Todd Meredith
Analyst · Morgan Stanley. Please go ahead
Thank you, Carla. We are pleased to report another quarter of solid performance. Same-store NOI grew at a notable pace, above 3% annually, generated by healthy contractual rent bumps, cash leasing spreads over 6%, tenant retention well over 80%, and positive sequential absorption. Overall, a strong quarter for the company's core fundamental operations and long-term sustainable growth. Healthcare Realty's competitive advantage is derived from its hands-on leasing and management expertise, and well-honed investment criteria, sharpened by more than two decades of experience, resulting in a highly regarded MOB portfolio with robust performance and intrinsic value. The quality of cash flows derived from MOBs stands out relative to many other healthcare property types, namely, senior housing and skilled nursing, where wage pressures, competitive supply, and reimbursement challenges have led to thin rent coverage, forcing a number of REITs and their financially-restrained operators to reduce and restructure rents. There is a start contrast in risk between these healthcare property types, a difference we see as miss-priced in today's market. Investing in MOBs is an immensely safer business model aligning with A and AA rated health systems in high growth densely populated markets, housing, the expanding need for outpatient services, and generating rents from tenants to average 4,000 square feet and cover their rents eight to ten times. The diversity and steadiness of cash flows from Healthcare Realty's MOBs is central to our ability to proactively manage the portfolio and afford the necessary cost of redeploying disposition proceeds into more attractive properties. Having stable internal growth also allows us to be patient during periods of divergence between public and private valuations, and remain well-prepared to invest its public capital cost and property level valuations realigned. While public MOB revaluations have partially recovered, they remain undervalued relative to the robust private bid for MOBs. This is particularly true for Healthcare Realty, where we have demonstrated the ability to select the right combination of properties and apply our expertise to generate superior internal growth and steady cash flows. In the transaction market, MOBs remain well-valued across the board, with buyers affirming cap rates a plus or minus 5% with clear premiums for size and quality. With deep market support from private institutional capital, we expect no change in cap rates in the near-term. In contrast, public MOB REITs have been much more volatile and are currently valued more than 50 basis points above recent transaction level. Accordingly, Healthcare Realty has issued no equity in 2018 and used very little incremental debt; thanks to the conservative balance sheet and relatively modest capital needs. Even so we have been actively investing in recent months, recycling proceeds from asset sales into more sustainable cash flows with yields at or above our implied cap rates. As we continue to monitor transaction flow for quality investments, we have yet to pass on anything solely due to price. However, we are seeing a steady rise in the availability of attractive investments, both acquisitions and developments. As outpatient healthcare delivery remains a top priority for health systems. Our means to expand their market presence while also shifting gear to a lowest cost setting, consistent things in our conversations with health systems. Demand for outpatient properties has been growing for over 25 years and we will continue the tangible solution in the quest occur rising healthcare costs and improve outcomes. And the need for outpatient capacity is expected to accelerate over the coming years as the front-end of the baby-boomers reach their mid-70s. Looking ahead, we will continue to allocate capital judiciously, investing at accretive yields relative to our implied cap rates. With a solid balance sheet, ample liquidity and multiple capital options, we are well-positioned to create value through selective investments. In addition to traditional sources of debt, equity, and dispositions, we continue to carefully evaluate asset level joint ventures of viable alternatives if the public private valuation gap persists. Most importantly, we will continue to apply our operational know-how to bolster performance, the competitive advantage in today's pricing environment, and we will selectively invest with discipline, safely and profitably for the long-term. Bethany?