Net increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash
$
2,364
$
991
Cash from deconsolidation of affiliate
—
(6,386)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period
31,569
26,105
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period
$
33,933
$
20,710
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period
$
23,650
$
16,901
Restricted cash at end of the period
10,283
3,809
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period
$
33,933
$
20,710
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized
$
112,667
$
105,342
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock
132
4,795
Changes in accrued capital expenditures(1)
(4,273)
17,275
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets
79,956
54,489
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs
37,032
25,605
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs
4,083
—
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value
23,822
(15,521)
__________
(1)Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities as of September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $51.3 million and $70.7 million, respectively.
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash
$
2,364
$
991
Cash from deconsolidation of affiliate
—
(6,386)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period
31,569
26,105
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period
$
33,933
$
20,710
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period
$
23,650
$
16,901
Restricted cash at end of the period
10,283
3,809
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period
$
33,933
$
20,710
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized
$
112,667
$
105,342
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
Changes in accrued capital expenditures(1)
(4,273)
17,275
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets
79,956
54,489
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs
37,032
25,605
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs
4,083
—
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value
22,574
(21,525)
__________
(1)Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities as of September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $51.3 million and $70.7 million, respectively.
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2024
(tabular dollar amounts in thousands, except per share and per unit data)
(Unaudited)
1. Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Business
Highwoods Properties, Inc. (the “Company”) is a fully integrated office real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that owns, develops, acquires, leases and manages properties primarily in the best business districts of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa. The Company conducts its activities through Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership (the “Operating Partnership”). As of September 30, 2024, we owned or had an interest in 28.0 million rentable square feet of in-service properties, 1.6 million rentable square feet of office properties under development and development land with approximately 5.2 million rentable square feet of potential office build out.
Capital Structure
The Company is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. As of September 30, 2024, the Company owned all of the Preferred Units and 105.6 million, or 98.0%, of the Common Units in the Operating Partnership. Limited partners owned the remaining 2.2 million Common Units. During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company redeemed 5,385 Common Units for a like number of shares of Common Stock.
During 2023, we entered into separate equity distribution agreements in which the Company may offer and sell up to $300.0 million in aggregate gross sales price of shares of Common Stock. During each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company issued no shares of Common Stock under its equity distribution agreements.
Basis of Presentation
Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements include the Operating Partnership, wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which the Company has the controlling interest. The Operating Partnership’s Consolidated Financial Statements include wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which the Operating Partnership has the controlling interest. We consolidate joint venture investments, such as interests in partnerships and limited liability companies, when we control the major operating and financial policies of the investment through majority ownership, in our capacity as a general partner or managing member or through some other contractual right. In addition, we consolidate those entities deemed to be variable interest entities in which we are determined to be the primary beneficiary.
As of September 30, 2024, we are involved with six entities we determined to be variable interest entities, one of which we are the primary beneficiary and is consolidated and five of which we are not the primary beneficiary and are not consolidated.
All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.
In the opinion of management, the unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying unaudited consolidated financial information contain all adjustments (including normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. We have condensed or omitted certain notes and other information from the interim Consolidated Financial Statements presented in this Quarterly Report as permitted by SEC rules and regulations. These Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Insurance
We are primarily self-insured for health care claims for participating employees. To limit our exposure to significant claims, we have stop-loss coverage on a per claim and annual aggregate basis. We use all relevant information to determine our liabilities for claims, including actuarial estimates of claim liabilities. When determining our liabilities, we include claims for incurred losses, even if they are unreported. As of September 30, 2024, a reserve of $0.5 million was recorded to cover estimated reported and unreported claims.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update (“ASU”) that provides temporary optional expedients and exceptions to ease the financial reporting burdens related to the expected market transition from LIBOR and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). These optional expedients and exceptions provide guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting. We have completed the transition to SOFR rates for our outstanding debt instruments with no material impact to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
The FASB issued an ASU that will require enhanced segment disclosures, primarily regarding significant segment expenses. The ASU is required to be adopted in our 2024 Annual Report and applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. We do not expect such adoption to have a material effect on our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
2. Leases
Operating Leases
We generally lease our office properties to lessees in exchange for fixed monthly payments that cover rent, property taxes, insurance and certain cost recoveries, primarily common area maintenance. Office properties that are under lease are primarily located in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa and are leased to a wide variety of lessees across many industries. Our leases are operating leases and mostly range from three to 10 years. We recognized rental and other revenues related to operating lease payments of $200.7 million and $203.8 million during the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and $609.5 million and $617.0 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Included in these amounts were variable lease payments of $17.0 million and $17.7 million during the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and $56.1 million and $54.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
- Granite Park Six JV, LLC/ GPI 23 Springs JV, LLC (“Granite Park Six joint venture”/“23Springs joint venture”)
During 2022, we entered the Dallas market through the formation of two joint ventures with Granite Properties (“Granite”) to develop Granite Park Six and 23Springs. We own a 50.0% interest in each of these two joint ventures.
We determined that we have a variable interest in both the Granite Park Six and 23Springs joint ventures primarily because the entities were designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us and Granite as equity holders. The joint ventures were further determined to be variable interest entities as they require additional subordinated financial support in the form of loans because the initial equity investments provided by us and Granite were not sufficient to finance the planned investments and operations. We concluded that we do not have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of either entity and therefore do not qualify as the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the entities are not consolidated.
During the third quarter of 2024, the Granite Park Six joint venture paid down the outstanding $70.9 million balance with respect to a $115.0 million construction loan obtained in 2022. The loan, which matures in January 2026, has an interest rate of SOFR plus 394 basis points. In connection with this loan paydown, we and Granite each contributed $35.5 million to the joint venture. This reconsideration event did not change our initial conclusion that the Granite Park Six joint venture is a variable interest entity of which we are not the primary beneficiary. As such, the entity remains unconsolidated.
As of September 30, 2024, our risk of loss with respect to these arrangements was limited to the carrying value of each investment balance. Our investment balances were $76.9 million and $100.3 million as of September 30, 2024 for the Granite Park Six and 23Springs joint ventures, respectively. The assets of the Granite Park Six and 23Springs joint ventures can be used only to settle obligations of the respective joint venture, and their creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.
- M+O JV, LLC (“McKinney & Olive joint venture”)
During 2022, we expanded our Dallas market presence by acquiring McKinney & Olive through the formation of another joint venture with Granite in which we own a 50.0% interest.
We determined that we have a variable interest in the McKinney & Olive joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us and Granite as equity holders. The McKinney & Olive joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investments by us and Granite, including the additional preferred equity provided by us that was subsequently redeemed in full during 2023, were not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We concluded that we do not have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of the entity and therefore do not qualify as the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the entity is not consolidated.
During the third quarter of 2024, the McKinney & Olive joint venture paid off at maturity the remaining $134.3 million balance on a secured mortgage loan with a stated interest rate of 4.5% and an effective interest rate of 5.3%. In connection with this loan payoff, we and Granite each contributed $62.1 million to the joint venture. This reconsideration event did not change our initial conclusion that the McKinney & Olive joint venture is a variable interest entity of which we are not the primary beneficiary. As such, the entity remains unconsolidated.
As of September 30, 2024, our risk of loss with respect to this arrangement was limited to the carrying value of our investment balance of $184.3 million. The assets of the McKinney & Olive joint venture can be used only to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.
- Midtown East Tampa, LLC (“Midtown East joint venture”)
During 2022, we formed the Midtown East joint venture in Tampa with The Bromley Companies (“Bromley”). We own a 50.0% interest in this joint venture.
We determined that we have a variable interest in the Midtown East joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us as both a debt and equity holder and to Bromley as an
equity holder. The Midtown East joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investments provided by us and Bromley were not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We concluded that we do not have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of the entity and therefore do not qualify as the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the entity is not consolidated.
As of September 30, 2024, our risk of loss with respect to this arrangement was $31.9 million, which consists of the $14.0 million carrying value of our investment balance plus the $17.9 million outstanding balance of the loan we have provided to the joint venture. The outstanding balance on the loan is recorded in investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The assets of the Midtown East joint venture can be used only to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.
During 2021, we formed the 2827 Peachtree joint venture in Atlanta with Brand Properties, LLC (“Brand”). We own a 50.0% interest in this joint venture.
We determined that we have a variable interest in the 2827 Peachtree joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us as both a debt and equity holder and to Brand as an equity holder. The 2827 Peachtree joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investments provided by us and Brand were not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We concluded that we do not have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of the entity and therefore do not qualify as the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the entity is not consolidated.
As of September 30, 2024, our risk of loss with respect to this arrangement was $60.8 million, which consists of the $12.9 million carrying value of our investment balance plus the $47.9 million outstanding balance of the loan we have provided to the joint venture. The outstanding balance on the loan is recorded in investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The assets of the 2827 Peachtree joint venture can be used only to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.
Consolidated Affiliate
- HRLP MTW, LLC (“Midtown West joint venture”)
In 2019, we formed the Midtown West joint venture in Tampa with Bromley. We own an 80.0% interest in this joint venture.
We determined that we have a variable interest in the Midtown West joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us and Bromley as equity holders. The Midtown West joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investments provided by us and Bromley were not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We, as the majority owner and managing member and through our control rights as set forth in the joint venture’s governance documents, were determined to be the primary beneficiary as we have both the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the entity (primarily lease rates, property operations and capital expenditures) and significant economic exposure through our equity investment. As such, the Midtown West joint venture is consolidated and all intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated.
The following table sets forth the assets and liabilities of the Midtown West joint venture included on our Consolidated Balance Sheets:
September 30, 2024
December 31, 2023
Net real estate assets
$
58,907
$
60,410
Cash and cash equivalents
$
1,935
$
1,096
Restricted cash
$
—
$
2,260
Accrued straight-line rents receivable
$
5,192
$
5,041
Deferred leasing costs, net
$
2,532
$
2,783
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net
$
119
$
124
Mortgages and notes payable, net
$
44,318
$
44,192
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities
$
1,453
$
2,872
The assets of the Midtown West joint venture can be used only to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.
4. Real Estate Assets
Dispositions
During the third quarter of 2024, we completed our exit from the Greensboro market by selling our last remaining land parcel for a sales price of $4.5 million and recorded a gain on disposition of property of $0.4 million.
During the second quarter of 2024, we sold seven buildings in Raleigh for a sales price of $62.5 million and recorded a gain on disposition of property of $35.0 million.
During the first quarter of 2024, we sold two buildings in Raleigh for an aggregate sales price of $16.9 million and recorded aggregate gains on disposition of property of $7.2 million.
The following table sets forth our mortgages and notes payable:
September 30, 2024
December 31, 2023
Secured indebtedness
$
714,383
$
720,752
Unsecured indebtedness
2,596,409
2,510,193
Less-unamortized debt issuance costs
(15,271)
(17,739)
Total mortgages and notes payable, net
$
3,295,521
$
3,213,206
As of September 30, 2024, our secured mortgage loans were collateralized by real estate assets with an undepreciated book value of $1,243.1 million.
Our $750.0 million unsecured revolving credit facility was modified during the first quarter of 2024 and is now scheduled to mature in January 2028 (but can be extended for two additional six-month periods at our option assuming no defaults have occurred). The interest rate on our revolving credit facility is SOFR plus a related spread adjustment of 10 basis points and a borrowing spread of 85 basis points, based on current credit ratings. The annual facility fee is 20 basis points. The interest rate and facility fee are based on the higher of the publicly announced ratings from Moody’s Investors Service or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. We incurred $7.7 million of debt issuance costs during the first quarter of 2024, which will be amortized along with certain existing unamortized debt issuance costs over the remaining term of our new revolving credit facility, and recorded $0.2 million of loss on debt extinguishment. During the second quarter of 2024, we modified the revolving credit facility to provide that the interest rate may be adjusted upward or downward by 2.5 basis points depending upon whether or not we achieve certain pre-determined sustainability goals with respect to the ongoing reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. There was $105.0 million and $98.0 million outstanding under our revolving credit facility as of September 30, 2024 and October 15, 2024, respectively. As of both September 30, 2024 and October 15, 2024, we had $0.1 million of outstanding letters of credit, which reduce the availability on our revolving credit facility. As a result, the unused capacity of our revolving credit facility as of September 30, 2024 and October 15, 2024 was $644.9 million and $651.9 million, respectively.
We are currently in compliance with financial covenants with respect to our consolidated debt.
We have considered our short-term liquidity needs within one year from October 22, 2024 (the date of issuance of the quarterly financial statements) and the adequacy of our estimated cash flows from operating activities and other available financing sources to meet these needs. Importantly, we have no scheduled debt maturities during such one-year period. We have concluded it is probable we will meet these short-term liquidity requirements through a combination of the following:
•available cash and cash equivalents;
•cash flows from operating activities;
•issuance of debt securities by the Operating Partnership;
•issuance of secured debt;
•bank term loans;
•borrowings under our revolving credit facility;
•issuance of equity securities by the Company or the Operating Partnership; and
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates
As of September 30, 2024, our noncontrolling interest in consolidated affiliates relates to our joint venture partner's 20.0% interest in the Midtown West joint venture. Our joint venture partner is an unrelated third party.
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership
The following table sets forth the Company’s noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership:
Three Months Ended September 30,
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Beginning noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership
$
56,518
$
56,206
$
49,520
$
65,977
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value
16,355
(6,334)
23,822
(15,521)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock
—
(4,795)
(132)
(4,795)
Redemptions of Common Units
—
—
—
(163)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership
297
453
2,111
2,386
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership
(1,076)
(1,078)
(3,227)
(3,432)
Total noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership
$
72,094
$
44,452
$
72,094
$
44,452
The following table sets forth net income available for common stockholders and transfers from the Company’s noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership:
Three Months Ended September 30,
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Net income available for common stockholders
$
14,558
$
22,101
$
103,492
$
108,233
Increase in additional paid in capital from conversions of Common Units to Common Stock
—
4,795
132
4,795
Redemptions of Common Units
—
—
—
163
Change from net income available for common stockholders and transfers from noncontrolling interests
$
14,558
$
26,896
$
103,624
$
113,191
8. Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The following summarizes the levels of inputs that we use to measure fair value.
Level 1. Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Our Level 1 asset is our investment in marketable securities that we use to pay benefits under our non-qualified deferred compensation plan. Our Level 1 liability is our non-qualified deferred compensation obligation. The Company’s Level 1 noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership relate to the ownership of Common Units by various individuals and entities other than the Company.
Level 2. Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the related assets or liabilities.
Our Level 2 assets include the fair value of our mortgages and notes receivable. Our Level 2 liabilities include the fair value of our mortgages and notes payable and any interest rate swaps.
The fair value of mortgages and notes receivable and mortgages and notes payable is estimated by the income approach, which uses contractual cash flows and market-based interest rates to approximate the price that would be paid in an orderly transaction between market participants. The fair value of any interest rate swaps is determined using the market standard
methodology of netting the discounted future fixed cash receipts and the discounted expected variable cash payments. The variable cash payments of interest rate swaps are based on the expectation of future interest rates (forward curves) derived from observed market interest rate curves. In addition, credit valuation adjustments are considered in the fair values to account for potential nonperformance risk, but were concluded to not be significant inputs to the calculation for the periods presented.
Level 3. Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
Our Level 3 assets include any real estate assets recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis as a result of our quarterly impairment analysis, which are valued using unobservable local and national industry market data such as comparable sales, appraisals, brokers’ opinions of value and/or the terms of definitive sales contracts. Significant increases or decreases in any valuation inputs in isolation would result in a significantly lower or higher fair value measurement.
The following table sets forth our assets and liabilities and the Company’s noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership that are measured or disclosed at fair value within the fair value hierarchy:
Level 1
Level 2
Total
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets or Liabilities
Significant Observable Inputs
Fair Value as of September 30, 2024:
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value (1)
$
11,084
$
—
$
11,084
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)
2,403
2,403
—
Total Assets
$
13,487
$
2,403
$
11,084
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership
$
72,094
$
72,094
$
—
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value (1)
$
3,157,141
$
—
$
3,157,141
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)
2,403
2,403
—
Total Liabilities
$
3,159,544
$
2,403
$
3,157,141
Fair Value as of December 31, 2023:
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value (1)
$
4,795
$
—
$
4,795
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)
2,294
2,294
—
Total Assets
$
7,089
$
2,294
$
4,795
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership
$
49,520
$
49,520
$
—
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value (1)
$
2,927,330
$
—
$
2,927,330
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)
2,294
2,294
—
Total Liabilities
$
2,929,624
$
2,294
$
2,927,330
__________
(1) Amounts are not recorded at fair value on our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company granted 181,540 shares of time-based restricted stock and 142,992 shares of total return-based restricted stock with weighted average grant date fair values per share of $24.45 and $25.22, respectively. We recorded share-based compensation expense of $1.0 million and $0.8 million during the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and $7.0 million and $6.2 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of September 30, 2024, there was $5.1 million of total unrecognized share-based compensation costs, which will be recognized over a weighted average remaining contractual term of 2.1 years.
10. Earnings Per Share and Per Unit
The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share of the Company:
Three Months Ended September 30,
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Numerator:
Net income
$
15,469
$
23,171
$
107,452
$
111,995
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership
(297)
(453)
(2,111)
(2,386)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates
8
5
15
488
Dividends on Preferred Stock
(622)
(622)
(1,864)
(1,864)
Net income available for common stockholders
$
14,558
$
22,101
$
103,492
$
108,233
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share – weighted average shares (1)
106,010
105,671
105,937
105,473
Net income available for common stockholders
$
0.14
$
0.21
$
0.98
$
1.03
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Numerator:
Net income
$
15,469
$
23,171
$
107,452
$
111,995
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates
8
5
15
488
Dividends on Preferred Stock
(622)
(622)
(1,864)
(1,864)
Net income available for common stockholders before net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership
$
14,855
$
22,554
$
105,603
$
110,619
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share – weighted average shares (1)
106,010
105,671
105,937
105,473
Add:
Noncontrolling interests Common Units
2,151
2,161
2,152
2,289
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Share – adjusted weighted average shares and assumed conversions
108,161
107,832
108,089
107,762
Net income available for common stockholders
$
0.14
$
0.21
$
0.98
$
1.03
__________
(1)Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.
The following tables summarize rental and other revenues and net operating income for our office properties. Net operating income is the primary industry property-level performance metric used by our chief operating decision maker and is defined as rental and other revenues less rental property and other expenses.
Three Months Ended September 30,
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Rental and Other Revenues:
Atlanta
$
36,742
$
35,666
$
109,799
$
107,991
Charlotte
22,010
21,079
65,991
63,452
Nashville
40,903
42,884
126,458
130,084
Orlando
14,312
14,356
43,892
43,300
Raleigh
43,042
45,354
130,848
136,933
Richmond
8,754
8,746
26,816
27,103
Tampa
23,948
25,000
72,963
75,344
Other
14,612
14,010
43,569
42,931
Total Rental and Other Revenues
$
204,323
$
207,095
$
620,336
$
627,138
Net Operating Income:
Atlanta
$
22,268
$
21,796
$
67,950
$
68,289
Charlotte
15,936
16,388
47,974
47,719
Nashville
30,657
31,389
92,448
95,530
Orlando
8,850
8,734
26,840
26,358
Raleigh
31,692
32,523
95,537
99,799
Richmond
5,765
5,733
18,424
18,656
Tampa
15,309
15,574
46,131
47,614
Other
8,140
7,765
24,332
23,942
Total Net Operating Income
138,617
139,902
419,636
427,907
Reconciliation to net income:
Depreciation and amortization
(79,116)
(74,765)
(226,532)
(220,416)
General and administrative expenses
(9,898)
(8,873)
(31,754)
(30,668)
Interest expense
(37,472)
(34,247)
(109,928)
(101,408)
Other income
1,872
754
10,559
3,082
Gains on disposition of property
350
—
42,581
19,818
Gain on deconsolidation of affiliate
—
—
—
11,778
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates
1,116
400
2,890
1,902
Net income
$
15,469
$
23,171
$
107,452
$
111,995
12. Subsequent Events
On October 21, 2024, the Company declared a cash dividend of $0.50 per share of Common Stock, which is payable on December 10, 2024 to stockholders of record as of November 18, 2024.
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The Company is a fully integrated office real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that owns, develops, acquires, leases and manages properties primarily in the best business districts (BBDs) of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa. The Company conducts its activities through the Operating Partnership. The Operating Partnership is managed by the Company, its sole general partner. Additional information about us can be found on our website at www.highwoods.com. Information on our website is not part of this Quarterly Report.
You should read the following discussion and analysis in conjunction with the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes contained elsewhere in this Quarterly Report.
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the information in this Quarterly Report may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements include statements about our plans, strategies and prospects under this section. You can identify forward-looking statements by our use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue” or other similar words. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that our plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. When considering such forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including the following:
•the financial condition of our customers could deteriorate;
•our assumptions regarding potential losses related to customer financial difficulties could prove incorrect;
•counterparties under our debt instruments, particularly our revolving credit facility, may attempt to avoid their obligations thereunder, which, if successful, would reduce our available liquidity;
•we may not be able to lease or re-lease second generation space, defined as previously occupied space that becomes available for lease, quickly or on as favorable terms as old leases;
•we may not be able to lease newly constructed buildings as quickly or on as favorable terms as originally anticipated;
•we may not be able to complete development, acquisition, reinvestment, disposition or joint venture projects as quickly or on as favorable terms as anticipated;
•development activity in our existing markets could result in an excessive supply relative to customer demand;
•our markets may suffer declines in economic and/or office employment growth;
•unanticipated increases in interest rates could increase our debt service costs;
•unanticipated increases in operating expenses could negatively impact our operating results;
•natural disasters and climate change could have an adverse impact on our cash flow and operating results;
•we may not be able to meet our liquidity requirements or obtain capital on favorable terms to fund our working capital needs and growth initiatives or repay or refinance outstanding debt upon maturity; and
•the Company could lose key executive officers.
This list of risks and uncertainties, however, is not intended to be exhaustive. You should also review the other cautionary statements we make in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” set forth herein and in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect any future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
We are in the work-placemaking business. We believe that by creating environments and experiences where the best and brightest can achieve together what they cannot apart, we can deliver greater value to our customers, their teammates and, in turn, our stakeholders. Our simple strategy is to own and operate high-quality workplaces in the BBDs within our footprint, maintain a strong balance sheet to be opportunistic throughout economic cycles, employ a talented and dedicated team and communicate transparently with all stakeholders. We focus on owning and managing buildings in the most dynamic and vibrant BBDs. BBDs are highly-energized and amenitized workplace locations that enhance our customers’ ability to attract and retain talent. They are both urban and suburban. Providing the most talent-supportive workplace options in these environments is core to our work-placemaking strategy.
Our investment strategy is to generate attractive and sustainable returns over the long term for our stockholders by developing, acquiring and owning a portfolio of high-quality, differentiated office buildings in the BBDs of our core markets. A core component of this strategy is to continuously strengthen the financial and operational performance, resiliency and long-term growth prospects of our existing in-service portfolio and recycle those properties that no longer meet our criteria.
Revenues
Our operating results depend heavily on successfully leasing and operating the office space in our portfolio. Economic growth and office employment levels in our core markets are important factors, among others, in predicting our future operating results. The key components affecting our rental and other revenues are average occupancy, rental rates, cost recovery income, new developments placed in service, acquisitions and dispositions. Average occupancy generally increases during times of improving economic growth, as our ability to lease space outpaces vacancies that occur upon the expirations of existing leases. Average occupancy generally declines during times of slower or negative economic growth, when new vacancies tend to outpace our ability to lease space. Asset acquisitions, dispositions and new developments placed in service directly impact our rental revenues and could impact our average occupancy, depending upon the occupancy rate of the properties that are acquired, sold or placed in service. Another indicator of the predictability of future revenues is the expected lease expirations of our portfolio. As a result, in addition to seeking to increase our average occupancy by leasing current vacant space, we also concentrate our leasing efforts on renewing existing leases prior to expiration. For more information regarding our lease expirations, see “Item 2. Properties - Lease Expirations” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors – Risks Related to our Operations. The continued social acceptance, desirability and perceived economic benefits of work-from-home arrangements could materially and negatively impact the future demand for office space over the long-term” in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Occupancy in our office portfolio decreased from 88.9% as of December 31, 2023 to 88.0% as of September 30, 2024. We expect average occupancy in our office portfolio to range from 86.0% to 87.0% for the remainder of 2024.
Whether or not our rental revenue tracks average occupancy proportionally depends upon whether GAAP rents under signed new and renewal leases are higher or lower than the GAAP rents under expiring leases. Annualized rental revenues from second generation leases expiring during any particular year are typically less than 15% of our total annual rental revenues. The following table sets forth information regarding second generation office leases signed during the third quarter of 2024 (we define second generation office leases as leases with new customers and renewals of existing customers in both consolidated and unconsolidatedoffice space that has been previously occupied and leases with respect to vacant space in acquired buildings):
New
Renewal
All Office
Leased space (in rentable square feet)
499,898
375,168
875,066
Average term (in years - rentable square foot weighted)
(1) Weighted average per rentable square foot on an annual basis over the lease term.
Annual combined GAAP rents for new and renewal leases signed in the third quarter were $37.46 per rentable square foot, 22.4% higher compared to previous leases in the same office spaces.
We strive to maintain a diverse, stable and creditworthy customer base. We have an internal guideline whereby customers that account for more than 3% of our revenues are periodically reviewed with the Company’s Board of Directors. As of September 30, 2024, only Bank of America (3.7%) and Asurion (3.5%) accounted for more than 3% of our annualized GAAP revenues.
Expenses
Our expenses primarily consist of rental property expenses, depreciation and amortization, general and administrative expenses and interest expense. From time to time, expenses also include impairments of real estate assets. Rental property expenses are expenses associated with our ownership and operation of rental properties and include expenses that vary somewhat proportionately to occupancy and usage levels, such as janitorial services and utilities, and expenses that do not vary based on occupancy, such as property taxes and insurance. Depreciation and amortization is a non-cash expense associated with the ownership of real property and generally remains relatively consistent each year, unless we buy, develop or sell assets, since our properties and related building and tenant improvement assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis over fixed lives. General and administrative expenses primarily consist of management and employee salaries and benefits, corporate overhead and short and long-term incentive compensation.
Net Operating Income
Whether or not we record increasing net operating income (“NOI”) in our same property portfolio typically depends upon our ability to garner higher rental revenues, whether from higher average occupancy, higher GAAP rents per rentable square foot or higher cost recovery income, that exceed any corresponding growth in operating expenses. Consolidated same property NOI was $0.4 million, or 0.3%, higher in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 due to a decrease of $0.6 million in same property expenses offset by a decrease of $0.2 million in same property revenue.
In addition to the effect of consolidated same property NOI, whether or not NOI increases typically depends upon whether the NOI from our acquired properties and recently completed development projects exceeds the NOI from property dispositions. NOI was $1.3 million, or 0.9%, lower in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to lost NOI from property dispositions, partially offset by NOI from recently completed development projects and higher consolidated same property NOI.
Cash Flows
In calculating net cash related to operating activities, depreciation and amortization, which are non-cash expenses, are added back to net income. We have historically generated a positive amount of cash from operating activities. From period to period, cash flow from operations primarily depends upon changes in our net income, as discussed more fully below under “Results of Operations,” changes in receivables and payables and net additions or decreases in our overall portfolio.
Net cash related to investing activities generally relates to capitalized costs incurred for leasing and major building improvements and our acquisition, development, disposition and joint venture activity. During periods of significant net acquisition and/or development activity, our cash used in such investing activities will generally exceed cash provided by investing activities, which typically consists of cash received upon the sale of properties and distributions from our joint ventures.
Net cash related to financing activities generally relates to distributions, incurrence and repayment of debt, and issuances, repurchases or redemptions of Common Stock, Common Units and Preferred Stock. We use a significant amount of our cash to fund distributions. Whether or not we have increases in the outstanding balances of debt during a period depends generally upon the net effect of our acquisition, disposition, development and joint venture activity. We generally use our revolving credit facility for daily working capital purposes, which means that during any given period, in order to minimize interest expense, we may record significant repayments and borrowings under our revolving credit facility.
For a discussion regarding dividends and distributions, see “Liquidity and Capital Resources - Dividends and Distributions.”
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We continue to maintain a conservative and flexible balance sheet and believe we have ample liquidity to fund our operations and growth prospects. As of October 15, 2024, we had approximately $18 million of existing cash and $98.0 million drawn on our $750.0 million revolving credit facility, which is scheduled to mature in January 2028 (but which can be extended
for two additional six-month periods at our option). As of September 30, 2024, our leverage ratio, as measured by the ratio of our mortgages and notes payable and outstanding preferred stock to the undepreciated book value of our assets, was 42.3%, and there were 108.2 million diluted shares of Common Stock outstanding.
Rental and other revenues are our principal source of funds to meet our short-term liquidity requirements. Other sources of funds for short-term liquidity needs include available working capital and borrowings under our revolving credit facility. Our short-term liquidity requirements primarily consist of operating expenses, interest and principal amortization on our debt, distributions and capital expenditures, including building improvement costs, tenant improvement costs and lease commissions. Building improvements are capital costs to maintain or enhance existing buildings not typically related to a specific customer. Tenant improvements are the costs required to customize space for our customers’ specific needs. We anticipate that our available cash and cash equivalents and cash provided by operating activities and planned financing activities, including borrowings under our revolving credit facility, will be adequate to meet our short-term liquidity requirements. We use our revolving credit facility for working capital purposes, the short-term funding of our development and acquisition activity and, in certain instances, the repayment of other debt. The continued ability to borrow under the revolving credit facility allows us to quickly capitalize on strategic opportunities at short-term interest rates.
We generally believe existing cash and rental and other revenues will continue to be sufficient to fund our short-term liquidity needs such as funding operating and general and administrative expenses, paying interest expense, maintaining our existing quarterly dividend and funding existing portfolio capital expenditures, including building improvement costs, tenant improvement costs and lease commissions.
Our long-term liquidity uses generally consist of the retirement or refinancing of debt upon maturity, funding of building improvements, new building developments (including our proportionate share of joint venture developments) and land infrastructure projects and funding acquisitions of buildings and development land. Additionally, we may, from time to time, retire outstanding equity and/or debt securities through redemptions, open market repurchases, privately negotiated acquisitions or otherwise.
We expect to meet our long-term liquidity needs through a combination of:
•cash flows from operating activities;
•issuance of debt securities by the Operating Partnership;
•issuance of secured debt;
•bank term loans;
•borrowings under our revolving credit facility;
•issuance of equity securities by the Company or the Operating Partnership; and
•the disposition of non-core assets.
We have no debt scheduled to mature prior to 2026. We generally believe we will be able to satisfy future obligations with existing cash, borrowings under our revolving credit facility, new bank term loans, issuance of other unsecured debt, mortgage debt and/or proceeds from the sale of additional non-core assets.
Investment Activity
As noted above, a key tenet of our strategic plan is to continuously upgrade the quality of our office portfolio through acquisitions, dispositions and development. We generally seek to acquire and develop office buildings that improve the average quality of our overall portfolio and deliver consistent and sustainable value for our stockholders over the long-term. Whether or not an asset acquisition or new development results in higher per share net income or funds from operations (“FFO”) in any given period depends upon a number of factors, including whether the NOI for any such period exceeds the actual cost of capital used to finance the acquisition or development. Additionally, given the length of construction cycles, development projects are not placed in service until several years after commencement in some cases. Sales of non-core assets could result in lower per share net income or FFO in any given period in the event the return on the resulting use of proceeds does not exceed the capitalization rate on the sold properties.
Rental and other revenues were $2.8 million, or 1.3%, lower in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to lost revenue from property dispositions and lower consolidated same property revenues, which decreased rental and other revenues by $3.5 million and $0.2 million, respectively. This decrease was partially offset by recently completed development projects, which increased rental and other revenues by $0.8 million. Same property rental and other revenues were lower primarily due to a decrease in occupancy, lower cost recoveries and higher credit losses, partially offset by higher average GAAP rents per rentable square foot and higher parking income.
Operating Expenses
Rental property and other expenses were $1.5 million, or 2.2%, lower in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to property dispositions and lower consolidated same property expenses, which decreased operating expenses by $1.3 million and $0.6 million, respectively. These decreases were partially offset by a $0.2 million increase in operating expenses from recently completed development projects. Same property operating expenses were lower primarily due to lower taxes, partially offset by higher contract services, utilities, and repairs and maintenance.
Depreciation and amortization expense was $4.4 million, or 5.8%, higher in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to accelerated depreciation and amortization of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs associated with the cancellation of a lease with a backfill customer for 110,000 square feet in the former Tivity building in Nashville that was originally scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2024. This increase was partially offset by property dispositions.
General and administrative expenses were $1.0 million, or 11.6%, higher in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to higher incentive compensation and gains on deferred compensation plan investments (which is fully offset by a corresponding increase in other income).
Interest Expense
Interest expense was $3.2 million, or 9.4%, higher in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to higher average interest rates, higher average debt balances and lower capitalized interest.
Other Income
Other income was $1.1 million higher in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to higher interest income from seller financing and loans provided to the 2827 Peachtree and Midtown East joint ventures and gains on deferred compensation plan investments (which is fully offset by a corresponding increase in general and administrative expenses).
Gains on Disposition of Property
Gains on disposition of property were $0.4 million higher in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023.
Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Affiliates
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates was $0.7 million higher in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to lower interest expense from our McKinney and Olive joint venture due to the payoff of a mortgage loan in the third quarter of 2024 and higher income from our 2827 Peachtree joint venture, which was completed in the third quarter of 2023.
Earnings Per Common Share - Diluted
Diluted earnings per common share was $0.07 lower in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023 due to a decrease in net income for the reasons discussed above.
Rental and other revenues were $6.8 million, or 1.1%, lower in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to lost revenue from property dispositions, which decreased rental and other revenues by $10.7 million. This decrease was partially offset by higher consolidated same property revenues and recently completed development projects, which increased rental and other revenues by $2.5 million and $2.2 million, respectively. Same property rental and other revenues were higher primarily due to higher average GAAP rents per rentable square foot, higher cost recoveries and higher parking income, partially offset by a decrease in average occupancy.
Operating Expenses
Rental property and other expenses were $1.5 million, or 0.7%, higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to $5.3 million of higher consolidated same property operating expenses, partially offset by a $3.5 million decrease in operating expenses from property dispositions. Same property operating expenses were higher primarily due to higher contract services, utilities, property insurance and repairs and maintenance, partially offset by lower taxes.
Depreciation and amortization expense was $6.1 million, or 2.8%, higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to accelerated depreciation and amortization of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs associated with the cancellation of a lease with a backfill customer for 110,000 square feet in the former Tivity building in Nashville that was originally scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2024, higher consolidated same property lease related depreciation and amortization and recently completed development projects, partially offset by property dispositions.
General and administrative expenses were $1.1 million, or 3.5%, higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to higher incentive compensation and gains on deferred compensation plan investments (which is fully offset by a corresponding increase in other income).
Interest Expense
Interest expense was $8.5 million, or 8.4%, higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to higher average interest rates and higher average debt balances.
Other Income
Other income was $7.5 million higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to a refund of $5.8 million in the aggregate of Tennessee franchise taxes paid for the 2020 through 2023 tax years. During the second quarter of 2024, the State of Tennessee modified the methodology for calculating franchise taxes. The modification lowers our annual franchise tax obligation and was allowed to be applied retrospectively back to 2020. We also earned higher interest income from seller financing and loans provided to the 2827 Peachtree and Midtown East joint ventures and recognized gains on deferred compensation plan investments (which is fully offset by a corresponding increase in general and administrative expenses).
Gains on Disposition of Property
Gains on disposition of property were $22.8 million higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023.
Gain on Deconsolidation of Affiliate
We recognized a gain on deconsolidation of $11.8 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2023 related to adjusting our retained interest in the Markel joint venture to fair value. We recorded no such gain on deconsolidation in the nine months ended September 30, 2024.
Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Affiliates
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates was $1.0 million higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 primarily due to higher income from our 2827 Peachtree joint venture, which was completed in the third
quarter of 2023, and lower interest expense from our McKinney and Olive joint venture due to the payoff of a mortgage loan in the third quarter of 2024. These increases were partially offset by expenses on Granite Park Six, which was completed in the third quarter of 2023 but is not yet stabilized.
Earnings Per Common Share - Diluted
Diluted earnings per common share was $0.05 lower in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 due to a decrease in net income for the reasons discussed above.
We report and analyze our cash flows based on operating activities, investing activities and financing activities. The following table sets forth the changes in the Company’s cash flows (in thousands):
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
Change
Net cash provided by operating activities
$
299,858
$
284,171
$
15,687
Net cash used in investing activities
(204,963)
(130,967)
(73,996)
Net cash used in financing activities
(92,531)
(152,213)
59,682
Total cash flows
$
2,364
$
991
$
1,373
The change in net cash provided by operating activities in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 was primarily due to net cash from the operations of consolidated same properties and recently completed development projects and changes in operating assets and liabilities, partially offset by property dispositions and higher interest expense.
The change in net cash used in investing activities in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 was primarily due to the redemption of our short-term preferred equity investment in the McKinney and Olive joint venture in 2023, contributions to the McKinney and Olive joint venture in 2024 to pay off a mortgage loan, contributions to the Granite Park Six joint venture in 2024 to pay down a construction loan and higher investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs in 2024. These changes were partially offset by higher net proceeds from disposition activity and lower investments in building improvements and development in process.
The change in net cash used in financing activities in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to 2023 was primarily due to higher net debt borrowings.
Capitalization
The following table sets forth the Company’s capitalization (in thousands, except per share amounts):
September 30, 2024
December 31, 2023
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at recorded book value
$
3,295,521
$
3,213,206
Preferred Stock, at liquidation value
$
28,811
$
28,811
Common Stock outstanding
106,020
105,710
Common Units outstanding (not owned by the Company)
2,151
2,157
Per share stock price at period end
$
33.51
$
22.96
Market value of Common Stock and Common Units
$
3,624,810
$
2,476,626
Total capitalization
$
6,949,142
$
5,718,643
As of September 30, 2024, our mortgages and notes payable and outstanding preferred stock represented 47.8% of our total capitalization and 42.3% of the undepreciated book value of our assets. See also “Executive Summary - Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
Our mortgages and notes payable as of September 30, 2024 consisted of $714.4 million of secured indebtedness with a weighted average interest rate of 4.43% and $2,596.4 million of unsecured indebtedness with a weighted average interest rate of 4.55%. The secured indebtedness was collateralized by real estate assets with an undepreciated book value of $1,243.1 million. As of September 30, 2024, $455.0 million of our debt bears interest at floating rates.
In the normal course of business, we regularly evaluate potential acquisitions. As a result, from time to time, we may have one or more potential acquisitions under consideration that are in varying stages of evaluation, negotiation or due diligence, including potential acquisitions that are subject to non-binding letters of intent or enforceable contracts. Consummation of any transaction is subject to a number of contingencies, including the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. No assurances can be provided that we will acquire any properties in the future. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Related to our Capital Recycling Activity - Recent and future acquisitions and development properties may fail to perform in accordance with our expectations and may require renovation and development costs exceeding our estimates” in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K
During the third quarter of 2024, we completed our exit from theGreensboro market by selling our last remaining land parcel for a sales price of $4.5 million and recorded a gain on disposition of property of $0.4 million.
We have a 50% interest in the McKinney & Olive joint venture. During the third quarter of 2024, the McKinney & Olive joint venture paid off at maturity the remaining $134.3 million balance on a secured mortgage loan with a stated interest rate of 4.5% and an effective interest rate of 5.3%. In connection with this loan payoff, we and Granite each contributed $62.1 million to the joint venture.
We have a 50% interest in the Granite Park Six joint venture. During the third quarter of 2024, the Granite Park Six joint venture paid down the outstanding $70.9 million balance with respect to a $115 million construction loan obtained in 2022. The loan, which matures in January 2026, has an interest rate of SOFR plus 394 basis points. In connection with this loan paydown, we and Granite each contributed $35.5 million to the joint venture.
As of September 30, 2024, we were developing 0.8 million rentable square feet of office properties. The following table summarizes these announced and in-process office developments:
Property
Market
Own %
Consolidated (Y/N)
Rentable Square Feet
Anticipated Total Investment (1)
Investment As Of September 30, 2024
Pre Leased %
Estimated Completion
Estimated Stabilization
($ in thousands)
23Springs
Dallas
50.0
%
N
642,000
$
460,000
$
269,383
59.6
%
1Q 25
1Q 28
Midtown East
Tampa
50.0
%
N
143,000
83,000
49,606
34.5
1Q 25
2Q 26
GlenLake Two Retail (2)
Raleigh
100.0
%
Y
8,600
8,100
997
100.0
1Q 26
1Q 26
793,600
$
551,100
$
319,986
55.5
%
__________
(1)Includes estimated lease up costs for tenant improvements and lease commissions until the property has reached stabilization.
(2)Recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as land held for development, not development-in-process.
Financing Activity
During 2023, we entered into separate equity distribution agreements with each of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., BTIG, LLC, Jefferies LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Regions Securities LLC, TD Securities (USA) LLC and Truist Securities, Inc. Under the terms of the equity distribution agreements, the Company may offer and sell up to $300.0 million in aggregate gross sales price of shares of Common Stock from time to time through such firms, acting as agents of the Company or as principals. Sales of the shares, if any, may be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices or as otherwise agreed with any of such firms (which may include block trades). During the third quarter of 2024, there were no shares of common stock issued under these agreements.
Our $750.0 million unsecured revolving credit facility was modified during the first quarter of 2024 and is now scheduled to mature in January 2028 (but can be extended for two additional six-month periods at our option assuming no defaults have occurred). The interest rate on our revolving credit facility is SOFR plus a related spread adjustment of 10 basis points and a borrowing spread of 85 basis points, based on current credit ratings. The annual facility fee is 20 basis points. The interest rate and facility fee are based on the higher of the publicly announced ratings from Moody’s Investors Service or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. We incurred $7.7 million of debt issuance costs during the first quarter of 2024, which will be amortized along with certain existing unamortized debt issuance costs over the remaining term of our new revolving credit facility, and
recorded $0.2 million of loss on debt extinguishment. During the second quarter of 2024, we modified the revolving credit facility to provide that the interest rate may be adjusted upward or downward by 2.5 basis points depending upon whether or not we achieve certain pre-determined sustainability goals with respect to the ongoing reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. There was $105.0 million and $98.0 million outstanding under our revolving credit facility as of September 30, 2024 and October 15, 2024, respectively. As of both September 30, 2024 and October 15, 2024, we had $0.1 million of outstanding letters of credit, which reduce the availability on our revolving credit facility. As a result, the unused capacity of our revolving credit facility as of September 30, 2024 and October 15, 2024 was $644.9 million and $651.9 million, respectively.
We are currently in compliance with financial covenants and other requirements with respect to our consolidated debt. Although we expect to remain in compliance with these covenants and ratios for at least the next year, depending upon our future operating performance, property and financing transactions and general economic conditions, we cannot provide any assurances that we will continue to be in compliance.
Our revolving credit facility and bank term loans require us to comply with customary operating covenants and various financial requirements. Upon an event of default on our revolving credit facility, the lenders having at least 51.0% of the total commitments under our revolving credit facility can accelerate all borrowings then outstanding, and we could be prohibited from borrowing any further amounts under our revolving credit facility, which would adversely affect our ability to fund our operations. In addition, certain of our unsecured debt agreements contain cross-default provisions giving the unsecured lenders the right to declare a default if we are in default under more than $35.0 million with respect to other loans in some circumstances.
The indenture that governs the Operating Partnership’s outstanding notes requires us to comply with customary operating covenants and various financial ratios. The trustee or the holders of at least 25.0% in principal amount of any series of notes can accelerate the principal amount of such series upon written notice of a default that remains uncured after 60 days.
We may not be able to repay, refinance or extend any or all of our debt at maturity or upon any acceleration. If any refinancing is done at higher interest rates, the increased interest expense could adversely affect our cash flow and ability to pay distributions. Any such refinancing could also impose tighter financial ratios and other covenants that restrict our ability to take actions that could otherwise be in our best interest, such as funding new development activity, making opportunistic acquisitions, repurchasing our securities or paying distributions.
Dividends and Distributions
To maintain its qualification as a REIT, the Company must pay dividends to stockholders that are at least 90.0% of its annual REIT taxable income, excluding net capital gains. The partnership agreement requires the Operating Partnership to distribute at least enough cash for the Company to be able to pay such dividends. The Company’s REIT taxable income, as determined by the federal tax laws, does not equal its net income under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). In addition, although capital gains are not required to be distributed to maintain REIT status, capital gains, if any, are subject to federal and state income tax unless such gains are distributed to stockholders.
Cash dividends and distributions reduce the amount of cash that would otherwise be available for other business purposes, including funding debt maturities, reducing debt or future growth initiatives. The amount of future distributions that will be made is at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors. For a discussion of the factors that will affect such cash flows and, accordingly, influence the decisions of the Company’s Board of Directors regarding dividends and distributions, see “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources - Dividends and Distributions” in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
On October 21, 2024, the Company declared a cash dividend of $0.50 per share of Common Stock, which is payable on December 10, 2024 to stockholders of record as of November 18, 2024.
During the third quarter of 2024, the Company declared and paid a cash dividend of $0.50 per share of Common Stock.
Current and Future Cash Needs
We anticipate that our available cash and cash equivalents, cash flows from operating activities and other available financing sources, including the issuance of debt securities by the Operating Partnership, the issuance of secured debt, bank term loans, borrowings under our revolving credit facility, the issuance of equity securities by the Company or the Operating Partnership and the disposition of non-core assets, will be adequate to meet our short-term liquidity requirements. We generally believe existing cash and rental and other revenues will continue to be sufficient to fund operating and general and
administrative expenses, interest expense, our existing quarterly dividend and existing portfolio capital expenditures, including building improvement costs, tenant improvement costs and lease commissions.
We had $23.7 million of cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2024. The unused capacity of our revolving credit facility as of September 30, 2024 and October 15, 2024 was $644.9 million and $651.9 million, respectively.
We have a currently effective automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC pursuant to which, at any time and from time to time, in one or more offerings on an as-needed basis, the Company may sell an indefinite amount of common stock, preferred stock and depositary shares and the Operating Partnership may sell an indefinite amount of debt securities, subject to our ability to effect offerings on satisfactory terms based on prevailing market conditions.
From time to time, the Company enters into equity distribution agreements with a variety of firms pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell shares of common stock through such firms, acting as agents of the Company or as principals. Sales of the shares, if any, may be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the NYSE or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices or as otherwise agreed with any of such firms (which may include block trades).
During the remainder of 2024, we expect to sell up to $150 million of properties no longer considered to be core assets due to location, age, quality and/or overall strategic fit. We can make no assurance, however, that we will sell any additional non-core assets or, if we do, what the timing or terms of any such sale will be.
See also “Executive Summary - Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
Critical Accounting Estimates
There were no changes made by management to the critical accounting policies in the nine months ended September 30, 2024. For a description of our critical accounting estimates, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Critical Accounting Estimates” in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Non-GAAP Information
The Company believes that FFO, FFO available for common stockholders and FFO available for common stockholders per share are metrics that are beneficial to management and investors and are important indicators of the performance of any equity REIT. Because these FFO calculations exclude such factors as depreciation, amortization and impairments of real estate assets and gains or losses from sales of operating real estate assets, which can vary among owners of identical assets in similar conditions based on historical cost accounting and useful life estimates, they facilitate comparisons of operating performance between periods and between other REITs. Management believes that historical cost accounting for real estate assets in accordance with GAAP implicitly assumes that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably over time. Since real estate values have historically risen or fallen with market conditions, management believes the use of FFO, FFO available for common stockholders and FFO available for common stockholders per share, together with the required GAAP presentations, provides a more complete understanding of the Company’s performance relative to its competitors and a more informed and appropriate basis on which to make decisions involving operating, financing and investing activities.
FFO, FFO available for common stockholders and FFO available for common stockholders per share are non-GAAP financial measures and therefore do not represent net income or net income per share as defined by GAAP. Net income and net income per share as defined by GAAP are the most relevant measures in determining the Company’s operating performance because these FFO measures include adjustments that investors may deem subjective, including adding back expenses such as depreciation, amortization and impairments. Furthermore, FFO available for common stockholders per share does not depict the amount that accrues directly to the stockholders’ benefit. Accordingly, FFO, FFO available for common stockholders and FFO available for common stockholders per share should never be considered as alternatives to net income, net income available for common stockholders, or net income available for common stockholders per share as indicators of the Company’s operating performance.
The Company’s presentation of FFO is consistent with FFO as defined by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, which is calculated as follows:
•Net income/(loss) computed in accordance with GAAP;
•Less net income, or plus net loss, attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates;
•Plus depreciation and amortization of depreciable operating properties;
•Less gains, or plus losses, from sales of depreciable operating properties, plus impairments on depreciable operating properties and excluding items that are classified as extraordinary items under GAAP;
•Plus or minus our share of adjustments, including depreciation and amortization of depreciable operating properties, for unconsolidated joint venture investments (to reflect funds from operations on the same basis); and
•Plus or minus adjustments for depreciation and amortization and gains/(losses) on sales of depreciable operating properties, plus impairments on depreciable operating properties, and noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates related to discontinued operations.
In calculating FFO, the Company includes net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership, which the Company believes is consistent with standard industry practice for REITs that operate through an UPREIT structure. The Company believes that it is important to present FFO on an as-converted basis since all of the Common Units not owned by the Company are redeemable on a one-for-one basis for shares of its Common Stock.
The following table sets forth the Company’s FFO, FFO available for common stockholders and FFO available for common stockholders per share (in thousands, except per share amounts):
Three Months Ended September 30,
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Funds from operations:
Net income
$
15,469
$
23,171
$
107,452
$
111,995
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates
8
5
15
488
Depreciation and amortization of real estate assets
78,421
74,048
224,460
218,423
(Gains) on disposition of depreciable properties
—
—
(42,231)
(19,368)
(Gain) on deconsolidation of affiliate
—
—
—
(11,778)
Unconsolidated affiliates:
Depreciation and amortization of real estate assets
3,806
3,209
11,148
8,655
Funds from operations
97,704
100,433
300,844
308,415
Dividends on Preferred Stock
(622)
(622)
(1,864)
(1,864)
Funds from operations available for common stockholders
$
97,082
$
99,811
$
298,980
$
306,551
Funds from operations available for common stockholders per share
$
0.90
$
0.93
$
2.77
$
2.84
Weighted average shares outstanding (1)
108,161
107,832
108,089
107,762
__________
(1)Includes assumed conversion of all potentially dilutive Common Stock equivalents.
In addition, the Company believes NOI and same property NOI are useful supplemental measures of the Company’s property operating performance because such metrics provide a performance measure of the revenues and expenses directly involved in owning real estate assets and a perspective not immediately apparent from net income or FFO. The Company defines NOI as rental and other revenues less rental property and other expenses. The Company defines cash NOI as NOI less lease termination fees, straight-line rent, amortization of lease incentives and amortization of acquired above and below market leases. Other REITs may use different methodologies to calculate NOI, same property NOI and cash NOI.
In previous periods, our same property portfolio consisted only of wholly owned in-service properties. Beginning in 2024, we updated our same property portfolio to include our share of in-service joint venture properties. As of September 30, 2024, our same property portfolio consisted of 153 wholly owned and joint venture in-service properties encompassing 27.3 million rentable square feet that were owned during the entirety of the periods presented (from January 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024). As of December 31, 2023, our same property portfolio consisted of 154 wholly owned in-service properties encompassing 26.6 million rentable square feet that were owned during the entirety of the periods presented (from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023). The change in our same property portfolio was due to the addition of six joint venture properties encompassing 0.7 million rentable square feet, one property acquired during 2022 encompassing 0.4 million rentable square feet and one newly developed property placed in service during 2022 encompassing 0.1 million rentable square feet, offset by the removal of nine properties that were sold during 2024 encompassing 0.4 million rentable square feet.
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
For information regarding our market risk as of December 31, 2023, see “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
SEC rules require us to maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our annual and periodic reports filed with the SEC is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company’s CEO and CFO have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures of the Company and the Operating Partnership were each effective as of September 30, 2024.
SEC rules also require us to establish and maintain internal control over financial reporting designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. There were no changes in internal control over financial reporting during the three months ended September 30, 2024 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. There were also no changes in internal control over financial reporting during the three months ended September 30, 2024 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Operating Partnership’s internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
The following table sets forth information related to shares of Common Stock surrendered by employees to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of restricted stock during the third quarter of 2024:
Inline XBRL Instance Document (the instance document does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each of the registrants has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Highwoods Properties, Inc.
By:
/s/ Brendan C. Maiorana
Brendan C. Maiorana
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership
By:
Highwoods Properties, Inc., its sole general partner
By:
/s/ Brendan C. Maiorana
Brendan C. Maiorana
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
