Summary of Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX) 2025 Conference Call Company Overview - **Company Name**: Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX) - **Type**: Diversified Hawaiian Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) - **History**: Established 155 years ago, converted to a REIT in 2017 - **Focus**: Exclusively operates in Hawaii, leveraging unique market conditions and high barriers to entry [2][4] Portfolio Composition - **Net Operating Income (NOI) Breakdown**: - Retail: Approximately 66% (primarily grocery-anchored) [4][6] - Industrial: About 18% [5][6] - Ground Leases: Roughly 17% [5][6] - Office: Approximately 3-4% (considered non-strategic) [5][9] Growth Opportunities - **Retail Sector**: Strong fundamentals with potential for tenant demand growth; many large retailers lack a presence in Hawaii, presenting long-term opportunities [6][7] - **Industrial Sector**: Extremely tight market with a vacancy rate of 1.2% on Oahu; logistical challenges create opportunities for growth [7][8] - **Existing Portfolio**: High occupancy rates (95.4% overall, 95.2% in retail) with potential for further increases [11] Recent Transactions and Developments - **Maui Business Park**: Secured a 75-year ground lease with a self-storage developer; ongoing construction of a 30,000 square foot industrial building [13][15] - **Oahu Developments**: Building a 21,000 square foot facility pre-leased to Lowe's, capitalizing on retail-driven industrial demand [16][17] Financial Metrics - **Debt Metrics**: Net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.6 times; total liquidity over $300 million [26] - **Dividend Policy**: Targets a payout of 100% of re-taxable income; consistent dividend payer since REIT conversion [27][28] Economic Context - **Tourism Impact**: Tourism accounts for about 20% of Hawaii's GDP; visitor counts up 3.2% year-to-date compared to 2024, though still below pre-COVID levels [30][31] - **Government Spending**: Also represents about 20% of GDP; stable federal funding due to Hawaii's strategic military importance [32][33] Challenges and Barriers - **Zoning and Development**: High barriers to entry for new developments; lengthy entitlement processes can take years [39][40] - **Construction Costs**: Elevated due to reliance on imported materials; management's local expertise helps navigate these challenges [41] Investment Thesis - **Differentiated Strategy**: Focused on Hawaii with a diverse asset class portfolio; historically strong performance with a CAGR in same-store NOI growth [42][43] - **Valuation Opportunity**: Current stock price does not reflect the underlying real estate value and growth potential [44] Conclusion - **Overall Positioning**: Alexander & Baldwin presents a unique investment opportunity in a specialized market with strong fundamentals and growth potential, despite challenges in development and construction [42][44]

Core Viewpoint - Bill Ackman, a prominent investor, focuses on concentrated investments in high-quality businesses, with his hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital Management, having a strong track record over the past two decades [1] Company Overview - As of December 31, Pershing Square held 11 positions, with one company representing 12% of the fund, making it the third-largest holding despite Ackman selling shares over several quarters [2] - Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) has shown significant stock performance, with shares increasing by 183% over the past five years, although they have declined by 17% in 2025 [2][8] Financial Performance - Chipotle has consistently generated positive free cash flow (FCF), reporting a cumulative FCF of $3.6 billion from 2021 to 2024, which has been partly used for share buybacks [3] - The company maintains a strong balance sheet, with more current assets than liabilities and no debt, allowing it to earn interest income rather than incur interest expenses [4] Competitive Position - Ackman values high barriers to entry in the restaurant industry, noting that while competition is fierce, replicating Chipotle's success is extremely challenging [5] Investment Strategy - Ackman sold approximately 17 million shares of Chipotle in 2024, likely due to high valuation rather than company quality, as the stock traded at an average forward P/E ratio of 51.2 [6][7] - Despite the sales, Pershing Square retained a significant position in Chipotle, indicating continued bullish sentiment, especially with the stock down 27% from its all-time high [8] Market Conditions - Chipotle experienced a 0.4% decline in same-store sales in Q1, attributed to weaker consumer spending, though the leadership remains optimistic about the company's long-term potential [9] - The stock is currently trading at a more reasonable forward P/E ratio of 41.3, suggesting a potential opportunity for investors to consider dollar-cost averaging into Chipotle shares [10]