Takeaway: DC-6 sale de-risks development funding obligation

Cartoon of the Day: Pumplona

REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.27.22 | (OFC) - Running

Closed REIT RTA Long Positions:

1.26.22 - Sell Signal AMH $38.94 (LINK)

Ticker: OFC

Subsector: Secondary Office / Infrastructure

Headline: Sale of DC-6 a solid execution, FFO estimates need to come down as a result

  • On Tuesday Long Bench name Corporate Office Properties Trust (OFC) announced the 100% sale of DC-6 to CloudHQ for $222.5 million, or a ~5.9% cap rate (~17x EBITDA multiple) on in-place annualized NOI using figured from the 3Q21 supplemental. This compares to the company trading at a ~6.7% nominal cap rate and just under ~16x 2022E EBITDA on our math, so (1) an accretive transaction to the corporate entity from a value perspective but also (2) removal of a "headache" asset and source of ongoing headline risk during earnings calls and in general. We think it is a smart execution.
  • Equally if not more important, the asset is unencumbered and generates attractive equity capital vs. ATM/forward equity issuance and effectively de-risks a significant portion of the ~$400 million in remaining development funding requirements as of 3Q21. It is possible there could be additional asset sale proceeds from 4Q21 when the company reports. While on the road with investors we kept hearing fears that the company may be forced into a position of having to sell stock to fund the development pipeline, and this sale effectively takes that off the table at least through 2023 depending on the level of other asset sale proceeds generated from DC shell sales/JVs and elsewhere. 
  • On the flip side, Core FFO estimates now need to be revised lower for the sold ~$13 million of annualized NOI, which translates into roughly ~$0.10 to $0.11/share in Core FFO drag for FY22 assuming only one month of contribution. We think the company could guide to a range of FY22 Core FFO with a midpoint around ~$2.25/share, depending on the level of asset sales (if any) executed in 4Q21 as well as additional planned dispositions in FY22. FactSet consensus currently sits at $2.33/share, and we are pretty sure they did not factor in a 100% sale of the asset. To be clear this is a normal process for REITs, namely recycling capital into higher-yielding developments, so downward revisions to earnings should not be viewed as a negative.
  • We would, however, from a risk management standpoint wait to pull the trigger on OFC until after 4Q21 results and numbers naturally reset lower, ahead of what looks to be an interesting RoC ramp heading into 2H22 and FY23 for what should be a solid Quad 4 stock. 

Figure 1: Position Monitor (Unchanged):

REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.27.22 | (OFC) - Capture1

Source: FactSet, Hedgeye

Prior Notes:

1.26.22: REITS DAILY BRIEF PART II | 1.26.22 | (RADI)

1.26.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.26.22 | (COLD)

1.25.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.25.22 | (APARTMENTS, OFFICE UTILIZATION)

1.25.22 - Will $MSTR Be Forced To Sell Their Bitcoin? (Bonus)

1.23.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | 1.23.22

1.22.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.21.22 | (COLD)

1.21.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.19.22 | (AMH, WE)

1.19.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.19.22 | (PLD, COLD)

1.17.22 - MONDAY NIGHT HOLIDAY REIT READ | 1.17.22 (RADI, PLD)

1.12.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.12.22 | (APARTMENT RENT TRACKER)

1.11.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.11.22 | (POSITION MONITOR UPDATE)

1.10.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.10.22 | (WE, REXR)

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1.6.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.6.22 | (PSA, POSITION MONITOR)

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1.3.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 1.3.22 | (POSITION MONITOR UPDATE, PGRE)

12.29.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 12.29.21 | (Position Monitor, TCN, DLR, EQIX, ELS, SUI)

12.23.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 12.23.21 | (AVB, CPT, EQR, MAA)

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12.17.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 12.17.21 | (Storage, Manhattan Office)

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12.15.21 - EVENT REPLAY | FIRESIDE CHAT W/ WEWORK CEO SANDEEP MATHRANI

12.14.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 12.14.21 | (U.S. OFFICE UTILIZATION)

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12.11.21 - EVENT REMINDER | FIRESIDE CHAT W/ WEWORK CEO SANDEEP MATHRANI

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12.8.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 12.8.21 | (APARTMENT RENT TRACKER, U.S. OFFICE UTILIZATION)

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12.1.21 - IGNORE CNBC RE: WEWORK RESTATEMENT | 12.1.21 | (WE)

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11.21.21 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | 11.21.21 | (WE)

11.19.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 11.19.21 | (CUBE)

11.17.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 11.17.21 | (STYLE FACTOR WORK)

11.16.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 11.16.21 | (U.S. OFFICE UTILIZATION)

11.15.21 - CUBE ANNOUNCES STABILIZED ACQUISITION | 11.15.21

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11.14.21 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | 11.14.21 | (CUBE, EXR, LSI, NSA)

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11.10.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 11.10.21 | (UHAL, CONE, COR, NSA, PSA)

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11.4.21 - REIT RECAP | 11.4.21 | AMH 3Q21 RESULTS

11.4.21 - REIT RECAP | 11.4.21 | CUBE 3Q21 RESULTS

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11.2.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 11.2.21 | (PSA, U.S. OFFICE UTILIZATION)

11.1.21 - REIT RECAP | 11.1.21 | PSA 3Q21 RESULTS

10.31.21 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | 10.31.21 | (3Q21 EARNINGS SURPRISES, POSITION MONITOR)

10.28.21 - REIT RECAP | 10.28.21 | CPT 3Q21 RESULTS

10.28.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 10.28.21 | (EXR)

10.28.21 - REIT RECAP | 10/28/21 | INVH 3Q21 RESULTS

10.28.21 - REIT RECAP | 10/27/21 | AVB 3Q21 RESULTS

10.27.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 10.27.21 | (3Q21 Earnings, AVB, EXR, Office)

10.26.21 - REIT RECAP | 10/26/21 | EXR 3Q21 RESULTS

10.26.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 10.26.21 | (EQR, REXR)

10.25.21 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | 10.24.21 | (POSITION MONITOR)

10.21.21. - REIT RECAP | 10/21/21 | REXR 3Q21 RESULTS

10.20.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 10.20.21 | (EGP, PLYM, REXR, ILPT)

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10.19.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 10.19.21 | (COLD, SLG, VNO, AMH, U.S. Office Utilization)

10.18.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 10.18.21 | (PLD)

10.17.21 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | 10.17.21 | (PLD, POSITION MONITOR)

10.15.21 - REIT RECAP | 10/15/21 | PLD 3Q21 RESULTS

10.13.21 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 10.13.21 | (PLD)

10.10.21 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | 10.10.21 | (POSITION MONITOR UPDATE)

10.8.21 - BLACK BOOK ROUND-UP | AMERCO (UHAL)

10.7.21 - BEST IDEA ROUND-UP | AMERICOLD REALTY TRUST (COLD)

Please e-mail with any questions.

Rob Simone, CFA
Managing Director
Twitter: @HedgeyeREITs