Raymond J. Lewis
Analyst · Rich Anderson, BMO Capital Markets
Thank you, Debbie. Today, I'd like to share with you how our strategic growth and diversification strategy, coupled with our rigorous asset management approach, continues to deliver results with a potent combination of our higher growth seniors housing operating asset, coupled with the stable cash flows of our triple-net lease portfolios and MOBs. First, I'll briefly cover the performance of our triple-net lease portfolio, which is diversified across 913 seniors housing, skilled nursing and hospital assets with over 73 tenants. These assets are generally in pool, multi-facility, long-term after leases with credit and structural support. Cash flow coverage in our same-store triple-net lease portfolio for the first quarter of 2012 was strong at 1.7x, and our Kindred coverage remains strong at 2x. Coverage across our same-store portfolio of senior housing and hospital assets was stable to slightly improving sequentially at 1.3x and 2.5x, respectively. As expected, coverage in the same-store skilled nursing portfolio declined sequentially from 2x to a still, very healthy, 1.9x, due to the inclusion of another quarter of the 2012 CMS reimbursement cut in the debt period. We expect an update from CMS for the 2013 fiscal year, Medicare reimbursement rate and the skilled nursing and long-term acute care hospital sectors to be delivered shortly. Our expectations for skilled nursing is a net 1% to 2% increase beginning October 1, 2012. As for the LTACs, the proposed rule issued in April called for a 1.9% increase in spending, and it's possible that the final rule could be more favorable. These impacts on the SNF and LTAC sectors are before any impact from sequestration, if it occurs. So, all in all, the near-term outlook is stable for reimbursement. Before I move on, I'd like to take just a brief moment to update you on the status of the releasing process for 54 skilled nursing facilities. With the completion of the lease on the 10 LTAC properties that Debbie mentioned, we have renewed 35 of the 89 properties, including all 16 of the LTACs, and about 60% of the existing rent on the building. We've been actively managing the process and have generated significant interest in the remaining 54 assets. In fact, we have received strong interest with multiple bids in all states from both existing and prospective relationships including national, local and regional operators. As a reminder, our goals in this process are to do business with reputable operators and to maximize rent, and we expect to enter into multiple transactions to achieve this outcome. And while we are still relatively early in the process, we are encouraged by the broad interest in our assets and continue to believe that our current rents are consistent with market level. We hope to be able to provide you with more clarity in the third quarter as the marketing process unfolds. Next, I'd like to discuss our seniors housing operating portfolio, which accounts for 26% of our NOI. With the addition of the 16 new Sunrise properties that we acquired in April, this portfolio now consists of 214 high-quality, independent and assisted-living communities in affluent markets around major metropolitan areas managed by Sunrise and Atria. As we have been saying, these best-in-class properties have core-like characteristics, but provide above core return. And right on cue, our portfolio turned in another strong performance in the second quarter, with positive sequential and year-over-year increases in occupancy, NOI and margin. NOI, before management fees, for the total same-store portfolio increased 2% sequentially in the second quarter to $107.9 million compared to the first quarter of 2012. And NOI, after management fees, was $91.8 million, up about 1.7% sequentially. Unit occupancy in our 197 property same-store portfolio continued its upward trend by increasing 80 basis points sequentially to 89.2%. NYXdata on the Top 31 MSA shows that unit occupancies increased 40 basis point sequentially. Typically, we would expect to see a seasonal decline in occupancy at the beginning of the second quarter but not this year. On the contrary, occupancy has continued to be very strong and we are very pleased with the overall performance. In second quarter of last year, NOI and the 196 properties in our same-store Sunrise and Atria portfolio, grew 8% before management fees and 4.8% after management fees. As a reminder, our Sunrise-based management fee reverted the 6% of revenues this year, up from the 3.75% reduced rate that we had negotiated for 2011. Year-over-year, unit occupancy and the same-store Sunrise- and Atria-managed portfolios grew 250 basis points to 89.3% compared to a 10 basis point year-over-year occupancy increased reported by NYX for the top 30 MSAs. On May 1, we closed the acquisition of 16 Sunrise communities for $362 million. These high-quality assets were developed by Sunrise are similar in quality to our existing Sunrise portfolio and are 4-years old on average. Based on the performance during the first couple of months of our ownership, the current yield on this portfolio is over 7%. As the consequence of the 17th Sunrise and Atria operating properties acquired in the first half and our strong performance year-to-date, we are raising our full-year guidance range on our seniors housing operating assets to $375 million to $381 million, from $350 million to $360 million. We expect performance for the 197th senior housing asset included in our original guidance to be at the high-end of the original range. Though those expenses were slightly higher this quarter, in line with what we expected and what we told you during our first quarter results call, and we expect this trend to continue into the second half. But all in all, the results of our operating assets have continued to prove out our strategy that investing in the best asset in the best market with the best operators will result in above average growth for Ventas. Before I turn to acquisitions, I'd like to discuss the Ventas' MOB portfolio, with which the acquisition of Cogdell Spencer, which closed on April 2, now comprises 320 properties standing on about $17.4 million-owned square feet and accounts for 15% of our annualized NOI. Here are a few of the MOB segment highlights for the second quarter. Cash NOI in the 69 same-store consolidated MOBs that we own in both the second quarter of 2011 and 2012, increased 3.2% year-over-year. Driven primarily by increases in rate and expense control, offset by a slight decrease in occupancy. Occupancy in our 245 stable MOBs was just under 92% in the second quarter. Occupancy in the same-store stable portfolio in the second quarter of 2012 was consistent with the first quarter and leasing activity remained strong. We closed our acquisition of Cogdell in early April and due to the efforts of many talented professionals at both companies, the closing and integration went exceptionally well. The portfolio consists of 71 high-quality medical office buildings containing 3.9 million square feet located primarily on the campuses of leading health care systems in the Southeast. Stable portfolio is 94% occupied and we purchased the entire portfolio for less than $200 per square foot. Second quarter financial results are in line or slightly better than our expectations, making the acquisition cap rate in the mid-7% range. We welcome our new Cogdell colleagues to the company. Finally, we will complete and open 3 100% pre-leased medical office building developments in the second half containing 278,000 square feet. The total development cost is approximately $109 million and the expected yield to cost averages 8.4%. Though our medical office business continues to provide steady performance and with the addition of Cogdell, a further diversification of our national platform and relationships with leading health care system across the country, that position us to continue to consolidate and grow in this attractive space. Finally, before I turn the call over to Rick Schweinhart, I'd like to spend a brief moment on the investment environment. Our acquisition pipeline is very active and we are seeing both small and large acquisition opportunities. In addition, to the $1.1 billion we have invested in the Cogdell and Sunrise transactions, we have also closed investments of $159 million in the first half of the year at an average going in unlevered cash yield exceeding 7%. We also expect to complete over $300 million in additional acquisitions in the third quarter at approximately 7% going in unlevered yield. All of this investment activity is coming from existing NHP, Lillibridge or Ventas relationships. Our opportunities continue to be diverse. Individual assets, small and large portfolios, both senior housing and MOBs, and play off the trends of demographic growth and operator consolidation. The U.S. health care market is large, growing and still very fragmented and there are no shortages of potential opportunities available to us from either existing customers or new relationships. With that, I'll turn the call over to Rick Schweinhart, who will discuss our financial results. Rick?