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Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust Reports Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 and Announces CFO Transition

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TORONTO, November 06, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust ("Choice Properties" or the "Trust") (TSX: CHP.UN) today announced its consolidated financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024. The 2024 Third Quarter Report to Unitholders is available in the Investors section of the Trust’s website at www.choicereit.ca, and has been filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

"We delivered another quarter of strong operational and financial results, driven by increasing demand from retail tenants for our necessity-based neighbourhood centres and strong leasing spreads in our industrial portfolio," said Rael Diamond, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Trust.

Choice Properties also announced the upcoming retirement of Chief Financial Officer, Mario Barrafato, effective March 1, 2025. He will be succeeded by Erin Johnston, who is currently Senior Vice President, Finance at the Trust. "Choice Properties has benefited from Mario’s leadership, deep industry knowledge, and relentless focus on delivering strong and consistent financial performance during his tenure. On behalf of everyone at Choice, I am grateful for Mario’s many contributions. I am also pleased to have Erin succeed Mario as CFO, which is a testament to her skill and experience, and our commitment to talent development and growth," said Mr. Diamond.

2024 Third Quarter Highlights

  • Reported a net loss for the quarter of $663.0 million compared to a net income of $435.9 million in the same prior year period. The loss in the current quarter is primarily due to an unfavourable fair value adjustment to the Trust’s Exchangeable Units, as a result of the increase in the Trust’s unit price(2).

  • Reported FFO diluted(1) per unit of $0.258, an increase of 3.2% compared to the same prior year period.

  • Period end occupancy was 97.7%.

    • Retail at 97.6%, industrial at 98.1%, and mixed-use & residential at 94.7%.

  • Same-Asset NOI on a cash basis(1) increased by 3.0% compared to the same prior year period.

    • Retail increased by 1.2%; Retail Same-Asset NOI growth was negatively impacted by certain timing differences between the current and prior year and the later completion of recoverable capital projects in the current year;

    • Industrial increased by 11.7%; and

    • Mixed-use & residential increased by 2.6%.

  • Completed $172.1 million of transactions in the quarter:

    • Acquired a 50% interest in two retail properties and one industrial property from Loblaw for $128.7 million on a proportionate share basis(1).

    • Acquired a retail property in Wolfville, Nova Scotia for $1.3 million.

    • Disposed of our interest in a retail property in Quebec City, Quebec for proceeds of $33.9 million.

    • Disposed of a retail property in Mississauga, Ontario for proceeds of $8.2 million.

  • Repaid the Trust’s $550.0 million Series K senior unsecured debentures upon maturity, primarily funded with proceeds from the issuance of the Trust’s $500.0 million Series U senior unsecured debentures in the second quarter of 2024.

  • Completed $125.7 million of financings in the quarter:

    • Executed $82.2 million of mortgages at the Trust’s share in connection with the acquisition of three properties from Loblaw, with an average rate of 4.80% and an average term of 10.1 years.

    • Executed a $43.5 million mortgage at the Trust’s share secured by Element, a purpose-built residential property in Ottawa, Ontario. The mortgage is insured by CMHC and bears interest at 4.02% with a 10.2-year term. Proceeds were used to repay the construction loan secured by the property.

  • Transferred $21.6 million of properties under development to income producing status, delivering approximately 41,000 square feet of new commercial GLA on a proportionate share basis(1).

  • Invested $51.2 million of capital in development projects on a proportionate share basis(1).

  • Ended the quarter in a strong liquidity position with $1.5 billion of available credit under the Trust’s revolving credit facility, a $12.9 billion pool of unencumbered assets and Adjusted Debt to EBITDAFV(1) of 7.0x.