Alexander & Baldwin Inc (ALEX) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Leasing Activity ...

GuruFocus.com
28 Feb
  • Same-Store NOI Growth: 2.4% for Q4 and 2.9% for the full year 2024; excluding prior year reserves, 2.9% for Q4 and 3.3% for the year.
  • FFO: $0.30 per share for Q4, $1.37 per share for the full year 2024.
  • AFFO: $0.19 per share for Q4, $1.10 per share for the full year 2024.
  • Leased Occupancy: 94.6%, up 60 basis points sequentially.
  • Economic Occupancy: 92.9%, down 10 basis points from last quarter and the same period last year.
  • Leasing Activity: 47 leases executed in Q4, representing over 140,000 square feet; 209 leases or 630,000 square feet for 2024.
  • Blended Leasing Spreads: 14% for Q4, 11.7% for 2024.
  • Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA Ratio: 3.6 times at year-end 2024.
  • G&A Expenses: Decreased by $4.2 million or 12.4% in 2024 compared to 2023.
  • Dividend: $0.225 per share for Q4, with a first quarter 2025 dividend declared at the same rate.
  • 2025 Guidance: Same-store NOI growth of 2.4% to 3.2%; FFO between $1.13 and $1.20 per share.
  • Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with ALEX.

Release Date: February 27, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Alexander & Baldwin Inc (NYSE:ALEX) achieved a strong FFO growth of 20.4% CAGR since 2020, outperforming the NAREIT shopping center sub-sector.
  • The company successfully refinanced $130 million of mortgage debt with unsecured debt at fixed rates, enhancing its capital structure.
  • ALEX reported strong leasing activity with 47 leases executed in Q4 2024, representing over 140,000 square feet of GLA.
  • The company reduced G&A expenses by $4.2 million or 12.4% in 2024 compared to 2023, streamlining its cost structure.
  • ALEX maintained a strong balance sheet with a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.6 times and 96% of its debt at fixed rates.

Negative Points

  • Economic occupancy at the end of the quarter was 92.9%, down 10 basis points from the previous quarter and the same period last year.
  • The company faced a tenant bankruptcy with Liberated Brands, affecting approximately $450,000 of ABR and 7,000 square feet of space.
  • ALEX's guidance for 2025 indicates a potential deceleration in same-store NOI growth compared to previous years.
  • The industrial portfolio experienced 50,000 square feet of vacancy, which could impact short-term occupancy rates.
  • The company anticipates challenges in financing smaller agricultural lots, which could affect non-core land sales.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you provide more details on your 2025 priorities around external growth and development opportunities? A: Lance Parker, CEO, mentioned optimism about external growth opportunities despite challenging pricing. The company is focusing on internal growth, particularly in the Maui Business Park, with potential build-to-suit and speculative developments. They are also carrying $0.01 of FFO in their guidance for growth initiatives.

Q: Are there any known move-outs for leases expiring in 2025? A: Kit Millan, SVP of Asset Management, noted that while there were expected industrial move-outs, 33,000 square feet remained occupied. There was a tenant bankruptcy (Liberated Brands) with minimal exposure. The company has backfill opportunities and has mitigated risks with proactive lease renewals.

Q: What is the status of the bankrupt tenant, Liberated Brands, and the space they occupy? A: Kit Millan stated that Liberated Brands is still operating and conducting a liquidation sale. The company expects to regain the space around mid-year and already has prospects for the space at Queens' Marketplace.

Q: What drove the significant increase in leased occupancy in the retail portfolio? A: Lance Parker explained that the primary driver was the backfill of the Waianae Mall anchor space, which was filled with a community use tenant on a short-term lease, providing future optionality and requiring minimal capital outlay.

Q: What are the biggest factors that could influence the high or low end of your 2025 guidance? A: Clayton Chun, CFO, indicated that delayed tenant occupancy or unplanned vacancies could impact the low end, while early tenant possession and improved tenant health could positively influence the high end of the guidance.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

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