Greg Silvers
Analyst · KeyBanc Capital Markets. Your line is now open
First, I'll get started with our quarterly headlines, then discuss the business in greater detail. First, strong quarter boosted by prepayment fees. As compared to the same quarter previous year, our top line revenue grew by 17% and FFO as adjusted per share grew by 25%. The results were driven by strong business fundamentals and from the payment in full on the Och-Ziff Real Estate mortgage note. This note as structured allowed us to recognize an additional prepayment fee of $20 million in the third quarter. Two, tenant segments demonstrate strength. Box office revenues are up significantly versus the previous year and our diversified portfolio of property types and operators within our education and attraction investments illustrated solid performance. The consumer continues to demonstrate their preference for experiences and our portfolio and tenets are well-positioned to benefit from that preference. Number three, capital recycling plan execution. We are pleased with the successful execution of our capital recycling plan that we initiated at the start of the year. We continue to expect this plan, along with free cash flow, will fully fund our investment spending for the year without the need to issue additional equity. Furthermore, these transactions have proven the inherent value of experiential assets and demonstrated their liquidity in the marketplace. Four, balance sheet strength. With strong financial coverage ratios, 99% unsecured debt and no debt maturities until 2022, we have the balance sheet strength and financial flexibility to continue our success into 2019. And finally, five, increasing earnings guidance. Our positive results to date, along with our outlook for the year, allow us to again increase our earnings guidance for the year. Our healthy pipeline of opportunities, along with our unique expertise and experiential assets, positions us well to continue to deliver strong results. Now, I’ll discuss the business in greater detail. At the end of the third quarter, our investments were $6.7 billion with 391 properties in service that were 99% occupied. During the quarter, investment spending was $116.5 million, bringing us to a total of $355 million year-to-date. Our proceeds from dispositions were $152 million, bringing us to a total of over $399 million year-to-date. Additionally, our company level rent coverage was at 1.87 times, nicely above the approximately 1.7 times average we’ve seen over the past three years and highlights the strength and consistency of our operators businesses. Now, I'll provide an update on our three segments. At quarter-end, our Entertainment portfolio included approximately $3 billion of total investments, with one property under development, 169 properties in service, and 23 operators. Our occupancy was 99% and our rent coverage was 1.86 times. Investment spending in our Entertainment segment totaled $10.7 million, consisting primarily of build-to-suit development and redevelopment of megaplex theaters, entertainment retail centers and family entertainment centers. Turning to industry updates, North American box office revenues were up over 11% versus prior year through last weekend. The third quarter box office was up 8% over the prior year, which was even better than we anticipated coming off a second quarter that was up over 20%. The third quarter outperformance was driven by highly successful titles, such as Mission Impossible, Crazy Rich Asians, and we are optimistic that the full-year box office will exceed our previous estimate. We continue to assert that content matters and 2018 is a prime example of Hollywood producing desirable content and consumers responding with their wallets. At quarter-end, our Recreation portfolio included over $2.1 billion of total investments, with five properties under development, 75 properties in service, and 17 operators. Our occupancy was 100% and our rent coverage was approximately 2.07 times. Investment spending in our Recreation segment totaled approximately $73.8 million during the third quarter, which included $45 million on the Kartrite waterpark hotel in the Catskills, with the balance being primarily build-to-suit development of golf entertainment complexes and attractions. During the quarter, we received approximately $95 million in proceeds from Och-Ziff, representing payment in full on the remaining mortgage note receivable of $75 million and prepayment fees of approximately $20 million. Our investment with Och-Ziff produced approximately $66 million of additional cash payments over and above the original $250 million of principal. This translates into an unlevered IRR in excess of 30% and an implied cap rate of approximately 6.7%. We are, of course, thrilled with these returns and our overall success in recycling capital this year. Turning to industry updates, the operators in our attractions portfolio have delivered solid results this season with visits and revenue through August up approximately 1% and 3% respectively versus the prior year. At quarter-end, our Education portfolio included over $1.4 billion of total investments with three properties under development, 146 properties in service, and 60 operators. Our occupancy was 98% and our rent coverage was 1.49 times. Investment spending in our Education segment totaled approximately $32 million, primarily consisting of $9.3 million of early childhood education acquisitions, with the balance being primarily build-to-suit development and redevelopment of public charter schools and early childhood education centers. As discussed on our last call, in July, we sold five charter school properties for total net proceeds of approximately $55.4 million. Four of these five properties were leased to Imagine Schools under a direct financing lease and produced net proceeds of approximately $43.4 million, which produced a $5.5 million GAAP basis gain and a $12 million gain versus our original cost. This transaction had a cash cap rate of approximately 9% and a GAAP cap rate of approximately 10% due to the additional non-cash direct financing income from these leases. As we also discussed on our last call, in July, we entered into an agreement with CLA related to 21 open schools, which replaced the prior leases with a one-month lease for the month of August for rent of $1 million. Since progress has been made towards CLA's ultimate restructuring, we've extended the lease through the end of October. CLA made rent payments of $1 million per month in August, September and October. We have not included any additional payments under this new lease in the midpoint of our earnings guidance. If the new lease is not extended or CLA does not meet its obligations under the lease, CLA will be required to expeditiously vacate the remaining properties, in which case we intend to lease some or all of the 21 schools to other identified operators. We anticipate a resolution to the CLA issue by our year-end earnings call. Moving to our investment spending guidance, we are tightening our range to $500 million to $600 million from our previous range of $450 million to $650 million. We are also confirming our disposition guidance range of $450 million to $500 million. As previously stated, our year-to-date disposition proceeds are approximately $400 million. With that, I'll turn it over to Mark for a discussion of the financials.