EPR Properties Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results

EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR, Financial) today announced operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023 (dollars in thousands, except per share data):

Second Quarter Company Headlines

• Regal Bankruptcy Resolution -As previously announced, the Company entered into a comprehensive restructuring agreement with Regal anchored by a new master lease for 41 of the 57 properties previously leased to Regal.
• Solid Deferral Collections -During the second quarter of 2023, the Company collected $7.3 million of deferred rent from cash basis customers that was booked as additional revenue and $0.5 million of deferred rent from accrual basis customers that reduced receivables. Through June 30, 2023, the Company has collected approximately $135.0 million of rent and interest that had been deferred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Strong Liquidity Position - As of June 30, 2023, the Company had cash on hand of $99.7 million, no borrowings on its $1.0 billion unsecured revolving credit facility and a consolidated debt profile that is all at fixed interest rates with no maturities until 2024.
• Santikos Acquires Southern Theatres - On July 17, 2023, Santikos Theaters, LLC (“Santikos”) acquired VSS-Southern Theatres (“Southern”) through an asset purchase agreement. The combined Santikos entity operates 27 highly amenitized theaters in eight southeastern states. The Company has investments in 10 Southern properties and there were no structural changes to existing lease terms. In conjunction with the transaction, Southern paid in full its remaining deferred rent of $11.6 million, which will be recognized as rental revenue in the third quarter of 2023.
• Introduces 2023 Earnings Guidance -The Company is providing FFOAA per diluted common share guidance for 2023 of $5.05 to $5.15, representing an increase of 9% at the midpoint versus 2022 performance. Additionally, the Company is confirming 2023 investment spending guidance of a range of $200.0 million to $300.0 million.

“During the quarter, we reached a meaningful milestone as we entered into a restructuring agreement with Regal, providing us with a significantly stronger tenant credit, a long-term master lease and a percentage rent component allowing us to participate in the recovery of the box office. With this resolution, we also have more visibility into our earnings outlook, and we are pleased to provide earnings guidance for 2023,” stated Company President and CEO Greg Silvers. “With the recent record-setting performance of Barbie and Oppenheimer, consumers continue to demonstrate the relevance and economic vitality of the exhibition industry. Additionally, Santikos' acquisition of Southern demonstrates that capital is again flowing to the sector, and as a result, we received full payment of our remaining deferred rent and have a stronger positioned tenant. Having completed approximately $100 million of investments this year, we are selectively growing our experiential portfolio while being prudent in our capital allocation, as we have committed to approximately $224 million of additional experiential development and redevelopment projects over the next two years without the need to raise additional capital. We have continued to enhance our financial flexibility with a priority on maintaining our strong liquidity position and leverage profile.”

Regal Bankruptcy Resolution

On September 7, 2022, Cineworld Group, plc, Regal Entertainment Group and the Company's other Regal theatre tenants (collectively, “Regal”) filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (the “Code”). Regal leased 57 theatres from the Company pursuant to two master leases and 28 single property leases (the “Regal Leases”). As a result of the filing, Regal did not pay its rent or monthly deferral payment for September 2022 but subsequently paid portions of this amount pursuant to an order of the bankruptcy court. Regal resumed payment of rent and deferral payments for all Regal Leases commencing in October 2022 and has continued making these payments through July 2023. Regal's plan of reorganization became effective on July 31, 2023 (the "Effective Date"), and Regal emerged from the Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.

On June 28, 2023, the Company announced that it had entered into a comprehensive restructuring agreement with Regal anchored by a new master lease ("Master Lease") for 41 of the 57 properties previously leased to Regal ("Master Lease Properties"), which became effective on the Effective Date. The Master Lease is a triple-net lease with $65.0 million in total annual fixed rent payable beginning on August 1, 2023 that escalates by 10% every five years. The Master Lease has three tranches of properties. The initial terms of the tranches are staggered, expiring on the 11th, 13th and 15th anniversaries from the Effective Date. Additionally, the Master Lease provides for a guaranty from a parent entity of Regal and percentage rents based on gross sales of the Master Lease Properties. Due to Regal's expected significantly improved credit profile, continuing box office recovery and Regal's payment history, among other factors, the Company will recognize revenue related to the Master Lease on an accrual basis beginning on the Effective Date.

Additionally, as part of the comprehensive restructuring agreement with Regal, Regal surrendered to the Company the remaining 16 properties not included in the Master Lease on the Effective Date. The Company has entered into management agreements whereby Cinemark will manage four and Phoenix Theatres will manage one of the surrendered properties. The Company plans to sell the remaining 11 surrendered properties and deploy the proceeds to acquire non-theatre experiential properties. In conjunction with taking back the surrendered properties, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge in the second quarter of $42.4 million based on recently appraised values.

For more details on the Master Lease and comprehensive restructuring agreement between the Company and Regal, see the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023.

Solid Deferral Collections

In addition to regular quarterly collections, during the second quarter of 2023, the Company collected $7.3 million of deferred rent from cash basis customers that was booked as additional revenue and $0.5 million of deferred rent from accrual basis customers that reduced receivables, leaving only $1.0 million of deferred rent receivable remaining on the balance sheet at June 30, 2023. Through June 30, 2023, the Company has collected approximately $135.0 million of rent and interest that had been deferred as a result of the pandemic.

Strong Liquidity Position

The Company remains focused on maintaining strong liquidity and financial flexibility. The Company had $99.7 million of cash on hand at quarter-end, no borrowings on its $1.0 billion unsecured revolving credit facility and a consolidated debt profile that is all at fixed interest rates with no maturities in 2023 and only $136.6 million due in 2024.

Santikos Acquisition of Southern Theatres

On July 17, 2023, Santikos acquired Southern through an asset purchase agreement. The combined Santikos entity operates 27 highly amenitized theaters in eight southeastern states. The Company has investments in 10 Southern properties in six states and there were no structural changes to existing lease terms. Santikos had investments in 10 theaters located in the San Antonio area prior to the transaction and purchased a total of 17 theaters in eight states from Southern, making Santikos the eighth largest theater circuit in North America. Santikos is owned by The San Antonio Area Foundation, one of the nation’s premier Community Foundations. In conjunction with the transaction, Southern paid in full its remaining deferred rent of $11.6 million, which will be recognized as rental revenue in the third quarter of 2023.

Investment Update

The Company's investment spending during the three months ended June 30, 2023 totaled $32.2 million, bringing the total investment spending for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to $98.7 million. Investment spending for the quarter was primarily related to experiential build-to-suit development and redevelopment projects.

As of June 30, 2023, the Company has also committed an additional approximately $224.0 million for experiential development and redevelopment projects, which is expected to be funded over the next two years without the need to raise additional capital. During the remainder of 2023, the Company intends to continue to be more selective in making investments, utilizing excess cash flow and borrowings under our line of credit, until such time as the Company's cost of capital returns to acceptable levels.

Portfolio Update

The Company's total assets were $5.7 billion (after accumulated depreciation of approximately $1.4 billion) and total investments (a non-GAAP financial measure) were approximately $6.7 billion at June 30, 2023, with Experiential investments totaling $6.2 billion, or 92%, and Education investments totaling $0.5 billion, or 8%.

The Company's Experiential portfolio (excluding property under development and undeveloped land inventory) consisted of the following property types (owned or financed) at June 30, 2023:

• 171 theatre properties;
• 57 eat & play properties (including seven theatres located in entertainment districts);
• 24 attraction properties;
• 11 ski properties;
• seven experiential lodging properties;
• 16 fitness & wellness properties;
• one gaming property; and
• three cultural properties.

As of June 30, 2023, the Company's owned Experiential portfolio consisted of approximately 20.1 million square feet, which was 98% leased and included a total of $80.7 million in property under development and $20.2 million in undeveloped land inventory.

The Company's Education portfolio consisted of the following property types (owned or financed) at June 30, 2023:

• 64 early childhood education center properties; and
• nine private school properties.

As of June 30, 2023, the Company's owned Education portfolio consisted of approximately 1.4 million square feet, which was 93% leased.

The combined owned portfolio consisted of 21.5 million square feet and was 97% leased.

Dividend Information

The Company declared regular monthly cash dividends during the second quarter of 2023 totaling $0.825 per common share. Additionally, the Board declared its regular quarterly dividends to preferred shareholders of $0.359375 per share on both the Company's 5.75% Series C cumulative convertible preferred shares and Series G cumulative redeemable preferred shares and $0.5625 per share on its 9.00% Series E cumulative convertible preferred shares.

The Company is providing its 2023 guidance for FFOAA per diluted common share of $5.05 to $5.15, the midpoint of which represents approximately 9% growth over 2022. The 2023 guidance for FFOAA per diluted common share is based on a FFO per diluted common share range of $4.97 to $5.07 adjusted for severance expense, transaction costs, credit loss expense (benefit), deferred income tax benefit and the impact of Series C and Series E dilution. FFO per diluted common share for 2023 is based on a net income available to common shareholders per diluted common share range of $2.14 to $2.24 plus impairment of real estate investments, net of $0.58, estimated real estate depreciation and amortization of $2.20 and allocated share of joint venture depreciation of $0.12, less gain on sale of real estate of $0.02 and the impact of Series C and Series E dilution of $0.05 (in accordance with the NAREIT definition of FFO).

Additional earnings guidance detail can be found in the Company's supplemental information package available in the Investor Center of the Company's website located at https://investors.eprkc.com/earnings-supplementals.

Conference Call Information

Management will host a conference call to discuss the Company's financial results on August 3, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The call may also include discussion of Company developments and forward-looking and other material information about business and financial matters. The conference will be webcast and can be accessed via the Webcasts page in the Investor Center on the Company's website located at https://investors.eprkc.com/webcasts. To access the audio-only call, visit the Webcasts page for the link to register and receive dial-in information and a PIN providing access to the live call. It is recommended that you join 10 minutes prior to the start of the event (although you may register and dial-in at any time during the call).

You may watch a replay of the webcast by visiting the Webcasts page at https://investors.eprkc.com/webcasts.

Quarterly Supplemental

The Company's supplemental information package for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2023 is available in the Investor Center on the Company's website located at https://investors.eprkc.com/earnings-supplementals.