Morguard North American Residential REIT Announces 2018 Second Quarter Results

MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 31, 2018 /CNW/ - Morguard North American Residential REIT (the "REIT") (TSX: MRG.UN) today announced its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018.

Second Quarter Highlights

The REIT is reporting second quarter performance of:

• Net operating income ("NOI") of $38.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, an increase of $3.2 million, or 9.0% compared to 2017.
  
  
• Proportionate net operating income ("Proportionate NOI") of $32.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, an increase of $1.6 million, or 5.3% compared to 2017.
  
  
• Net income of $19.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, a decrease of $41.8 million, or 68.0% compared to 2017. The decrease was primarily due to lower non-cash changes to fair value on real estate properties of $27.4 million and fair value on Class B LP Units of $14.1 million compared to 2017.
  
  
• Basic funds from operations ("FFO") of $15.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, a decrease of $0.6 million, or 3.8% over the same period in 2017.
  
  
• Basic FFO of $0.31 per Unit for the three months ended June 30, 2018, a 3.1% decrease as compared to the $0.32 per Unit in 2017.
  
  
• FFO payout ratio for the three months ended June 30, 2018 of 53.6%.

The REIT is reporting the following corporate highlights:

• On April 5, 2018, the REIT acquired a property comprising 116 suites located in New Orleans, Louisiana, for a purchase price of $14.9 million (US$11.6 million), including closing costs. The property is vacant and designated as a property under development. The REIT plans to complete significant capital upgrades during the remainder of 2018, at which point initial lease up will commence.  The newly acquired property, located in the Garden District is within close proximity to The Georgian, the REIT's 135 suite mid-rise apartment complex and nearby Tulane and Loyola universities. The acquisition allows the REIT to increase its presence in the immediate area and to benefit from management efficiencies between the two properties.
  
  
• As at June 30, 2018, indebtedness to gross book value ratio of 49.4%, lower compared to 51.4% as at December 31, 2017.

Financial and Operational Highlights

Net Income

Net income of $19.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018, decreased by $41.8 million compared to $61.5 million in 2017.  The decrease in net income was primarily due to the following:

• An increase in net operating income of $3.2 million;
  
  
• An increase in interest expense of $2.2 million;
  
  
• An increase in trust expenses of $0.3 million;
   
  
• An increase in equity income from investment of $0.2 million;
  
  
• An increase in foreign exchange gain of $1.2 million;
  
  
• A decrease in net fair value gain on real estate properties of $27.4 million;
  
  
• An increase in fair value loss on Class B LP Units of $14.1 million; and
  
  
• An increase in income taxes (current and deferred) of $2.2 million.

Net Operating Income

Three months ended June 30, 2018
For the three months ended June 30, 2018, NOI from the REIT's properties increased by $3.2 million (or 9.0%) to $38.3 million, compared to $35.1 million in 2017. The increase in NOI is due to an increase in Same Property NOI of $0.4 million (or 1.2%) and an increase from acquisitions net of disposition of properties of $2.7 million. The Same Property increase of $0.4 million is due to an increase in Canada of $0.5 million (or 4.2%), an increase in the U.S. of US$0.6 million (or 3.6%) and the change in foreign exchange rate which decreased NOI by $0.7 million.

For the three months ended June 30, 2018, Proportionate NOI from the REIT's properties increased by $1.6 million (or 5.3%) to $32.0 million, compared to $30.4 million in 2017. The increase in Proportionate NOI is due to an increase in Same Property Proportionate NOI of $0.3 million (or 0.9%) and an increase from acquisitions net of the disposal of properties of $1.3 million.  The Same Property increase of $0.3 million is due to an increase in Canada of $0.5 million (or 4.1%), an increase in the U.S. of US$0.3 million (or 2.7%) and the change in foreign exchange rate which decreased Proportionate NOI by $0.5 million.

Six months ended June 30, 2018
For the six months ended June 30, 2018, NOI from the REIT's properties increased by $3.3 million (or 6.4%) to $55.4 million, compared to $52.1 million in 2017. The increase in NOI is due to an increase in Same Property NOI of $0.6 million (or 1.3%) and an increase from acquisitions net of dispositions of properties of $2.7 million. The Same Property increase of $0.6 million is due to an increase in Canada of $1.6 million (or 6.8%), an increase in the U.S. of US$0.2 million (or 1.3%) and the change in foreign exchange rate which decreased NOI by $1.2 million.

For the six months ended June 30, 2018, Proportionate NOI from the REIT's properties increased by $3.1 million (or 5.2%) to $62.1 million, compared to $59.0 million in 2017. The increase in Proportionate NOI is due to an increase in Same Property Proportionate NOI of $0.6 million (or 1.1%) and an increase from acquisitions net of the disposal of properties of $2.5 million.  The Same Property increase of $0.6 million is due to an increase in Canada of $1.5 million (or 6.8%), an increase in the U.S. of US$0.3 million (or 1.4%) and the change in foreign exchange rate which decreased Proportionate NOI by $1.2 million.

Funds From Operations

Three months ended June 30, 2018
Basic FFO for the three months ended June 30, 2018, decreased by $0.6 million, or 3.8%, to $15.7 million ($0.31 per Unit), compared to $16.3 million ($0.32 per Unit) in 2017.  The decrease is mainly due to increase in interest expense of $2.2 million (excluding distributions on Class B LP Units and fair value adjustments on the conversion option on the convertible debentures) and an increase in trust expenses of $0.3 million, partially offset by higher Proportionate NOI of $1.6 million and FFO from the REIT's equity-accounted investment of $0.3 million.

Basic FFO per Unit for the three months ended June 30, 2018, decreased by $0.01 to $0.31 per Unit, compared to $0.32 per Unit for the three months ended June 30, 2017. The change in the foreign exchange rate had a $0.01 per Unit negative impact.

Six months ended June 30, 2018
Basic FFO for the six months ended June 30, 2018, decreased by $1.1 million, or 3.6%, to $30.4 million ($0.60 per Unit), compared to $31.5 million ($0.62 per Unit) in 2017.  The decrease is mainly due to an increase in interest expense of $4.0 million (excluding distributions on Class B LP Units and fair value adjustments on the conversion option on the convertible debentures), an increase in trust expenses of $0.4 million and a decrease in other income of $0.3 million, partially offset by higher Proportionate NOI of $3.1 million and FFO from the REIT's equity-accounted investment of $0.6 million.

Basic FFO per Unit for the six months ended June 30, 2018, decreased by $0.02 to $0.60 per Unit, compared to $0.62 per Unit for the six months ended June 30, 2017. The change in the foreign exchange rate had a $0.02 per Unit negative impact.

The REIT's unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, along with the Management's Discussion and Analysis will be available on the REIT's website at www.morguard.com and will be filed with SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Non-IFRS Measures
The REIT's condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). The following measures, NOI, Proportionate NOI, Same Property NOI, Same Property Proportionate NOI, FFO, indebtedness, gross book value, indebtedness to gross book value ratio, interest coverage ratio, indebtedness coverage ratio and Proportionate Basis (collectively, the "non-IFRS measures") as well as other measures discussed elsewhere in this press release, do not have a standardized definition prescribed by IFRS and are, therefore, unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other reporting issuers. The REIT uses these measures to better assess the REIT's underlying performance and financial position and provides these additional measures so that investors may do the same. Details on non-IFRS measures are set out in the REIT's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and available on the REIT's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Conference Call Details
Morguard North American Residential Real Estate Investment Trust will hold a conference call on Thursday, August 2, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. (ET) to discuss the financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. To participate in the conference call, please dial 416-764-8688 or 1-888-390-0546.  Please quote conference ID # 97628200.

About Morguard North American Residential REIT
The REIT is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established under and governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario. The Units of the REIT trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MRG.UN. With a strategic focus on the acquisition of high-quality multi-suite residential properties in Canada and the United States, the REIT maximizes long-term Unit value through active asset and property management. Its portfolio consists of 13,430 residential suites (as of July 31, 2018) located in Alberta, Ontario, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland with an appraised value of approximately $2.8 billion at June 30, 2018. For more information, visit the REIT's website at www.morguard.com.

SOURCE Morguard North American Residential Real Estate Investment Trust