Hap Stein
Analyst · Christine McElroy with Citi. Please proceed with your question
Thanks Laura. Good morning everyone. Before discussing our results and outlook for the remainder of the year and for the future, I'd like to highlight that executive changes we announced yesterday. I'm extremely excited that Lisa Palmer will become President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 1st, 2020, and at that time, I will transition to Executive Chairman. On August 12th, Mike Mas will become Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In addition, Jim Thompson and Mac Chandler will be appointed Chief Operating Officer and Chief Investment Officer to better recognize their roles within the company. This succession is the result of a well-considered plan that Regency has been crafting for the last several years and we have no hesitation that this transition will be seamless. I'm deeply gratified to work with the best professionals in the business. Regency's people are the cornerstone of the company and our values and may have worked together to build a truly wonderful company. Lisa is the embodiment of Regency's culture and success. Over the last several years, Lisa and I have been partners in the direction of Regency, making decisions together every step of the way through Regency's vision, strategy, and consistent execution. And it's through this partnership I know that our understanding of the business, our ability to execute on our strategy, our experience in the capital markets as well as our devotion to our special culture position her to continue to build on Regency's past success. And with the support of the executive team and of our people, we'll continue our focus on being the preeminent national owner, operator, and developer of shopping centers. Now to the quarter, Lisa, Jim, Mac, and Mike will discuss in more detail how we're operating in and in our view is a recently favorable environment which is reflected in the underlying fundamentals. This includes a portfolio that is over 95% leased, net growth in high single-digits and bad debt at prior year's healthy levels. That said, the delayed timing of new leasing in the first half of the year as well as not exceeding our assumptions for move-outs resulted in a decline in rent paying occupancy. This has impacted the second quarter as well as the back half of the year. As a result, we now expect to finish towards the lower end of our same-property NOI growth range, which doesn't meet our high expectations. However, in spite of moderately lower NOI growth in 2019, this year, we continue to generate substantial free cash flow translating into meaningful growth in core earnings and AFFO. Most important of all, I'm confident in our unequaled combination of strategic advantages including the quality of our portfolio, our development capabilities, the strength of our balance sheet and our high -- highly engaged team has and will continue to position Regency to be a leader in the shopping center sector and generate total returns of 8% to 10%. Now, I'll turn the call over to Regency's future Chief Executive Officer, Lisa Palmer.