Operational excellence and financial strength underpinned by grocery-anchored portfolio drive solid 2023 results

NEW GLASGOW, NS, Feb. 21, 2024 /CNW/ - Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust ("Crombie") (TSX: CRR.UN) today announced results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023. Management will host a conference call to discuss the results at 12:00 p.m. (EST), February 22, 2024.

"Our operating and financial results for the quarter and year continue to demonstrate our team's ability to drive growth and create value. Our deliberate focus on operational excellence and the strength of our grocery-anchored portfolio resulted in healthy same-asset property cash NOI growth and steady occupancy," said Mark Holly, President and Chief Executive Officer. "During the year, we advanced several key priorities including the commencement of a major development project, the acceleration of entitlements, and unlocked a new revenue platform from management and development services. We are entering 2024 on solid footing, with a robust balance sheet, ample liquidity, and access to multiple sources of capital. It is our commitment to financial strength and flexibility, paired with prudent capital allocation that positions us well for sustained long-term value creation."

FOURTH QUARTER SUMMARY

(In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per Unit amounts and square feet and as otherwise noted)

Operational Highlights

• Committed occupancy 96.5% and economic occupancy 96.0%; a 40 basis point decrease and a 120 basis point increase, respectively, compared to 2022
• Renewals of 246,000 square feet at rents 8.4% above expiring rental rates (an increase of 8.9% using the weighted average rent during the renewal term)
• Crombie paid $20,700 to a subsidiary of Empire in connection with a right-to-develop agreement at our existing asset, Kingsway and Tyne in Vancouver, British Columbia. Commencing in 2024, Crombie will receive revenue from development services for advancing entitlement work at the site.

Financial Highlights

• Property revenue⁽¹⁾ of $114,299, a 3.9% increase from $110,061 in the fourth quarter of 2022
• Revenue from management and development services of $1,087 for the fourth quarter of 2023, a new revenue source in 2023
• Operating income attributable to Unitholders of $26,295, a decrease of 70.0% compared to the fourth quarter of 2022
• FFO⁽²⁾ of $0.30 per Unit compared to $0.29 per Unit in the fourth quarter of 2022
• AFFO⁽²⁾ of $0.26 per Unit compared to $0.25 per Unit in the fourth quarter of 2022
• Same-asset property cash NOI⁽²⁾ increased 4.0% compared to the fourth quarter of 2022
• Debt to gross fair value⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ of 43.0%, compared to 41.8% for the same period last year
• Debt to trailing 12 months adjusted EBITDA⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ of 8.03x compared to 8.02x at the fourth quarter of 2022
• Available liquidity of $583,770, a 0.1% increase from $583,003 in the fourth quarter of 2022
• Crombie closed on a 5.28% mortgage loan of $72,000 for a retail-related industrial asset, maturing January 1, 2031

Information in this press release is a select summary of results. This press release should be read in conjunction with Crombie's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023 and Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes for the years ended December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022. Full details on our results can be found at www.crombie.ca and www.sedarplus.ca.

Financial Results

Crombie's key financial metrics for the three months ended December 31, 2023 are as follows:

Operating income attributable to Unitholders decreased by $61,423, or 70.0%, primarily due to a gain on disposal of investment properties of $62,584 in the fourth quarter of 2022. Higher interest rates combined with higher average loan balances compared to the same period in 2022 resulted in increased interest on floating rate debt of $2,421, and interest on senior unsecured notes increased by $1,800 from the issuance of Series K notes in the first quarter of 2023 and the redemption of Series D notes in the fourth quarter of 2022. Additionally, depreciation and amortization increased by $1,096 due to completed developments, acquisitions, and accelerated depreciation on properties scheduled for redevelopment. Property revenue was reduced by $1,031 related to dispositions in 2022. The decrease in operating income was offset in part by growth in property revenue of $2,257 from new developments, $1,597 from renewals and new leasing, and reduced mortgage interest expense of $1,208 from mortgage repayments. The decrease in operating income was further offset by revenue from management and development services, earned from co-owners, related parties, and third parties, of $1,087.

Same-asset property cash NOI increased by $2,952, or 4.0%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 primarily due to renewals, new leasing, and lease termination income.

The increase in FFO of $2,486 was primarily due to growth in property revenue of $2,257 from new developments, $1,597 from renewals and new leasing, reduced mortgage interest expense of $1,208 from mortgage repayments, and revenue from management and development services of $1,087. This was partially offset by increased interest on floating rate debt of $2,421 resulting from higher interest rates combined with higher average loan balances compared to the same period in 2022, and higher interest on senior unsecured notes of $1,800 from the issuance of Series K notes in the first quarter of 2023 and the redemption of Series D notes in the fourth quarter of 2022. The growth in FFO in the quarter was further offset by reduced property revenue of $1,031 related to dispositions in 2022.

The increase in AFFO was primarily due to the same factors impacting FFO for the quarter.

Crombie's key financial metrics for the year ended December 31, 2023 are as follows:

Operating income attributable to Unitholders decreased by $68,979, or 41.1%, on an annual basis primarily due to lower gain on disposal of investment properties of $80,216, higher general and administrative expenses resulting from employee transition costs of $7,386 in the second quarter of 2023, increased interest on floating rate debt of $4,922 due to higher interest rates and higher average loan balances compared to 2022, reduced property revenue of $3,827 related to dispositions in 2022, and increased tenant incentive amortization of $3,527 primarily from modernizations and accelerated amortization related to lease amendments as a result of the assignment of subleases to Crombie from a subsidiary of Empire. Also contributing to the variance year over year was a gain on distribution from equity-accounted investments of $2,933 in 2022 as a result of cash distributions received from 1600 Davie Limited Partnership in excess of our investment in the joint venture. Interest on senior unsecured notes increased by $2,515 from the issuance of Series K notes in the first quarter of 2023 and the redemption of Series D notes in the fourth quarter of 2022. The decrease in operating income was offset in part by $10,400 in impairment of investment properties in 2022, and growth in income from equity-accounted investments of $5,098, of which the main driver was the sale of land at our Opal Ridge joint venture in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in 2023. Further offsetting the decrease in operating income was a reduction in mortgage interest of $4,977 from mortgage repayments and dispositions, growth in property revenue from new developments of $4,864, renewals and new leasing of $3,966, higher property revenue of $2,003 from acquisitions, $1,394 from lease terminations, and $1,387 in supplemental rent from modernization investments. Revenue from management and development services of $3,430 also contributed to the offset. A reduction in depreciation and amortization of $1,001 was due to accelerated depreciation recorded in the third quarter of 2022 on a property that was demolished, net of depreciation on completed developments and acquisitions in 2023.

On an annual basis, same-asset property cash NOI increased by $8,331, or 3.0%, compared to the same period in 2022, primarily due to renewals, new leasing, increased lease termination income of $1,394, and higher supplemental rent of $1,364 from modernizations and capital improvements.

The increase in FFO of $6,266 was primarily driven by growth in income from equity-accounted investments of $5,098, of which the main driver was the sale of land at our Opal Ridge joint venture in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in 2023, and a reduction in mortgage interest of $4,977 from mortgage repayments and dispositions. Growth in property revenue from new developments of $4,864, renewals and new leasing of $3,966, higher property revenue of $2,003 from acquisitions, $1,394 from lease terminations, and $1,387 in supplemental rent from modernization investments further contributed to the increase in FFO. Additionally, revenue from management and development services increased FFO by $3,430. FFO growth was offset in part by higher general and administrative expenses resulting from employee transition costs of $7,386 in the second quarter of 2023, increased interest on floating rate debt of $4,922 due to higher interest rates and higher average loan balances compared to 2022, and reduced property revenue of $3,827 related to dispositions in 2022. Further offsetting the increase in FFO year over year was an increase in interest on senior unsecured notes of $2,515 from the issuance of Series K notes in the first quarter of 2023 and the redemption of Series D notes in the fourth quarter of 2022. FFO excluding employee transition costs of $7,386 was $217,389 or $1.21 per Unit.

The improvement in AFFO, on an annual basis, was driven primarily by the same factors impacting FFO. Additionally, it was offset in part by the increase in the maintenance expenditure charge for 2023, from $1.00 to $1.10 per square foot of weighted average GLA, an increased charge of $1,887 for the period. AFFO excluding employee transition costs of $7,386 was $188,486 or $1.05 per Unit.

Operating Results

Operations and Leasing

Crombie achieved economic occupancy of 96.0% and committed occupancy of 96.5%. In the fourth quarter, Crombie renewed 246,000 square feet with an increase of 8.4% over expiring rents. New leases increased occupancy by 477,000 square feet at an average first year rate of $22.71 per square foot.

Development

Crombie segregates its development pipeline by expected timing. Near-term projects indicate that a decision to commit financially is expected to be determined within the next two years. Currently, Crombie has three developments classified as near-term projects. Upon completion, these projects will total approximately 960,000 square feet of residential GLA (1,461 residential units) and 105,000 square feet of commercial GLA. The geographical breakdown of GLA in square feet is as follows: 731,000 in Vancouver; 145,000 in Victoria and 189,000 in Halifax.

Empire Transaction

During the fourth quarter of 2023, Crombie paid an initial right-to-develop fee of $20,700 to a subsidiary of Empire, which resulted in the existing lease at Kingsway and Tyne, in Vancouver, British Columbia, being modified. The right to develop will allow Crombie flexibility as it works through the entitlement and future development of this site, in which a subsidiary of Empire is currently a tenant.

Highlighted Subsequent Event

On February 20, 2024, Crombie and its joint venture partner closed on a 4.35% mortgage loan of $243,457 for a residential property held within an equity-accounted investment, maturing on June 1, 2029. Installments of principal and interest are to be paid on the first day of each month. Upon receipt of proceeds, the joint venture intends to repay the outstanding construction facility and partnership loans totalling $233,664 with a weighted average interest rate of 7.10% as of December 31, 2023.

Conference Call Invitation

Crombie will provide additional details concerning its period ended December 31, 2023 results on a conference call to be held Thursday, February 22, 2024, beginning at 12:00 p.m. (EST). Accompanying the conference call will be a presentation that will be available on the Investors section of Crombie's website. To join this conference call, you may dial (416) 764-8688 or (888) 390-0546. To join the conference call without operator assistance, you may register and enter your phone number at https://emportal.ink/41LVXMg to receive an instant automated call back. You may also listen to a live audio webcast of the conference call by visiting the Investors section of Crombie's website at www.crombie.ca.

Replay will be available until midnight February 29, 2024 by dialing (416) 764-8677 or (888) 390-0541 and entering passcode 701516 #, or on the Crombie website for 90 days following the conference call.

Cautionary Statements and Non-GAAP Measures

Net property income, same-asset property cash NOI, FFO, AFFO, FFO payout ratio, AFFO payout ratio, debt to trailing 12 months adjusted EBITDA, debt to gross fair value, and interest coverage ratio are non-GAAP financial measures that do not have a standardized meaning under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). These measures as computed by Crombie may differ from similar computations as reported by other entities and, accordingly, may not be comparable to other such entities. Management includes these measures as they represent key performance indicators to management, and it believes certain investors use these measures as a means of assessing Crombie's financial performance. For additional information on these non-GAAP measures see our Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023.

The reconciliations for each non-GAAP measure included in this press release are outlined as follows:

Net Property Income

Management uses net property income as a measure of performance of properties period-over-period.

Net property income, which excludes revenue from management and development services and certain expenses such as interest expense and indirect operating expenses, is as follows:

Same-Asset Property Cash NOI

Crombie measures certain performance and operating metrics on a same-asset basis to evaluate the period-over-period performance of those properties owned and operated by Crombie. "Same-asset" refers to those properties that were owned and operated by Crombie for the current and comparative reporting periods. Properties that will be undergoing a redevelopment in a future period, and those for which planning activities are underway are also in this category until such development activities commence and/or tenant leasing/renewal activity is suspended. Same–asset property cash NOI reflects Crombie's proportionate ownership of jointly operated properties (and excludes any properties held in joint ventures).

Management uses net property income on a cash basis (property cash NOI) as a measure of performance as it reflects the cash generated by properties period-over-period.

Net property income on a cash basis, which excludes non-cash straight-line rent recognition and amortization of tenant incentive amounts, is as follows:

Funds from Operations (FFO)

Crombie follows the recommendations of the January 2022 guidance of the Real Property Association of Canada ("REALPAC") in calculating FFO. 

The reconciliation of FFO for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 is as follows:

Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO)

Crombie follows the recommendations of REALPAC's January 2022 guidance in calculating AFFO and has applied these recommendations to the AFFO amounts included in this press release and Management's Discussion and Analysis.

The reconciliation of AFFO for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 is as follows:

Debt Metrics

When calculating debt to gross fair value, debt is defined as obligations for borrowed money, including obligations incurred in connection with acquisitions, excluding trade payables and accruals in the ordinary course of business, and distributions payable. Debt includes Crombie's share of debt held in equity-accounted joint ventures.

Gross fair value includes investment properties measured at fair value, including Crombie's share of those held within equity-accounted joint ventures. All other components of gross fair value are measured at the carrying value included in Crombie's financial statements. Crombie's methodology for determining the fair value of investment properties includes capitalization of trailing 12 months net property income using biannual capitalization rates from external property valuators. The majority of investment properties are also subject to external, independent appraisals on a rotational basis over a period of not more than four years. Valuation techniques are more fully described in Crombie's year-end audited financial statements.

The fair value included in this calculation reflects the fair value of the properties as at December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, based on each property's current use as a revenue-generating investment property. Additionally, as properties are prepared for redevelopment, Crombie considers each property's progress through entitlement in determining the fair value of a property. As at December 31, 2023, Crombie's weighted average capitalization rate used in the determination of the fair value of its investment properties was 6.12%, an increase of 18 basis points from December 31, 2022. Crombie's weighted average capitalization rate used in the determination of the fair value of its share of investment properties held in equity-accounted joint ventures was 3.67% as at December 31, 2023, an increase of 20 basis points from December 31, 2022. For an explanation of how Crombie determines capitalization rates, see the "Other Disclosures" section of the Management's Discussion and Analysis, under "Investment Property Valuation" in the "Use of Estimates and Judgments" section.

The following table presents a reconciliation of operating income attributable to Unitholders to adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure and should not be considered an alternative to operating income attributable to Unitholders, and may not be comparable to that used by other entities.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the current expectations of management of Crombie about Crombie's future results, performance, achievements, prospects, and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "will", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "intend", and similar expressions have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management of Crombie. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors, including those discussed in the 2023 annual Management's Discussion and Analysis under "Risk Management" and the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2022 under "Risks", could cause actual results, performance, achievements, prospects, or opportunities to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and a reader should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that the expectations of management of Crombie will prove to be correct, and Crombie can give no assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements.

Specifically, this document includes, but is not limited to, forward-looking statements regarding expected timing of development, which may be impacted by ordinary real estate market cycles, the availability of labour, ability to attract tenants, estimated GLA, tenant rents, building sizes, financing and the cost of any such financing, capital resource allocation decisions and general economic conditions, as well as development activities undertaken by related parties not under the direct control of Crombie.

About Crombie REIT

Crombie invests in real estate that enriches local communities and enables long-term sustainable growth. As one of the country's leading owners, operators, and developers of quality assets, Crombie's portfolio primarily includes grocery-anchored retail, retail-related industrial, and mixed-use residential properties. As at December 31, 2023, our portfolio contains 304 properties comprising approximately 19.2 million square feet, inclusive of joint ventures at Crombie's share, and a significant pipeline of future development projects. Learn more at www.crombie.ca.

SOURCE Crombie REIT

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