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Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. Announces 2015 Second Quarter Financial Results

August 10, 2015 4:05 PM

Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures, including FFO, Core FFO, Property NOI, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are included in the accompanying financial tables

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ: WHLR) (“Wheeler” or the “Company”) today reported operating and financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2015 and the six month period ended June 30, 2015.

2015 Second Quarter Highlights (all comparisons to the same prior year period unless otherwise noted)

2015 Year-to-Date Highlights (all comparisons to the same prior year period unless otherwise noted)

Jon S. Wheeler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We had a successful first half of 2015, as the Company continues to grow its property portfolio of predominately grocery-anchored or shadow-anchored shopping centers in secondary and tertiary markets. We were very pleased with the results of the conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock and the results for the exchange offer of the Series A and Series B Preferred Stock. The conversion of the preferred was a part of our strategy to simplify our balance sheet, as laid out in the offering completed during the first quarter. We have efficiently deployed capital from the proceeds and closed on the acquisition of three retail properties during the quarter ended June 30, 2015.

Mr. Wheeler continued, “Our leasing efforts remain steadfast, as we continue to report above average occupancy and lease renewals increasing 4.05% for the second quarter 2015 over the prior year, marking the tenth straight quarter of positive renewals for our asset portfolio. This growth is a clear indication that we will continue to capitalize on the expertise of our team. We remain committed to optimizing the space at our centers while maintaining high occupancy levels with strong anchor tenants that drive traffic to the area. We have solid relationships and work to ensure desirable positions that will improve sales for our tenants therefore driving rents for the Company. In the months ahead, management will continue to implement its strategic plan of achieving proper scale, combined with strong asset management and operating performance, and acquiring ‘necessity based’ retail properties at highly desirable cap rates to produce solid returns with predictable and sustainable growth. We expect the positive momentum to continue in the third and fourth quarters, as we execute on our business plan.”

2015 Second Quarter Financial Review

2015 Year-to-Date Financial Review

Acquisition Activity

Leasing Review

Balance Sheet Summary

Dividend Distribution

Subsequent Activity

Supplemental Information

Further details regarding Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.’s operations and financials for the period ended June 30, 2015, including a supplemental presentation, are available through the Company’s website by visiting www.whlr.us.

About Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.

Headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA, Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. is a fully-integrated, self-managed commercial real estate investment company focused on acquiring and managing income-producing retail properties with a primary focus on grocery-anchored centers. Wheeler’s portfolio contains well-located, potentially dominant retail properties in secondary and tertiary markets that generate attractive, risk-adjusted returns, with a particular emphasis on grocery-anchored retail centers. . For additional information about the Company, please visit: www.whlr.us.

Financial Information

A copy of Wheeler’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which includes the Company’s consolidated financial statements and management’s discussion & analysis of financial condition and results of operations, will be available upon filing via the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website (www.sec.gov) or through Wheeler’s website at www.whlr.us.

FFO, Core FFO, Pro Forma Core FFO, Property NOI, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Wheeler considers FFO, Core FFO, Pro Forma Core FFO, Property NOI, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to be important supplemental measures of its operating performance and believes it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of REITs, many of which present FFO when reporting their results. FFO is intended to exclude GAAP historical cost depreciation and amortization of real estate and related assets, which assumes that the value of real estate assets diminishes ratably over time. Historically, however, real estate values have risen or fallen with market conditions. Because FFO excludes depreciation and amortization unique to real estate, gains and losses from property dispositions and extraordinary items, the Company believes that it provides a performance measure that, when compared year-over-year, reflects the impact to operations from trends in occupancy rates, rental rates, operating costs, development activities and interest costs, providing perspective not immediately apparent from the closest GAAP measurement, net income.

Management believes that the computation of FFO in accordance with NAREIT’s definition includes certain items that are not indicative of the operating performance of the Company’s real estate assets. These items include, but are not limited to, non-recurring expenses, legal settlements, legal and professional fees, and acquisition costs. Management uses Core FFO, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, to exclude such items. Management believes that reporting Core FFO and Pro Forma Core FFO in addition to FFO is a useful supplemental measure for the investment community to use when evaluating the operating performance of the Company on a comparative basis. Management also believes that Property NOI, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA represent important supplemental measures for securities analysts, investors and other interested parties, as they are often used in calculating net asset value, leverage and other financial metrics used by these parties in the evaluation of REITs.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended, including (i) the future generation of financial returns from the acquisition of ‘necessity based’ retail focused properties; (ii) the Company’s ability to complete future acquisitions of properties; (iii) the Company's expectation to have higher occupancy rates; (iv) the future generation of financial growth from the Company's anticipated execution of its business plan; (v) the anticipated renewals of the Company’s existing leases at amounts and terms comparable to existing leases; (vi) the anticipated implementation of the Company’s acquisition strategy; (vii) payment of future dividends on the Company’s preferred stock and common stock; and (viii) the anticipated development of the 0.47 acres of undeveloped land in Virginia Beach, Virginia and 2.0 acre parcel adjacent to the Brook Run Shopping Center in Richmond, Virginia; and (ix) potential increase in the Company's revenues due to improved sales from its tenants. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but are the intent, belief or current expectations of management based on its knowledge and understanding of our business and industry. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “potential,” “predicts,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” or the negative of such terms and variations of these words and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements that were true at the time made may ultimately prove to be incorrect or false. You are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s view only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements made in this press release include:

Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2015 2014 2015 2014
(unaudited) (unaudited)
REVENUE:
Rental revenues $ 4,910,403 $ 2,999,290 $ 9,291,008 $ 5,948,100
Asset management fees 121,184 333,482
Commissions 111,717 220,610
Tenant reimbursement and other income 1,560,057 634,404 2,610,402 1,349,746
Total Revenue 6,703,361 3,633,694 12,455,502 7,297,846
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Property operations 1,901,313 909,037 3,533,492 1,832,219
Non-REIT management and leasing services 231,777 601,552
Depreciation and amortization 4,074,749 1,735,944 7,311,233 3,521,546
Provision for credit losses 54,538 (28,032 ) 101,736 (28,032 )
Corporate general & administrative 3,518,630 1,385,549 5,829,860 2,217,867
Total Operating Expenses 9,781,007 4,002,498 17,377,873 7,543,600
Operating Loss (3,077,646) (368,804) (4,922,371) (245,754)
Interest expense (2,217,592 ) (1,536,637 ) (4,596,056 ) (2,905,575 )
Net Loss (5,295,238) (1,905,441) (9,518,427) (3,151,329)
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests (440,216 ) (81,451 ) (902,592 ) (168,703 )
Net Loss Attributable to Wheeler REIT (4,855,022) (1,823,990) (8,615,835) (2,982,626)
Preferred stock dividends (8,334,102 ) (423,555 ) (10,836,325 ) (464,258 )

Deemed dividend related to beneficial conversion featureof preferred stock

(59,520,000 ) (59,520,000 )
Net Loss Attributable to Wheeler REIT Common Shareholders $ (72,709,124 ) $ (2,247,545 ) $ (78,972,160 ) $ (3,446,884 )
Loss per share:
Basic and Diluted $ (4.13 ) $ (0.31 ) $ (6.20 ) $ (0.47 )
Weighted-average number of shares:
Basic and Diluted 17,594,873 7,329,788 12,727,710 7,258,068
Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet
June 30, 2015 December 31, 2014
(unaudited)
ASSETS:
Investment properties, net $ 192,945,133 $ 152,250,986
Cash and cash equivalents 49,165,844 9,969,748
Rents and other tenant receivables, net 2,193,602 1,985,466
Goodwill 5,485,823 7,004,072
Above market lease intangibles, net 5,681,901 4,488,900
Deferred costs and other assets, net 45,688,802 29,272,096
Total Assets $ 301,161,105 $ 204,971,268
LIABILITIES:
Loans payable $ 163,826,466 $ 141,450,143
Below market lease intangible, net 5,016,648 5,267,073
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities 8,227,725 5,130,625
Total Liabilities 177,070,839 151,847,841
Commitments and contingencies
EQUITY:

Series A preferred stock (no par value, 4,500 shares authorized, 1,809 shares

issued and outstanding, respectively)

1,458,050 1,458,050

Series B preferred stock (no par value, 3,000,000 shares authorized, 1,595,900 and

1,648,900 shares issued and outstanding, respectively)

36,806,496 37,620,254

Common stock ($0.01 par value, 150,000,000 shares authorized, 54,419,013 and

7,512,979 shares issued and outstanding, respectively

544,190 75,129
Additional paid-in capital 183,834,995 31,077,060
Accumulated deficit (108,544,140 ) (27,660,234 )
Total Shareholders' Equity 114,099,591 42,570,259
Noncontrolling interests 9,990,675 10,553,168
Total Equity 124,090,266 53,123,427
Total Liabilities and Equity $ 301,161,105 $ 204,971,268
Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of Funds From Operations (FFO)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended June 30,
Same Stores New Stores Total

Period Over PeriodChanges

2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 $ %
Net income (loss) $ (3,190,090 ) $ (1,905,441 ) $ (2,105,148 ) $ $ (5,295,238 ) $ (1,905,441 ) $ (3,389,797 ) 177.90 %
Depreciation of real estate assets 1,675,071 1,735,944 2,399,678 4,074,749 1,735,944 2,338,805 134.73 %
Total FFO $ (1,515,019 ) $ (169,497 ) $ 294,530 $ $ (1,220,489 ) $ (169,497 ) $ (1,050,992 ) 620.07 %
Six Months Ended June 30,
Same Stores New Stores Total

Period Over PeriodChanges

2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 $ %
Net income (loss) $ (5,860,605 ) $ (3,151,329 ) $ (3,657,822 ) $ $ (9,518,427 ) $ (3,151,329 ) $ (6,367,098 ) 202.04 %
Depreciation of real estate assets 3,323,853 3,521,546 3,987,380 7,311,233 3,521,546 3,789,687 107.61 %
Total FFO $ (2,536,752 ) $ 370,217 $ 329,558 $ $ (2,207,194 ) $ 370,217 $ (2,577,411 ) (696.19 )%
Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of Core Funds From Operations (Core FFO)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
2015 2014 2015 2014
Total FFO $ (1,220,489 ) $ (169,497 ) $ (2,207,194 ) $ 370,217
Preferred stock dividends (8,334,102 ) (423,555 ) (10,836,325 ) (464,258 )
Preferred stock accretion adjustments 5,768,361 67,137 6,979,563 67,137
Total FFO available to common shareholders and common unitholders (3,786,230 ) (525,915 ) (6,063,956 ) (26,904 )
Acquisition costs 740,223 343,000 1,433,739 400,000
Capital raise costs 553,132 621,650

Other non-recurring expenses (1)

327,480 416,980
Share-based compensation 256,300 145,000 301,300 145,000
Straight-line rent (34,824 ) (49,260 ) (93,435 ) (138,109 )
Loan cost amortization 259,050 187,769 745,248 274,600
Above (below) market lease amortization 213,746 (22,452 ) 409,475 (45,756 )
Perimeter legal accrual 124,300 124,300
Tenant improvement reserves (63,400 ) (122,900 )
Recurring capital expenditures (76,100 ) (147,500 )
Total Core FFO $ (1,486,323 ) $ 78,142 $ (2,375,099 ) $ 608,831
Weighted Average Common Shares 17,594,873 7,329,788 12,727,710 7,258,068
Weighted Average Common Units 3,695,990 2,008,338 3,618,712 1,935,741
Total Common Shares and Units 21,290,863 9,338,126 16,346,422 9,193,809
FFO per Common Share and Common Units $ (0.18 ) $ (0.06 ) $ (0.37 ) $
Core FFO per Common Share and Common Units $ (0.07 ) $ 0.01 $ (0.15 ) $ 0.07

Pro Forma Core FFO per Common Share and Common Units (2)

$ 0.02 $ 0.04

(1)

Other non-recurring expenses are detailed in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included in our June 2015 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

(2)

Pro forma Core FFO assumes the following transactions had occurred on January 1, 2015: (i) the Pierpont Center, Alex City Marketplace, Butler Square, Brook Run Shopping Center, Beaver Ruin Village, Beaver Ruin Village II, Chesapeake Square acquisitions; the Series C Preferred Stock capital raise and subsequent conversion; and the Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock exchange offer that closed on July 23, 2015. Additionally, we excluded all non-recurring expenses detailed in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in our June 2015 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Lumber River loan which was paid off on May 1, 2015 and any additional common stock and common units issued during the six months ended June 30, 2015 were outstanding for the entire period. The Pro forma Core FFO is being presented solely for purposes of illustrating the potential impact of these transactions as if they occurred on January 1, 2015, based on information currently available to management, and is not necessarily indicative of what actual results would have been had the transactions referred to above occurred on January 1, 2015.

Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of Property Net Operating Income
Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
2015 2014 2015 2014
(unaudited) (unaudited)
Property revenues $ 6,470,460 $ 3,633,694 $ 11,901,410 $ 7,297,846
Property expenses 1,901,313 909,037 3,533,492 1,832,219
Property Net Operating Income 4,569,147 2,724,657 8,367,918 5,465,627
Asset Management and Commission Revenues 232,901 554,092
Non-REIT management and leasing services 231,777 601,552
Depreciation and amortization 4,074,749 1,735,944 7,311,233 3,521,546
Provision for credit losses 54,538 (28,032 ) 101,736 (28,032 )
Corporate general & administrative 3,518,630 1,385,549 5,829,860 2,217,867
Total Other Operating Expenses 7,879,694 3,093,461 13,844,381 5,711,381
Interest expense 2,217,592 1,536,637 4,596,056 2,905,575
Net Loss $ (5,295,238 ) $ (1,905,441 ) $ (9,518,427 ) $ (3,151,329 )
Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization - EBITDA
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
2015 2014 2015 2014
(unaudited) (unaudited)

Net Loss

$ (5,295,238 ) $ (1,905,441 ) $ (9,518,427 ) $ (3,151,329 )

Add back:

Depreciation and amortization (1)

4,288,495 1,713,492 7,720,708 3,475,790
Interest Expense (2) 2,217,592 1,536,637 4,596,056 2,905,575

EBITDA

1,210,849 1,344,688 2,798,337 3,230,036
Adjustments for items affecting comparability:
Acquisition costs 740,223 343,000 1,433,739 400,000
Capital activities costs 553,132 621,650
Other non-recurring expenses (3) 370,480 416,980
$ 2,874,684 $ 1,687,688 $ 5,270,706 $ 3,630,036
(1)

Includes above (below) market lease amortization.

(2) Includes loan cost amortization.
(3) Other non-recurring expenses are detailed in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included in our June 2015 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.

Robin Hanisch, 757-627-9088

Corporate Secretary

[email protected]

or

Laura Nguyen, 757-627-9088

Director of Marketing

[email protected]

or

The Equity Group Inc.

Terry Downs, 212-836-9615

Associate

[email protected]

or

Adam Prior, 212-836-9606

Senior Vice-President

[email protected]

Source: Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.

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