Conor Flynn
Analyst · BMO Capital Markets
Thanks, Dave, and good morning, everyone. Today, I'll give a brief overview of our 2018 achievements, discuss the retail real estate landscape facing us in 2019 and outline some of the things we hope to accomplish this year. Ross will then follow with an update on the transaction market, and Glenn will close with our financials and outlook for this year. A year ago, we set some ambitious goals for leasing, development and disposition, but we knew it'll require extraordinary execution. Here, we're one year later, and I'm proud to announce that we've exceeded those goals and delivered positive results across the board. We've surpassed the high-end of our initial guidance range for FFO and same-site NOI and achieved an all-time high-small shop occupancy at over 91%. We completed several development and redevelopment projects, including our first large-scale Signature Series mixed-use development and exceeded our goal for disposition, enabling us to end the year with a much stronger and better position portfolio. These accomplishments are testament to the exceptional efforts of our quality team. I want to thank all of our associates who live and breathe the Kimco Notwithstanding our 2018 accomplishments, we'll not and cannot rest. On the contrary, how we respond to the challenges and opportunities of 2019 and beyond will determine our future success. Winston Churchill famously said, if you don't take change by the hand, it will grab you by the throat. These words ring true as much today as when they were first Change is occurring all around us, and the retail real estate landscape is not immune. And as the retail environment continues to evolve with new concepts and strategies to meet the needs and demands of today's consumer, the status quo is not an option. E-commerce and distribution have dramatically changed some of the most long-standing retail concepts, trade area, store counts and even what constitutes sale, just to name a few. 2019 will produce new winners and underperformers. Store sizes will change, and more e-commerce retailers will open physical locations. So while the demand for high-quality real estate in 2018 remain strong, as evidenced by our solid performance, the landscape in 2019 and beyond continues to change, and we've repositioned our portfolio to capture those opportunities that change inevitably brings. Our strategy is simple own the best real estate in the top 20 markets where consumer demand is high and supply constraints. Our portfolio is now tightly concentrated in high-growth areas where there are significant barriers to entry. We have removed the drag from underperforming assets and have invested in our best assets and our people. We believe that the high-quality, open-air shopping center that comprises our portfolio is the right product for the future. First half, the physical store is here to stay. It may look different in the years to come, but the physical store continues to be the heartbeat of a healthy brand experience and the cheapest and most effective form of customer acquisition. Moreover, many retailers have made it clear that they price the visibility, convenience, accessibility and modest occupancy cost that our sites offer. More specifically, retailers value with visibility of store nearby streets and highways has an important marketing tool. In addition, as more and more retailers add quick and collect shopping to their customer experience, retailers find that the local convenience and easy access of open-air shopping centers to be a marketing advantage. Retailers are also seeking other sites because of their suitability for redevelopment and our plans to create mixed-use campuses that had residential, hospitality and entertainment components, not to mention drive throughs, quick and collect areas and home delivery house. So while the threat of from is real, we believe that in those instances where the mall space is competing with high-quality, open-air space, open-air space will often win out. As a case in point, in 2018, we were able to lease 80% of our Toys"R"Us boxes in just six short months, bringing in driving retailers that will enhance the overall volume and experience at these centers. Similarly, if opportunities arrive at the we're confident that we can create value and worth noting is our exposure in now limited to just 13 locations that represent 60 basis points of Kimco's total Our Signature Series developments and redevelopments continue to come online, and we expect 2019 to be another year of successful milestones for these projects. Dania Phase I is now opened and operating and over 93% leased. Phase II is under construction with strong leasing momentum. And we've just added Phase III to the pipeline, as demand continues to be robust in the market of Fort Lauderdale Beach. Our Lincoln Square mixed-use project in Philadelphia continues to shine and was recently voted the best new building in Philly by local residents in an online poll. The Whittemore city mixed-use project in the D.C. market is topped off and will start to lease up later this year, perfectly timed to benefit from its ideal location directly across from Amazon's new headquarters. Construction of the Boulevard Staten Island is progressing nicely in place and the project is now over 92% pre-leased. We believe the Signature Series portfolio will be a key driver of growth as the current projects are completed and the pipeline with new carefully selected redevelopment opportunities. 2019 is said to be an exciting year at Kimco as we capitalize on our Transform portfolio and drive increase cash flow and value. And now, I'll turn it over to Ross.