Farmland Partners Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

In This Article:

Significantly Reduces Debt, Increases 2024 Earnings Guidance, And Projects Special Dividend Of At Least $1.00

DENVER, October 30, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Farmland Partners Inc. (NYSE: FPI) ("FPI" or the "Company") today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024.

Selected Highlights

During the quarter ended September 30, 2024, the Company:

  • recorded net income of $1.8 million, or $0.02 per share available to common stockholders, compared to $4.3 million (which included $10.3 million of gain on disposition of assets, net), or $0.07 per share available to common stockholders for the same period in 2023;

  • recorded AFFO of $1.4 million, or $0.03 per share, compared to ($0.5) million, or ($0.01) per share, for the same period in 2023;

  • increased total operating revenues by $1.7 million, or 14.6%, despite a decrease in average gross book value of real estate from $1.08 billion to $1.01 billion from 2023 to 2024, a decrease of 6.7% as a result of dispositions that occurred during 2023, reflecting the Company’s strategic balancing of maximizing farm revenue while realizing for shareholders the benefit of selling appreciated farmland;

  • reduced total operating expenses by approximately $3.5 million, a 30.2% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.

Subsequent to September 30, 2024, the Company:

  • completed 52 farm dispositions under two transactions for $308.0 million in aggregate consideration;

  • repaid $189.4 million of debt with a weighted average interest rate of 5.77%, eliminating the Company’s exposure to floating rate debt and positioning the Company for approximately $10.9 million of projected annual interest savings going forward;

  • decreased debt as a percentage of gross book value from 38.8% as of September 30, 2024 to 27.1% as of October 28, 2024 and decreased ratio of total debt to EBITDAre from 10.9 to 5.8;

  • issued a loan under the FPI Loan Program to a former tenant and its affiliates for approximately $20.0 million; and

  • increased the bottom and top end of 2024 AFFO guidance range to $0.24 to $0.30 from $0.20 to $0.26.

CEO Comments

Luca Fabbri, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are pleased to report another strong operating quarter, driven by efficiencies in our core business from the portfolio improvements and cost saving measures that we began in 2023. We have meaningfully increased 2024 earnings guidance at both the top and bottom ends of the ranges based on our improvements in our core business and the completion of $308 million in asset sales and the resulting debt reductions of $189 million and interest savings, the full impact of which will be seen in the coming quarters. These sales, and their related gains of approximately $53 million, have allowed us to, again, demonstrate the strong value embedded in our portfolio, which we believe continues to be meaningfully discounted by the market. With the remaining proceeds, we intend to make further debt reductions, buy back stock, and pursue strategic acquisitions. Additionally, as we did last year, we expect to issue a special dividend to shareholders at year-end, with the amount projected to be between $1.00 and $1.10 per share."