Todd J. Meredith
Analyst · Green Street Advisors
The company made steady progress on its acquisition, disposition and development objectives during the third quarter. Of the 5 acquisitions announced last quarter, the company closed on 2 properties during the third quarter and 3 more in October, totaling a new investment of $154.3 million, over 525,000 square feet and 93% leased. The caliber of these 5 properties reflects our disciplined approach to increase the value and long-term performance of our portfolio. We view location and alignment with strong health systems, systems that can adapt and thrive in a changing health care environment, as key to owning and managing a resilient portfolio that will outperform and increase net asset value over the long run. The 5 recently acquired properties are located in several markets where the company has an established presence and each is aligned with a market-leading health system. These include a pair of on-campus attached MOBs in Loveland, Colorado, affiliated with A+ rated University of Colorado Health; an on-campus attached MOB in South Bend, Indiana, affiliated with AA rated CHE Trinity; and an MOB in Seattle adjacent to 2 campuses leased to an affiliate of AA rated Providence Health & Services; and an MOB adjacent to campus in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina and affiliated with A+ rated CaroMont Health. All acquired at initial cap rates of 6.5% to 7%, with capital raised earlier in the year. We've profiled these properties in an acquisitions look book that is available on the to the company's website alongside the company's investor presentations. Last quarter, we tightened and modestly increased our 2013 acquisition guidance to $200 million to $225 million, with year-to-date acquisitions of $186.1 million, and 1 or 2 additional acquisitions by year-end, the company is reaffirming this guidance. In recent months, we've seen several sizable investor-owned portfolios being marketed. While the vast majority of these portfolios have not merit our criteria, we continue to see aggressive bidding by less discerning buyers. Cap rates for larger portfolios continue to remain in the low to mid-6% range despite changes in the cost of capital for most buyers. Demand for medical office buildings continues to outweigh supply, and we expect cap rates to remain in this range for some time. Rather than chasing every available portfolio, paying top prices and generating minimal accretion, the company continues to focus on markets and health systems it knows well, targeting individual assets using local knowledge and operating experience. In sizes of about $20 million to 50 million, these properties typically attract fewer buyers and can be acquired more accretively. As expected, the company sold 4 HealthSouth inpatient rehab facilities for a total of $64.6 million during the third quarter. Year-to-date, the company has sold 9 properties and one land parcel for $81.6 million. The company placed 5 properties in assets held for sale and expects to sell some off-campus facilities by year-end that would generate disposition proceeds at the upper end of the company's 2013 guidance of $80 million to $100 million. At the 2 build-to-suit facilities that are 100% leased to Mercy Health, the company funded $11.9 million towards both facilities during the third quarter. Completed in August, the orthopedic facility in Springfield was acquired by the company in September for $102.6 million, followed by post-closing funding of $2.8 million in the quarter. The remaining budget of $6 million will be funded in the fourth quarter. Rental income in the fourth quarter will be $2.3 million at an annual yield of just over 8% compared to construction period interest and rental income of $1.8 million in the third quarter. The outpatient facility in Edmond, Oklahoma, that was damaged by a tornado, is under repair and scheduled to be completed by June of next year. Builder's risk insurance is in place to cover repair and delay costs and the mortgage structure will remain in place through completion, and interest payments will be paid in cash from insurance proceeds. The 12 properties in stabilization, or SIP, are on track at 72% leased. Occupancy jumped almost 10 points to 57%, and we funded over $4 million towards tenant improvement allowances in the quarter. Had all occupants at September 30 taken occupancy and paid rent for the entire quarter, NOI would've been approximately $2.4 million. When fully stabilized, these properties are expected to generate annual NOI of $25 million to $30 million, consistent with our original guidance. Two of the properties, one in Scottsdale and another in suburban Chicago, representing only about 10% of SIP, have been slower to lease, but recently, much improved. In Chicago, the adjacent hospital was sold to [ph] market leading Advocate Health Care in June, after a protracted process. Since then, we signed a large specialty group for about 12,000 square feet. Excluding these 2 properties, the remaining SIP portfolio is collectively 81% leased, and 65% occupied. And is expected to be about 85% leased and 75% occupied by year-end. Given the level of leasing and momentum, we will transfer the properties out of SIP next quarter, but we will still provide key progress metrics. Looking ahead, the health insurance overhaul is accelerating the shift toward outpatient services and increasing the influence of larger health systems. The company is well positioned to benefit from this growing demand for new outpatient facilities, aligned with market-leading health systems. We are currently working with several systems on their space needs for additional outpatient services and we anticipate at least one development start by the end of the year. I'm pleased that the company is on track to meet its investment objectives for 2013, with the prospect for additional accretive investments, as we look ahead to 2014.