Kevin Habicht
Analyst · Nick Joseph with Citi. Please proceed with your question
Thanks, Jay. And I'll start off as usual with the cautionary statement that we will make certain statements that may be considered to be forward-looking statements under federal securities laws. The Company's actual future results may differ significantly from the matters discussed in these forward-looking statements, and we may not release revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect changes after the statements were made. Factors and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations are disclosed from time-to-time in greater detail in the Company's filings with the SEC and in this morning's press release. With that headlines from this morning's press release report record quarterly results of $0.67 per share for the first quarter of 2018, which represent 11.7% increase over prior year results and a 6.3% increase over the immediately preceding fourth quarter of 2017. So a solid start to the year, which positioned to increase our Core FFO guidance by $0.02 per share to $2.62 to $2.66 per share for 2018 which is a 5% increase over 2017 results. We're optimistic, 2018 will be a continuation of our mid-single-digit per share multiyear growth goal, while maintaining a strong and liquid balance sheet and not reliant on large amounts of short term and/or floating debt. Our AFFO dividend payout ratio was 70.9% for the first quarter, occupancy picked up 10 basis point to 99.2% at March 31. I'll note as the leases on 20 SunTrust properties expire April 1, the occupancy is expected to kick down a bit in the second quarter but that's also we baked into our guidance. We continue to drive additional operating efficiencies with G&A expense decreasing to 5.7% of revenues for the first quarter of 2018 and that's compared to 6.3% a year ago and compared with 5.8% in the immediately preceding fourth quarter. For purposes of modeling 2018's result, the annual basis rent in place for all leases as of March 31, 2018 $594 million. This allows you to take some of the guess or estimation out of the timing of Q1 acquisitions and disposition as you think about 2018 projections. As I mentioned, we did increase our 2018 Core FFO by $0.02 per share implying 5% growth in annual results that only change in the guidance assumptions on page six of our press release was the $20 million increase in disposition volume to $100 million to $140 million for the year. During the first quarter of 2018, we did not issue any common equity via our ATM equity program. However, the combination of our retained AFFO of $30.1 million that they after all dividend payments, plus the $71.6 million of disposition proceeds provided 58$% of the $177 million invested in new acquisitions, allowing us to maintain a leverage neutral posture, while still growing first quarter results versus fourth quarter 2017 result. We ended the first quarter with only $176 million outstanding on our bank line leaving $724 million of availability. We've not been big users of that short term variable rate part of our capital stag for many years. We remained very well position from a liquidity perspective and a leverage position with the exception of our bank line all of our outstanding debt is fixed rate. Our balance sheet remains in good position to fund future acquisitions and whether potential, economic and capital market turmoil. Looking at the quarter end, leverage metrics debt to gross book assets was 35.5% nearly unchanged from 12, 31, 17 members. As you know, we've never managed our balance sheet around market cap based leverage metrics, more relevant we believe is dead to EBITDA was 4.9 times at March 31 and that compares with 4.9 times for the fourth quarter of 2017 as well. Interest coverage was 5.1 times for the first quarter of 2018 and fixed charge coverage was 3.8 times for the first quarter. Only 5 of 2,800 properties are encumbered by mortgages totaling only $13 million. In clothing, I'll note that 2017, 7% increase in Core FFO per share results follows 2016, 6% growth. And we believe 2018 will be another year of solid growth in operating results. When sourcing capital and making capital allocation investment decisions driving per share result on a multi-year basis is that the forefront of our minds not lying on side. So with that we will open it up for any questions, Doug.