BOSTON, Feb. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- STAG Industrial, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: STAG), a real estate investment trust focused on the acquisition and operation of single-tenant, industrial properties throughout the United States, today announced its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter of 2017.  

"The fourth quarter was another successful quarter for STAG and a great way to close 2017," said Ben Butcher, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "Continued strength in the industrial sector, record acquisition volume, robust portfolio operating metrics, and a defensively positioned balance sheet sets STAG up well for another strong year ahead."

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Highlights

• Reported $0.06 of net income per basic and diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2017, as compared to $0.38 of net income per basic and diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2016. Reported $6.1 million of net income attributable to common stockholders for the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to net income attributable to common stockholders of $28.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2016. For the year ended 2017, net income attributable to common stockholders was $21.1 million as compared to net income of $20.2 million in 2016.
• Achieved $0.44 of Core FFO per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2017, an increase of 4.8% compared to the fourth quarter of 2016 of $0.42. Generated Core FFO of $44.0 million compared to $33.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2016, an increase of 32.9%. For the year ended December 31, 2017, Core FFO increased 34.6% in the aggregate compared to the same period last year and Core FFO per diluted share increased 7.0% compared to the same period last year.
• Generated Cash NOI of $64.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, an increase of 16.1% compared to the fourth quarter of 2016 of $55.1 million. For the year ended December 31, 2017, Cash NOI increased 17.0% in the aggregate compared to the same period last year.
• Acquired 11 buildings in the fourth quarter of 2017, consisting of 1.9 million square feet, for $107.4 million with a weighted average Capitalization Rate of 7.3%.
• Sold two buildings in the fourth quarter of 2017, consisting of 880,558 square feet for $22.1 million.
• Achieved an Occupancy Rate of 95.3% on the total portfolio and 95.7% on the Operating Portfolio as of December 31, 2017.
• Executed Operating Portfolio leases for 2.4 million square feet for the fourth quarter of 2017, resulting in a cash rent change and GAAP Rent Change of 2.3% and 12.2%, respectively.
• Experienced 52.7% Retention, resulting in a cash rent change and GAAP Rent Change of (0.7)% and 7.6%, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2017, experienced 59.1% Retention, resulting in a cash rent change and GAAP Rent Change of 4.4% and 11.1% respectively.
• Raised gross proceeds of $87.9 million of equity through the Company's at-the-market offering ("ATM") program for the fourth quarter of 2017.

Please refer to the Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Other Definitions section at the end of this release for definitions of capitalized terms used in this release.

The Company will host a conference call tomorrow, February 16, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time), to discuss the quarter's results and provide information about acquisitions, operations, capital markets and corporate activities. Details of the call can be found at the end of this release.

Key Financial Measures

Definitions of the above mentioned non-GAAP financial measures, together with reconciliations to net income (loss) in accordance with GAAP, appear at the end of this release. Please also see the Company's supplemental information package for additional disclosure.

Acquisition and Disposition Activity

For the three months ended December 31, 2017, the Company acquired 11 buildings for $107.4 million with an Occupancy Rate of 92% upon acquisition. The chart below details the acquisition activity for the quarter:

The chart below details the 2017 acquisition activity and Pipeline through February 15, 2018:

The chart below details the disposition activity for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017:

Subsequent to quarter end and through February 15, 2018, the Company sold one building consisting of 491,025 square feet for $31.9 million.

Operating Portfolio Leasing Activity

The chart below details the leasing activity for leases signed during the quarter:

The chart below details the leasing activity for leases signed during the twelve months ended December 31, 2017:

The chart below details the Retention activity for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017:

Liquidity and Capital Market Activity

As of December 31, 2017, the Company had Liquidity of $348 million and net debt to annualized Adjusted Run Rate EBITDA was 4.9x.

The chart below details the ATM program activity for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017:

Subsequent to quarter end, on February 14, 2018, the Company's Board of Directors declared the following first quarter preferred stock dividends:

The Company's dividend policy is set by the Board of Directors, which considers, among other factors, REIT distribution requirements and recurring, distributable, cash income.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call tomorrow, Friday, February 16, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss the quarter's results.  The call can be accessed live over the phone toll-free by dialing (877) 407-4018, or for international callers, (201) 689-8471.  A replay will be available shortly after the call and can be accessed by dialing (844) 512-2921, or for international callers, (412) 317-6671.  The passcode for the replay is 13675090.

Interested parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call by visiting the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.stagindustrial.com, or by clicking on the following link:

http://ir.stagindustrial.com/QuarterlyResults

Supplemental Schedule

The Company has provided a supplemental information package to provide additional disclosure and financial information on its website (www.stagindustrial.com) under the "Quarterly Results" tab in the Investor Relations section.

Additional information is also available on the Company's website at www.stagindustrial.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Other Definitions

Acquisition Capital Expenditures: We define Acquisition Capital Expenditures as Recurring and Non-Recurring Capital Expenditures identified at the time of acquisition and underwritten to occur in the first 12 months. Acquisition Capital Expenditures also include new lease commissions and tenant improvements for space that was not occupied under the Company's ownership.

Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (Adjusted EBITDA), and Run Rate Adjusted EBITDA: We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP) before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, property acquisition costs, gain on the sales of rental property, termination income, straight-line rent adjustments, non-cash compensation, intangible amortization in rental income, loss on impairments, gain on involuntary conversion, loss on extinguishment of debt, loss on incentive fee, and other non-recurring items.

We define Run Rate Adjusted EBITDA as Adjusted EBITDA plus incremental Adjusted EBITDA adjusted for a full period of acquisitions and dispositions. Run Rate Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the Company's historical results and does not predict future results, which may be substantially different.

Adjusted EBITDA and Run Rate Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income (determined in accordance with GAAP) as an indication of our performance, and we believe that to understand our performance further, Adjusted EBITDA and Run Rate Adjusted EBITDA should be compared with our reported net income or net loss in accordance with GAAP, as presented in our consolidated financial statements.  We believe that Adjusted EBITDA and Run Rate Adjusted EBITDA are helpful to investors as supplemental measures of the operating performance of a real estate company because they are direct measures of the actual operating results of our properties. We also use these measures in ratios to compare our performance to that of our industry peers.  

Capitalization Rate: We define Capitalization Rate as the estimated weighted average cash Capitalization Rate, calculated by dividing (i) the Company's estimate of year one Cash NOI from the applicable property's operations stabilized for occupancy (post-lease-up for vacant properties), which does not include termination income, miscellaneous other income, capital expenditures, general and administrative costs, reserves, tenant improvements and leasing commissions, credit loss, or vacancy loss, by (ii) the purchase price plus estimated Acquisition Capital Expenditures. These Capitalization Rate estimates are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance, which may be affected by known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties, and factors that are beyond our control, including those risk factors contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Comparable Lease: We define a Comparable Lease as a lease with a similar lease structure as compared to the previous in-place lease, excluding new leases for space that was not occupied under our ownership, leases on space with downtime in excess of two years, leases with materially different lease structures, leases associated with known vacates at the time of acquisition, and leases with credit-related modifications.

Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA): We define Core Based Statistical Area ("CBSA") as a U.S. geographic area defined by the Office of Management and Budget that consists of one or more counties (or equivalents) anchored by an urban center of at least 10,000 people plus adjacent counties that are socioeconomically tied to the urban center by commuting.

Funds from Operations (FFO), Core FFO, and Adjusted FFO (AFFO): We define FFO in accordance with the standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("NAREIT"). FFO represents net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains (or losses) from sales of depreciable operating property, impairment write-downs of depreciable real estate, real estate related depreciation and amortization (excluding amortization of deferred financing costs and fair market value of debt adjustment) and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Core FFO and AFFO exclude property acquisition costs, lease termination income, intangible amortization in rental income, loss on extinguishment of debt, gain on involuntary conversion, gain (loss) on swap ineffectiveness, loss on incentive fee, and non-recurring other expenses. AFFO also excludes non-rental property depreciation and amortization, straight-line rent adjustments, non-cash portion of interest expense, non-cash compensation expense and deducts Recurring Capital Expenditures and lease renewal commissions and tenant improvements.

None of FFO, Core FFO or AFFO should be considered as an alternative to net income (determined in accordance with GAAP) as an indication of our performance, and we believe that to understand our performance further, these measurements should be compared with our reported net income or net loss in accordance with GAAP, as presented in our consolidated financial statements.  We use FFO as a supplemental performance measure because it is a widely recognized measure of the performance of REITs.  FFO may be used by investors as a basis to compare our operating performance with that of other REITs.  We and investors may use Core FFO and AFFO similarly as FFO.

However, because FFO, Core FFO and AFFO exclude, among other items, depreciation and amortization and capture neither the changes in the value of our buildings that result from use or market conditions nor the level of capital expenditures and leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of our buildings, all of which have real economic effects and could materially impact our results from operations, the utility of these measures as measures of our performance is limited. In addition, other REITs may not calculate FFO in accordance with the NAREIT definition as we do, and, accordingly, our FFO may not be comparable to such other REITs' FFO. Similarly, our calculations of Core FFO and AFFO may not be comparable to similarly titled measures disclosed by other REITs.

GAAP: U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

GAAP Rent Change: We define GAAP Rent Change as the percentage change in the average base rent over the contractual lease term (excluding above/below market lease amortization) of the Comparable Lease.

Liquidity: We define Liquidity as the amount of aggregate undrawn nominal commitments the Company could immediately borrow under the Company's unsecured debt instruments, consistent with the financial covenants, plus unrestricted cash balances.

Net operating income (NOI), Cash NOI, and Run Rate Cash NOI: We define NOI as rental income, including reimbursements, less property expenses and real estate taxes, which excludes depreciation, amortization, loss on impairments, general and administrative expenses, interest expense, interest income, corporate sub-lease rental income, asset management fee income, property acquisition costs, gain on involuntary conversion, loss on extinguishment of debt, gain on sales of rental property, loss on incentive fee, and other expenses.

We define Cash NOI as NOI less straight-line rent adjustments and less intangible amortization in rental income.

We define Run Rate Cash NOI as Cash NOI plus Cash NOI adjusted for a full period of acquisitions and dispositions, less cash termination income.   Run Rate Cash NOI does not reflect the Company's historical results and does not predict future results, which may be substantially different.

We consider NOI, Cash NOI and Run Rate Cash NOI to be appropriate supplemental performance measures to net income because we believe they help us and investors understand the core operations of our buildings.  None of these measures should be considered as an alternative to net income (determined in accordance with GAAP) as an indication of our performance, and we believe that to understand our performance further, these measurements should be compared with our reported net income or net loss in accordance with GAAP, as presented in our consolidated financial statements.  Further, our calculations of NOI, Cash NOI and Run Rate NOI may not be comparable to similarly titled measures disclosed by other REITs.

Non-Recurring Capital Expenditures:  We define Non-Recurring Capital Expenditures as capital items for upgrades or items that previously did not exist at a building or capital items which have a longer useful life, such as roof replacements. Non-Recurring Capital Expenditures funded by parties other than the Company are excluded.  

Occupancy Rate:  We define Occupancy Rate as the percentage of total leasable square footage for which either revenue recognition has commenced in accordance with GAAP or the lease term has commenced as of the close of the reporting period, whichever occurs earlier.

Operating Portfolio: We define the Operating Portfolio as including all warehouse and light manufacturing assets and excluding non-core flex/office assets and assets under redevelopment or classified as held for sale. The Operating Portfolio also excludes billboard, parking lot and cellular tower leases.

Pipeline: We define Pipeline as a point in time measure that includes all of the transactions under consideration by the Company's acquisitions group that have passed the initial screening process.  The Pipeline also includes transactions under contract and transactions with non-binding LOIs.

Recurring Capital Expenditures:  We define Recurring Capital Expenditures as capital items required to sustain existing systems and capital items which generally have a shorter useful life. Recurring Capital Expenditures funded by parties other than the Company are excluded. 

Renewal Lease: We define a Renewal Lease as a lease signed by an existing tenant to extend the term for twelve months or more, including (i) a renewal of the same space as the current lease at lease expiration, (ii) a renewal of only a portion of the current space at lease expiration and (iii) an early renewal or workout, which ultimately does extend the original term for twelve months or more.

Retention: We define Retention as the percentage determined by taking Renewal Lease square footage commencing in the period divided by square footage of leases expiring in the period. Neither the Renewal Leases nor leases expiring include Temporary Leases or License Agreements. Retention excludes leases associated with known vacates at the time of acquisition, leases with credit-related modifications, early terminations or assets classified as held for sale.

Temporary Leases/License Agreements: We define a Temporary Lease or a License Agreement as any lease that is signed for an initial term of less than twelve months; this includes short-term new leases and short-term Renewal Leases.

Weighted Average Lease Term: We define Weighted Average Lease Term as the contractual lease term in years as of the lease start date weighted by square footage. Weighted Average Lease Term related to acquired assets reflects the remaining lease term in years as of the acquisition date weighted by square footage.

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SOURCE STAG Industrial, Inc.