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Empire State Realty Trust Announces First Quarter 2026 Results

April 29, 2026 4:05 PM

– Net Income Per Fully Diluted Share of $0.01 –

– Core FFO Per Fully Diluted Share of $0.20 –

– Acquired Prime Retail Asset in Williamsburg for $46M with Recycled Investment Capacity –

– Completed $184M of Financings that Extend Debt Maturities –

– 2026 Outlook Unchanged –

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of well-leased, top of tier, modernized, amenitized, and well-located office, retail, and multifamily assets. ESRT’s flagship Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building,” features its iconic Observatory. The Company is a recognized leader in energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. Today the Company reported its operational and financial results for the first quarter of 2026. All per share amounts are on a fully diluted basis, where applicable.

First Quarter and Recent Highlights

Property Operations1

As of March 31, 2026, the Company’s property portfolio comprised 7.6 million rentable square feet of office space, 0.8 million rentable square feet of retail space and 743 residential units, which were occupied and leased as shown below.

March 31, 20262,3

December 31, 20252,3

March 31, 20252

Percent occupied:

Total commercial portfolio

88.2%

90.3%

87.9%

Office

87.9%

89.9%

87.5%

Retail

91.2%

94.4%

91.2%

Percent leased (includes signed leases not commenced):

Total commercial portfolio

93.2%

93.6%

92.5%

Office

93.0%

93.5%

92.3%

Retail

95.4%

95.3%

94.1%

Total multifamily portfolio

96.4%

97.8%

99.0%

1 Excludes approximately 15,000 square feet of retail space under redevelopment related to the June 2025 acquisition of 86-90 North 6th Street, approximately 396,000 square feet of space, comprised of 368,000 square feet of office space and 28,000 square feet of retail space, related to the December 2025 acquisition of 130 Mercer Street, which will be redeveloped, and approximately 22,000 square feet of retail space related to the March 2026 acquisition of 41-55 North 6th Street, which is newly constructed and currently vacant.

2 All occupancy and leased percentages exclude broadcasting and storage space.

3 Occupancy and leased percentages for March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025 exclude Metro Center, which was sold during the fourth quarter 2025.

Leasing

The tables that follow summarize leasing activity for the first quarter of 2026. During this period, the Company signed 11 leases that totaled 113,484 square feet with an average lease duration of 12.2 years.

Total Portfolio

Total Portfolio

Leases executed

Square footage

executed

Average cash rent psf – leases

executed

% of new cash rent over / under previously

escalated rents

Office

9

90,687

59.46

6.8 %

Retail

2

22,797

135.49

(1.1) %

Total Overall

11

113,484

74.73

3.8 %

Office Portfolio

Office Portfolio

Leases executed

Square footage

executed

Average cash rent psf – leases

executed

% of new cash rent over / under previously

escalated rents

New Office

7

83,397

58.54

5.9 %

Renewal Office

2

7,290

70.00

16.3 %

Total Office

9

90,687

59.46

6.8 %

Leasing Activity Highlights

Balance Sheet

The Company had $0.6 billion of total liquidity as of March 31, 2026, which was comprised of $69 million of cash, plus $530 million available under its revolving credit facility. At March 31, 2026, the Company had total debt outstanding of approximately $2.3 billion at a weighted average interest rate of 4.54%. At March 31, 2026, the Company’s ratio of net debt to adjusted EBITDA was 6.3x.

The Company closed on a $53.5 million mortgage refinancing for 10 Union Square East, as previously announced. The 10-year interest-only loan carries a fixed interest rate of 5.3% and replaces a $50.0 million loan that matured on April 1, 2026. In mid-April, the Company entered into a note purchase agreement to issue $130 million of senior unsecured notes in a private placement transaction at a fixed rate of 5.99% that matures in 2032. The private placement is scheduled to fund on July 15, 2026.

Portfolio Transaction Activity

The Company acquired a newly constructed, prime retail asset located at 41-55 North 6th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for $46.0 million at the end of the first quarter, as previously announced. The approximately 22,000 square foot property, currently vacant, is located between Kent and Wythe Avenues and in close proximity to the Company’s existing 102,000 square foot portfolio of prime retail assets along North 6th Street. The property adds eight new storefronts to the Company's already dominant position along the corridor. This acquisition, together with the Company’s purchase of 86-90 North 6th Street in mid-2025, completed the redeployment of investment capacity from the December 2025 disposition of Metro Center, its last suburban commercial asset, without a recognition of a taxable gain. These transactions were part of the Company’s strategy to recycle capital from non-core suburban assets into high-quality NYC assets with stronger long-term cash flow growth prospects.

Dividend

On March 31, 2026, the Company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.035 per share or unit, as applicable, for the first quarter of 2026 to holders of the Company’s Class A common stock (NYSE: ESRT) and Class B common stock and to holders of the Series ES, Series 250 and Series 60 partnership units (NYSE Arca: ESBA, FISK and OGCP, respectively) and Series PR partnership units of Empire State Realty OP, L.P., the Company’s operating partnership (the “Operating Partnership”).

On March 31, 2026, the Company paid a quarterly preferred dividend of $0.15 and $0.175 per unit for the first quarter of 2026 to holders of the Operating Partnership’s Series 2014 and 2019 private perpetual preferred units, respectively.

2026 Earnings Outlook

The Company provides 2026 guidance and key assumptions, as summarized in the table below. The Company’s guidance does not include the impact of any significant future lease termination fee income or any unannounced acquisition, disposition or other capital markets activity.

Key Assumptions

2026 Guidance

2025 Actual
Results

Comments

Earnings

Core FFO Per Fully Diluted Share

$0.85 to $0.89

$0.87

  • 2026 assumes ~($0.03) impact from temporary downtime associated with the previously disclosed FDIC expiration, which has been re-leased

Property Assumptions

Commercial Occupancy at year-end

90% to 92%

90.3%

SS Property Cash NOI

(excluding lease termination fees)

-1.5% to +2.0%

+0.6% (ex-one-
time items)

  • Assumes positive y/y revenue growth
  • Assumes a ~2.0 to 4.0% y/y increase in operating expenses and real estate taxes
  • 2026 assumes ~(270 bps) impact from temporary downtime associated with the previously disclosed FDIC expiration, which has been re-leased

Observatory Drivers

Observatory NOI

$87M to $92M

$90M

  • Reflects average quarterly expenses of ~$10M

Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders and the Operating Partnership

Low

High

$0.19

$0.23

Add:

Impairment Charge

0.00

0.00

Real Estate Depreciation & Amortization

0.65

0.65

Less:

Private Perpetual Distributions

0.02

0.02

Gain on Disposal of Real Estate, net

0.00

0.00

FFO Attributable to Common Stockholders and the Operating Partnership

$0.82

$0.86

Add:

Amortization of Below Market Ground Lease

0.03

0.03

Core FFO Attributable to Common Stockholders and the Operating Partnership

$0.85

$0.89

The estimates set forth above may be subject to fluctuations as a result of several factors, including continued impacts of changes in the use of office space and remote work on our business and our market, performance of the Observatory (including tourism levels, currency and geopolitical impacts, weather and competition), our ability to complete planned capital improvements in line with budget, costs of integration of completed acquisitions, costs associated with future acquisitions or other transactions, straight-line rent adjustments and the amortization of above and below-market leases. There can be no assurance that the Company’s actual results will not differ materially from the estimates set forth above.

Investor Presentation Update

The Company has posted on the “Investors” section of ESRT’s website the latest investor presentation, which contains additional information on its businesses, financial condition and results of operations.

Webcast and Conference Call Details

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. will host a webcast and conference call, open to the general public, on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 12:00 pm Eastern time.

The webcast will be available in the “Investors” section of ESRT’s website. To listen to the live broadcast, go to the site at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time in order to register, download and install any necessary audio software. The conference call can also be accessed by dialing 1-877-407-3982 for domestic callers or 1-201-493-6780 for international callers.

Starting shortly after the call until May 14, 2026, a replay of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website, and a dial-in replay will be available by dialing 1-844-512-2921 for domestic callers or 1-412-317­6671 for international callers. The passcode for this dial-in replay is 13759470.

The Supplemental Report and Investor Presentation are additional components of the quarterly earnings announcement and are now available on the “Investors” section of ESRT’s website.

The Company uses, and intends to continue to use, the “Investors” page of its website, which can be found at www.esrtreit.com, as a means to disclose material nonpublic information and to comply with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD, including, without limitation, through the posting of investor presentations that may include material nonpublic information. Accordingly, investors should monitor the “Investors” page, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, presentations and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this document.

About Empire State Realty Trust

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of well-leased, top of tier, modernized, amenitized, and well-located office, retail, and multifamily assets. ESRT’s flagship Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building,” features its iconic Observatory. The Company is a recognized leader in energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. As of March 31, 2026, ESRT’s portfolio is comprised of approximately 8.0 million rentable square feet of office space, 0.8 million rentable square feet of retail space and 743 residential units. More information about Empire State Realty Trust can be found at esrtreit.com and by following ESRT on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts and can generally be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “estimate,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: economic and market conditions (including the impact of catastrophic events, pandemics, extreme weather, terrorism, armed hostilities, cybersecurity threats and other technology disruptions); increased costs due to tariffs or other economic factors; changes in the New York City office, retail, multifamily and tourism markets (including changes in the use of office space and remote work); leasing activity, tenant defaults, early terminations and renewals, occupancy levels and rental rates; performance of the Observatory (including tourism levels, currency and geopolitical impacts, weather and competition); interest rate volatility and capital markets conditions, including our ability to refinance, restructure or extend indebtedness; real estate valuation declines and potential impairment charges; our ability to execute capital projects and complete acquisitions on acceptable terms; risks relating to governmental regulation, environmental and climate-related requirements (including Local Law 97), and our ability to achieve sustainability goals and metrics; risks relating to our ground leases; our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT; potential taxable gain arising from transactions structured to qualify under Section 1031; legal proceedings; and risks relating to our disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting. For a discussion of these and other factors, see the section entitled “Risk Factors” of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and any additional factors that may be contained in any filing we make with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(unaudited and amounts in thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended March 31,

2026

2025

Revenues

Rental revenue

$

166,105

$

154,542

Observatory revenue

18,510

23,161

Lease termination fees

1,356

Third-party management and other fees

277

431

Other revenue and fees

4,077

1,932

Total revenues

190,325

180,066

Operating expenses

Property operating expenses

47,744

45,060

Ground rent expenses

2,331

2,331

General and administrative expenses

18,093

16,940

Observatory expenses

7,868

8,118

Real estate taxes

34,613

33,050

Depreciation and amortization

50,219

48,779

Total operating expenses

160,868

154,278

Total operating income

29,457

25,788

Other income (expense):

Interest income

613

3,786

Interest expense

(28,137

)

(26,938

)

Interest expense associated with property in receivership

(647

)

Gain on disposition of properties

13,170

Income before income taxes

1,933

15,159

Income tax benefit

1,062

619

Net income

2,995

15,778

Net income attributable to non-controlling interests:

Non-controlling interest in the Operating Partnership

(710

)

(5,508

)

Preferred unit distributions

(1,050

)

(1,050

)

Net income attributable to common stockholders

$

1,235

$

9,220

Total weighted average shares

Basic

170,673

167,181

Diluted

269,348

269,529

Earnings per share attributable to common stockholders

Basic

$

0.01

$

0.06

Diluted

$

0.01

$

0.05

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

Reconciliation of Net Income to Funds From Operations (“FFO”),

Modified Funds From Operations (“Modified FFO”) and Core Funds From Operations (“Core FFO”)

(unaudited and amounts in thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended March 31,

2026

2025

Net income

$

2,995

$

15,778

Preferred unit distributions

(1,050

)

(1,050

)

Real estate depreciation and amortization

49,292

47,871

Gain on disposition of properties

(13,170

)

FFO attributable to common stockholders and Operating Partnership units

51,237

49,429

Amortization of below-market ground leases

1,958

1,958

Modified FFO attributable to common stockholders and Operating Partnership units

53,195

51,387

Interest expense associated with property in receivership

647

Core FFO attributable to common stockholders and Operating Partnership units

$

53,195

$

52,034

Total weighted average shares and Operating Partnership units

Basic

268,792

267,073

Diluted

269,348

269,529

FFO per share

Basic

$

0.19

$

0.19

Diluted

$

0.19

$

0.18

Modified FFO per share

Basic

$

0.20

$

0.19

Diluted

$

0.20

$

0.19

Core FFO per share

Basic

$

0.20

$

0.19

Diluted

$

0.20

$

0.19

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

Reconciliation of Net Income to Cash NOI and Same Store Cash NOI

(unaudited and amounts in thousands)

Three Months Ended March 31,

2026

2025

Net income

$

2,995

$

15,778

Add:

General and administrative expenses

18,093

16,940

Depreciation and amortization

50,219

48,779

Interest expense

28,137

26,938

Interest expense associated with property in receivership

647

Income tax benefit

(1,062

)

(619

)

Less:

Gain on disposition of property

(13,170

)

Third-party management and other fees

(277

)

(431

)

Interest income

(613

)

(3,786

)

Net operating income

97,492

91,076

Straight-line rent

(7,209

)

(5,283

)

Above/below-market rent revenue amortization

(670

)

(798

)

Below-market ground lease amortization

1,958

1,958

Total cash NOI - including Observatory and lease termination fees

91,571

86,953

Less: Observatory NOI

(10,642

)

(15,043

)

Less: cash NOI from non-Same Store properties

(5,383

)

(1,583

)

Total Same Store property cash NOI - including lease termination fees

75,546

70,327

Less: Lease termination fees

(1,356

)

Total Same Store property cash NOI - excluding Observatory and lease termination fees

$

74,190

$

70,327

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(unaudited and amounts in thousands)

March 31, 2026

December 31, 2025

Assets

Real estate properties, at cost

$

4,267,420

$

4,205,907

Less: accumulated depreciation

(1,400,827

)

(1,366,829

)

Real estate properties, net

2,866,593

2,839,078

Cash and cash equivalents

68,820

132,657

Restricted cash

37,326

33,854

Tenant and other receivables

23,667

22,063

Deferred rent receivables

261,275

255,270

Prepaid expenses and other assets

62,849

93,355

Deferred costs, net

262,212

267,682

Acquired below market ground leases, net

303,621

305,579

Right of use assets

27,882

27,944

Goodwill

491,479

491,479

Total assets

$

4,405,724

$

4,468,961

Liabilities and equity

Mortgage notes payable, net

$

621,392

$

619,269

Senior unsecured notes, net

1,270,909

1,270,668

Unsecured term loan facility, net

336,972

336,794

Unsecured revolving credit facility

90,000

145,000

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

111,918

120,150

Acquired below market leases, net

37,948

39,767

Ground lease liabilities

27,882

27,944

Deferred revenue and other liabilities

57,601

59,901

Tenants’ security deposits

26,964

27,276

Total liabilities

2,581,586

2,646,769

Total equity

1,824,138

1,822,192

Total liabilities and equity

$

4,405,724

$

4,468,961

Investors and Media

Empire State Realty Trust Investor Relations

(212) 850-2678

[email protected]

Source: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

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