This press release contains forward-looking information that is based upon assumptions and is subject to risks and uncertainties as indicated in the cautionary note contained within this press release. All dollar amounts in our tables are presented in thousands of Canadian dollars, except for rental rates and per unit amounts, unless otherwise stated.
TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DREAM OFFICE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (D.UN-TSX) (“Dream Office REIT”, the “Trust” or “we”) today announced its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and provided a business update.
|
OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS |
||||||||
|
(unaudited) |
||||||||
|
|
As at |
|||||||
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
2022 |
|
Total properties(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of active properties |
|
26 |
|
|
26 |
|
|
29 |
|
Number of properties under development |
|
2 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
1 |
|
Gross leasable area (in millions of square feet) |
|
5.1 |
|
|
5.1 |
|
|
5.5 |
|
Investment properties value |
$ |
2,386,395 |
|
$ |
2,382,883 |
|
$ |
2,596,240 |
|
Total portfolio(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Occupancy rate – including committed (period-end)(3) |
|
84.0% |
|
|
84.4% |
|
|
85.0% |
|
Occupancy rate – in-place (period-end)(3) |
|
80.2% |
|
|
81.0% |
|
|
81.7% |
|
Average in-place and committed net rent per square foot (period-end) |
$ |
25.13 |
|
$ |
24.90 |
|
$ |
23.25 |
|
Weighted average lease term (years) |
|
5.2 |
|
|
5.3 |
|
|
5.4 |
|
See footnotes at end. |
||||||||
|
|
|
Three months ended |
|||
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
Operating results |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funds from operations (“FFO”)(4) |
$ |
18,857 |
|
$ |
21,043 |
|
Comparative properties net operating income (“NOI”)(5) |
|
27,325 |
|
|
26,657 |
|
Net rental income |
|
26,172 |
|
|
25,863 |
|
Net income |
|
1,378 |
|
|
52,282 |
|
Per unit amounts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted FFO per unit(6) |
$ |
0.36 |
|
$ |
0.39 |
|
Distribution rate per Unit |
|
0.25 |
|
|
0.25 |
|
See footnotes at end. |
|||||
“After more than three years of COVID, the future of the office sector continues to remain uncertain although there are many ways to achieve value in Dream Office REIT through uses other than as traditional office buildings,” said Michael Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of Dream Office REIT. “The sale of 720 Bay to reduce debt and repurchase units was one such example and we will continue to identify opportunities to increase value for our unitholders.”
- Net income for the quarter: For the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Trust generated net income of $1.4 million. Included in net income for the three months ended March 31, 2023 are net rental income totalling $26.2 million, net income from our investment in Dream Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust (“Dream Industrial REIT”) totalling $2.4 million and positive fair value adjustments to financial instruments totalling $2.8 million, primarily due to the revaluation of the subsidiary redeemable units as a result of a decrease in the Trust’s unit price, which were partially offset by negative fair value adjustments to investment properties totalling $12.1 million across the portfolio.
- Diluted FFO per unit(6) for the quarter: For the three months ended March 31, 2023, diluted FFO per unit decreased by $0.03 per unit to $0.36 per unit relative to $0.39 per unit in Q1 2022, driven by higher interest expense (-$0.05), partially offset by higher FFO(4) from our investment in Dream Industrial REIT (+$0.01) and higher comparative properties NOI (+$0.01).
- Net rental income for the quarter: Net rental income for the three months ended March 31, 2023 increased by $0.3 million relative to the prior year comparative quarter due to higher rental rates across the portfolio and a net decrease in provisions for bad debt during the quarter, partially offset by the sale of 720 Bay Street.
-
Comparative properties NOI(5) for the quarter: For the three months ended March 31, 2023, comparative properties NOI increased by 2.5%, or $0.7 million, over the prior year comparative quarter, primarily driven by higher in-place net rents across the portfolio from rent step ups, higher rates on new leases and renewals and overall higher parking revenues of $0.4 million across the portfolio. Partially offsetting the increases was lower weighted average in-place occupancy in both regions.
We are actively managing our assets in the Toronto downtown region, which represent 82% of our active portfolio investment property fair values, to improve the quality of the buildings and to continue to improve rental rates in this market. For our assets in the Other markets region, which make up the remaining 18% of our active portfolio investment properties fair value, we are repositioning these assets to improve occupancy and liquidity in the private market.
-
In-place occupancy: Total portfolio in-place occupancy on a quarter-over-quarter basis decreased by 0.8% relative to Q4 2022. In the Other markets region, in-place occupancy decreased by 1.1% relative to Q4 2022 as 36,000 square feet of expiries were partially offset by 11,000 square feet of renewals and 2,000 square feet of new lease commencements. In Toronto downtown, in-place occupancy decreased by 0.6% relative to Q4 2022 as 123,000 square feet of expiries were partially offset by 59,000 square feet of renewals and 48,000 square feet of new lease commencements.
Total portfolio in-place occupancy on a year-over-year basis decreased from 81.7% at Q1 2022 to 80.2% this quarter due to negative absorption in Toronto downtown and the sale of 720 Bay Street in Q1 2023 along with negative absorption in Other markets, partially offset by the sale of Princeton Tower in Saskatoon in Q3 2022.
-
Lease commencements for the quarter: For the three months ended March 31, 2023, 107,000 square feet of leases commenced in Toronto downtown at $30.47 per square foot, or 22.8% higher than the previous rent in the same space with a weighted average lease term of 7.1 years. In the Other markets region, 13,000 square feet of leases commenced at $21.55 per square foot, or 11.2% higher than the previous rents in the same space with a weighted average lease term of 5.1 years.
The renewal and relocation rate to expiring rate spread for the quarter was 13.5% above expiring rates on 70,000 square feet of renewals.
BUSINESS UPDATE
As at March 31, 2023, the Trust had $2.9 billion of total assets, $2.4 billion of investment properties and $1.3 billion of total debt.
During Q1 2023, the Trust executed leases totalling approximately 184,000 square feet across our portfolio. In Toronto downtown, the Trust executed 178,000 square feet of leases at a weighted average initial net rent of $31.36 per square foot, or 9.8% higher than the weighted average prior net rent per square foot on the same space, with a weighted average lease term of 5.6 years. In the Other markets region, comprising our properties located in Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Mississauga, Scarborough, and the United States (“U.S.”), we executed leases totalling 6,000 square feet at a weighted average net rent of $21.43 per square foot, an increase of 4.4% from the weighted average prior net rent on the same space, with a weighted average lease term of 2.4 years.
To date, the Trust has secured commitments for approximately 705,000 square feet, or 103%, of 2023 full-year natural lease expiries. In Toronto downtown, 33,000 square feet, or approximately 1% of the region’s gross leasable area, is currently being held intentionally vacant for retail repositioning and property improvement purposes.
We remain committed to investing in our well-located real estate portfolio in downtown Toronto to distinguish our assets and attract unique tenants. During 2022, we took 366 Bay Street and 67 Richmond Street West in Toronto offline to fully revitalize the assets. The projects are expected to be completed and ready to lease in Q3 2023 and Q2 2024, respectively. We are currently in active discussions with potential tenants for the buildings on completion. At 67 Richmond Street West, we have completed a lease with a premium restaurant tenant for the ground floor retail space which commences during Q2 2023.
At 67 Richmond Street West and 366 Bay Street, the development projects comprise full modernizations of the properties, including technical systems, interior lighting and elevators, along with enhanced common areas and larger floorplates. The Trust is targeting certain building and project certifications as part of the development projects. A portion of the development costs for these buildings satisfy the terms of the unsecured non-revolving credit facility and term credit facility with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (the “CIB Facility”), which gives the Trust access to an attractive financing program to decarbonize the properties.
During Q1 2023, we settled our zoning by-law appeal with the City of Toronto for our development at 212-220 King Street West in Toronto, Ontario. We are currently working through next steps with our partner. The density approval is for 535,000 square feet of gross floor area, comprising 438,500 square feet of residential area and 96,500 square feet square feet of commercial space including office, retail and hotel, at the Trust’s 50% interest.
As at March 31, 2023, the Trust had approximately $231.3 million of available liquidity(7), comprising $12.4 million of cash, undrawn revolving credit facilities totalling $116.6 million and undrawn amounts on our CIB Facility of $102.2 million which offers low-cost fixed-rate financing for commercial property retrofits to achieve certain energy efficiency savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Trust also had $105 million of unencumbered assets(8) and a level of debt (net total debt-to-net total assets)(9) of 43.0%. On January 30, 2023, the Trust sold 720 Bay Street in Toronto, Ontario for $135 million, the net proceeds of which were used to repay drawings on the $375 million credit facility, reducing leverage from 44.6% as at December 31, 2022 to 43.0% as at March 31, 2023.
During Q1 2023, the Trust drew $2.7 million against the CIB Facility. Since entering into the facility in 2022, we have drawn $10.6 million against that facility. These draws represent 80% of the costs to date for capital retrofits at ten properties in Toronto downtown for projects to reduce the operational carbon emissions in these buildings by an estimated 1,805 tonnes of carbon dioxide, or 52.9%, per year on project completion.
“Dream Office REIT is pleased to deliver its first positive quarter of year-over-year comparative properties NOI growth in Toronto downtown since the pandemic,” said Jay Jiang, Chief Financial Officer of Dream Office REIT. “We are continuing to execute leases at a healthy spread against expiring rents, keeping committed occupancy relatively stable and have already secured leases for over 100% of 2023 lease expiries.”
|
CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS |
||||
|
KEY FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE METRICS |
|
|
|
As at |
|
(unaudited) |
|
March 31, |
|
December 31, |
|
|
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
Financing |
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average face rate of interest on debt (period-end)(10) |
|
4.24% |
|
4.42% |
|
Interest coverage ratio (times)(11) |
|
2.3 |
|
2.5 |
|
Net total debt-to-normalized adjusted EBITDAFV ratio (years)(12) |
|
10.3 |
|
10.4 |
|
Level of debt (net total debt-to-net total assets)(9) |
|
43.0% |
|
44.6% |
|
Average term to maturity on debt (years) |
|
3.0 |
|
3.1 |
|
Undrawn credit facilities, available liquidity and unencumbered assets |
|
|
|
|
|
Undrawn credit facilities (in millions) |
$ |
218.8 |
$ |
163.5 |
|
Available liquidity (in millions)(7) |
|
231.3 |
|
171.6 |
|
Unencumbered assets (in millions)(8) |
|
104.8 |
|
115.7 |
|
Capital (period-end) |
|
|
|
|
|
Total number of REIT A and LP B units (in millions)(13) |
|
50.3 |
|
51.3 |
|
Net asset value (“NAV”) per unit(14) |
$ |
31.50 |
$ |
31.36 |
|
See footnotes at end. |
||||
- NAV per unit(14): As at March 31, 2023, our NAV per unit increased to $31.50 compared to $31.36 at December 31, 2022. The increase in NAV per unit relative to December 31, 2022 is driven by cash flow retention (FFO net of distributions) and the effect of accretive unit repurchases under our normal course issuer bid program, partially offset by fair value losses on investment properties in both regions due to maintenance capital spent but not capitalized. As at March 31, 2023, equity per the condensed consolidated financial statements was $1.5 billion.
- Investment property disposition: On January 30, 2023, the Trust completed the sale of 720 Bay Street located in Toronto, Ontario for total gross proceeds before adjustments and transaction costs of $135.0 million. Proceeds from the disposition were used to repay drawings on the Trust’s revolving credit facilities.
- Mortgage extension: On March 13, 2023, the Trust extended the maturity of a $44.3 million mortgage secured by an investment property in downtown Toronto to a new maturity date of May 31, 2025. In connection with the renewal, the Trust entered into a fixed-for-variable swap to fix the interest rate on the mortgage at 5.03%.
- Demand revolving credit facility: On February 10, 2023, the Trust entered into a $20 million demand revolving credit facility secured by a property in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The demand revolving credit facility bears interest at the bankers’ acceptance rate plus 2.00% or at the bank’s prime rate plus 0.50%. The facility is due on demand with no fixed maturity.
CONFERENCE CALL
Dream Office REIT holds semi-annual conference calls following the release of second and fourth quarter results.
OTHER INFORMATION
Information appearing in this press release is a selected summary of results. The consolidated financial statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) of the Trust are available at www.dreamofficereit.ca and on www.sedar.com.
Dream Office REIT is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust. Dream Office REIT is a premier office landlord in downtown Toronto with over 3.5 million square feet owned and managed. We have carefully curated an investment portfolio of high-quality assets in irreplaceable locations in one of the finest office markets in the world. For more information, please visit our website at www.dreamofficereit.ca.
FOOTNOTES
|
(1) |
Excludes properties held for sale and joint ventures that are equity accounted at the end of each period. |
|
|
(2) |
Excludes properties under development, properties held for sale and joint ventures that are equity accounted at the end of each period. |
|
|
(3) |
Occupancy figures as at March 31, 2022 include sold properties 720 Bay Street in Toronto and Princeton Tower in Saskatoon. Excluding these properties from March 31, 2022 figures, total portfolio in-place occupancy would have been 81.7% and in-place and committed occupancy would have been 85.3%. In Toronto downtown, in-place occupancy would have been 83.5% and in-place and committed occupancy would have been 87.7%. |
|
|
(4) |
FFO is a non-GAAP financial measure. The most directly comparable financial measure to FFO is net income. The tables included in the Appendices section of this press release reconcile FFO for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2022 to net income. For further information on this non-GAAP financial measure please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures, Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. |
|
|
(5) |
Comparative properties NOI is a non-GAAP financial measure. The most directly comparable financial measure to comparative properties NOI is net rental income. The tables included in the Appendices section of this press release reconcile comparative properties NOI for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2022 to net rental income. For further information on this non-GAAP financial measure, please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures, Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. |
|
|
(6) |
Diluted FFO per unit is a non-GAAP ratio. Diluted FFO per unit is calculated as FFO (a non-GAAP financial measure) divided by diluted weighted average number of units. For further information on this non-GAAP ratio, please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures, Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. A description of the determination of the diluted weighted average number of units can be found in the management’s discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations of the Trust for the three months ended March 31, 2023, dated May 4, 2023 (the “MD&A for the first quarter of 2023”) in the section “Supplementary Financial Measures and Other Disclosures” under the heading “Weighted average number of units”. |
|
|
(7) |
Available liquidity is a non-GAAP financial measure. The most directly comparable financial measure to available liquidity is undrawn credit facilities. The tables included in the Appendices section of this press release reconcile available liquidity to undrawn credit facilities as at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. For further information on this non-GAAP financial measure please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures, Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. |
|
|
(8) |
Unencumbered assets is a supplementary financial measure. For further information on this supplementary financial measure, please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures, Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. |
|
|
(9) |
Level of debt (net total debt-to-net total assets) is a non-GAAP ratio. Net total debt-to-net total assets comprises net total debt (a non-GAAP financial measure) divided by net total assets (a non-GAAP financial measure). The tables in the Appendices section reconcile net total debt and net total assets to total debt and total assets, the most directly comparable financial measures to these non-GAAP financial measures, respectively, as at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. For further information on this non-GAAP ratio and these non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures, Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. |
|
|
(10) |
Weighted average face rate of interest on debt is calculated as the weighted average face rate of all interest-bearing debt balances excluding debt in joint ventures that are equity accounted. |
|
|
(11) |
Interest coverage ratio (times) is a non-GAAP ratio. Interest coverage ratio comprises trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDAFV divided by trailing 12-month interest expense on debt. Adjusted EBITDAFV, trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDAFV and trailing 12-month interest expense on debt are non-GAAP measures. The tables in the Appendices section reconcile adjusted EBITDAFV to net income for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2022 and for the year ended December 31, 2022 and trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDAFV and trailing 12-month interest expense on debt to adjusted EBITDAFV and interest expense on debt, respectively, for the trailing 12-month period ended March 31, 2023. For further information on this non-GAAP ratio and these non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. |
|
|
(12) |
Net total debt-to-normalized adjusted EBITDAFV ratio (years) is a non-GAAP ratio. Net total debt-to-normalized adjusted EBITDAFV comprises net total debt (a non-GAAP financial measure) divided by normalized adjusted EBITDAFV (a non-GAAP financial measure). Normalized adjusted EBITDAFV comprises adjusted EBITDAFV (a non-GAAP financial measure) adjusted for NOI from sold properties in the quarter. For further information on this non-GAAP ratio and these non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. |
|
|
(13) |
Total number of REIT A and LP B units includes 5.2 million LP B Units which are classified as a liability under IFRS. |
|
|
(14) |
NAV per unit is a non-GAAP ratio. NAV per unit is calculated as Total equity (including LP B Units) (a non-GAAP financial measure) divided by the total number of REIT A and LP B units outstanding as at the end of the period. Total equity (including LP B Units) is a non-GAAP measure. The most directly comparable financial measure to total equity (including LP B Units) is equity. The tables included in the Appendices section of this press release reconcile total equity (including LP B Units) to equity as at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. For further information on this non-GAAP financial measure please refer to the statements under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures, Ratios and Supplementary Financial Measures” in this press release. |
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES, RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTARY FINANCIAL MEASURES
The Trust’s condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). In this press release, as a complement to results provided in accordance with IFRS, the Trust discloses and discusses certain non-GAAP financial measures, including FFO, comparative properties NOI, available liquidity, adjusted EBITDAFV, trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDAFV, trailing 12-month interest expense on debt, net total debt, net total assets, normalized adjusted EBITDAFV – annualized and total equity (including LP B Units or subsidiary redeemable units) and non-GAAP ratios, including diluted FFO per unit, level of debt (net total debt-to-net total assets), interest coverage ratio, net total debt-to-normalized adjusted EBITDAFV and NAV per unit, as well as other measures discussed elsewhere in this release. These non-GAAP financial measures and ratios are not standardized financial measures under IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. The Trust has presented such non-GAAP financial measures and non-GAAP ratios as Management believes they are relevant measures of the Trust’s underlying operating and financial performance. Certain additional disclosures such as the composition, usefulness and changes, as applicable, of the non-GAAP financial measures and ratios included in this press release are expressly incorporated by reference from the MD&A for the first quarter of 2023 and can be found under the section “Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Ratios” and respective sub-headings labelled “Funds from operations and diluted FFO per unit”, “Comparative properties NOI”, “Level of debt (net total debt-to-net total assets)”, “Net total debt-to-normalized adjusted EBITDAFV ratio (years)”, “Interest coverage ratio (times)”, “Available liquidity”, “Total equity (including LP B Units or subsidiary redeemable units)”, “Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and fair value adjustments (“adjusted EBITDAFV”)”, “Trailing 12-month Adjusted EBITDAFV and trailing 12-month interest expense on debt”, and “ NAV per Unit”. In this press release, the Trust also discloses and discusses certain supplementary financial measures, including unencumbered assets. The composition of supplementary financial measures included in this press release are expressly incorporated by reference from the MD&A for the first quarter of 2023 and can be found under the section “Supplementary financial measures and ratios and other disclosures”. The MD&A for the first quarter of 2023 is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Trust’s profile and on the Trust’s website at www.dreamofficereit.ca under the Investors section. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to net income, net rental income, cash flows generated from (utilized in) operating activities, cash and cash equivalents, total assets, non-current debt, total equity, or comparable metrics determined in accordance with IFRS as indicators of the Trust’s performance, liquidity, leverage, cash flow, and profitability.
Contacts
For further information:
Michael J. Cooper
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
(416) 365-5145
mcooper@dream.ca
Jay Jiang
Chief Financial Officer
(416) 365-6638
jjiang@dream.ca