sold for a price of $13.75 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $60,088 (the "Offering").  The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund acquisitions, repay debt and for general trust purposes.

Financial and Operational Highlights

As at December 31,
(In thousands of dollars, except as noted otherwise)

2016

2015

     

Operational Information

   

Number of properties

46

45

Total suites

13,472

13,102

Occupancy percentage

95.2%

94.8%

Average monthly rent - Canada (in actual dollars)

$1,296

$1,272

Average monthly rent - U.S. (in actual U.S. dollars)

US$1,038

US$1,002

Summary of Financial Information

   

Gross book value

$2,285,727

$2,160,015

Indebtedness

$1,237,613

$1,186,131

Indebtedness to gross book value ratio

54%

55%

Weighted average mortgage interest rate

3.6%

3.8%

Weighted average term to maturity on mortgages payable (years)

5.7

5.1

Exchange rates - Canadian dollar to United States dollar

$0.74

$0.72

Exchange rates - United States dollar to Canadian dollar

$1.34

$1.38

 

For the years ended December 31,
(In thousands of dollars, except per Unit amounts)

2016

2015

Summary of Financial Information

   

Interest coverage ratio

2.04

1.96

Indebtedness coverage ratio

1.39

1.33

Revenue from income producing properties

$218,472

$198,442

NOI

$115,294

$104,182

Adjusted NOI

$115,294

$103,710

Same Property NOI

$109,144

$102,501

Net operating margin

53%

52%

FFO - basic

$57,591

$51,112

FFO - diluted

$60,381

$53,902

FFO per Unit - basic

$1.24

$1.10

FFO per Unit - diluted

$1.20

$1.07

AFFO - basic

$46,062

$39,627

AFFO - diluted

$48,852

$42,417

AFFO per Unit - basic

$0.99

$0.85

AFFO per Unit - diluted

$0.97

$0.84

Distributions per Unit

$0.61

$0.60

FFO payout ratio

49.0%

54.6%

AFFO payout ratio

61.3%

70.5%

Weighted average number of Units outstanding (in thousands):

   

Basic

46,510

46,545

Diluted

50,381

50,416

Average exchange rates - Canadian dollar to United States dollar

$0.76

$0.78

Average exchange rates - United States dollar to Canadian dollar

$1.32

$1.28

Net Operating Income

For the years ended December 31,
(In thousands of dollars)

2016

2015

Revenue from income producing properties

   

Same Property

$206,213

$196,189

Acquisitions

12,259

2,253

Total revenue from income producing properties

218,472

198,442

Property operating expenses

   

Same Property

   
 

Operating costs

56,032

54,552

 

Realty taxes

22,705

22,162

 

Utilities

18,332

16,974

Same Property

97,069

93,688

Acquisitions

6,109

572

Total property operating expenses

103,178

94,260

NOI

   

Same Property

109,144

102,501

Acquisitions

6,150

1,681

Total NOI

115,294

104,182

Realty taxes accounted for under IFRIC 21

(472)

Adjusted NOI

$115,294

$103,710

 

For the year ended December 31, 2016, Adjusted NOI increased by $11.6 million (or 11.2%) to $115.3 million, compared to $103.7 million in 2015.  The increase was due to higher Adjusted NOI in Canada and the U.S. of $5.8 million (or 15.2%) and US$2.6 million (or 5.0%), respectively, and the change in the U.S. foreign exchange rate, which increased Adjusted NOI by $3.2 million.  The increase in Adjusted NOI was attributable to acquisitions completed during and subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2015 and an increase in Same Property NOI in Canada and U.S. mainly driven by higher rental revenue, partially offset by an increase in overall operating expenses.

Funds from Operations

For the years ended December 31,
(In thousands of dollars, except per Unit amounts)

2016

2015

Net income attributable to unitholders

$29,263

$38,784

Add/(deduct):

   

Realty taxes accounted for under IFRIC 21

(241)

Fair value loss (gain) on conversion option on the Debentures

600

(53)

Distributions on Class B LP Units recorded as interest expense

10,448

10,333

Foreign exchange loss (gain)

540

(2,882)

Fair value gain on income producing properties, net

(68,270)

(38,804)

Non-controlling interests' share of fair value gain (loss) on income producing properties

1,395

(413)

Fair value loss on Class B LP Units

50,808

11,195

Deferred income tax provision

32,807

33,193

FFO – basic

$57,591

$51,112

Interest expense on the Debentures

2,790

2,790

FFO – diluted

$60,381

$53,902

FFO per Unit – basic

$1.24

$1.10

FFO per Unit – diluted

$1.20

$1.07

 

 Basic FFO for the year ended December 31, 2016, increased by $6.5 million, or 12.7%, to $57.6 million ($1.24 per Unit), compared to $51.1 million ($1.10 per Unit) in 2015.  The increase is mainly due to an increase in Adjusted NOI of $11.6 million, partially offset by an increase in interest expense of $4.0 million (excluding distributions on Class B LP Units and fair value adjustments), an increase in trust expenses of  $1.8 million.  The change in foreign exchange rates had a positive impact on FFO of $1.3 million.

Adjusted Funds from Operations

For the years ended December 31,
(In thousands of dollars, except per Unit amounts)

2016

2015

FFO - basic

$57,591

$51,112

Add/(deduct):

   

Amortization of mark-to-market adjustment on mortgages

(5,773)

(6,740)

Amortization of deferred financing costs assumed on the Initial Properties

371

440

Non-controlling interests' share of amortization of deferred financing costs
assumed on the Initial Properties

(8)

(8)

Gain on extinguishment of mortgages payable

(322)

Amortization of tenant incentive and cash flow hedge

135

565

Maintenance capital expenditures

(5,932)

(5,742)

AFFO – basic

46,062

39,627

Interest expense on the Debentures

2,790

2,790

AFFO – diluted

$48,852

$42,417

AFFO per Unit – basic

$0.99

$0.85

AFFO per Unit – diluted

$0.97

$0.84

 

Basic AFFO for the year ended December 31, 2016, increased by $6.5 million or 16.2%, to $46.1 million ($0.99 per Unit), compared to $39.6 million ($0.85 per Unit) in 2015, which was primarily driven by the increase in FFO.

Subsequent Events

On January 9, 2017, the REIT completed an offering for 4,370,000 Units sold for a price of $13.75 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $60,088.  As part of the transaction, Morguard purchased 1,230,000 of the Units offered amounting to $16,688.  Upon closing of the Offering, Morguard owned a 47.0% effective interest in the REIT through its ownership of Units and Class B LP Units.  The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund acquisitions, repay debt and for general trust purposes.

On February 1, 2017, the REIT repaid on maturity four mortgages in the amount of US$45,325

The REIT's audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016, along with the Management's Discussion and Analysis will be available on the REIT's website at www.morguard.com and will be filed with SEDAR at www.sedar.com

Non-IFRS Measures

The REIT's consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). The following measures, NOI, Adjusted NOI, Same Property NOI, FFO, AFFO, indebtedness, gross book value, indebtedness to gross book value ratio, interest coverage ratio and indebtedness coverage ratio (collectively, the "non-IFRS measures") as well as other measures discussed elsewhere in this press release, do not have a standardized definition prescribed by IFRS and are, therefore, unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other reporting issuers. The REIT uses these measures to better assess the REIT's underlying performance and financial position and provides these additional measures so that investors may do the same. Details on non-IFRS measures are set out in the REIT's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2016 and available on the REIT's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Conference Call Details

Morguard North American Residential Real Estate Investment Trust will hold a conference call on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. (ET) to discuss the financial results for the year ended December 31, 2016 and 2015. To participate in the conference call, please dial 647-427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191. Please quote conference ID # 57770386.

About Morguard North American Residential REIT

The REIT is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established under and governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario.  The Units of the REIT trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MRG.UN.  With a strategic focus on the acquisition of high-quality multi-suite residential properties in Canada and the United States, the REIT maximizes long-term Unit value through active asset and property management. Its portfolio consists of 13,472 residential suites (as of February 14, 2017) located in Alberta, Ontario, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and  North Carolina with an appraised value of approximately $2.2 billion at December 31, 2016. For more information, visit the REIT's website at www.morguard.com.

SOURCE Morguard North American Residential Real Estate Investment Trust

For further information: please contact: Morguard North American Residential REIT, K. Rai Sahi, Chief Executive Officer, (905) 281-3800; Robert Wright, Chief Financial Officer, (905) 281-3800