Alexander & Baldwin(ALEX) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a same-store NOI growth of 4.2% for the quarter, with the commercial real estate (CRE) portfolio generating $33.2 million of NOI, representing a 4.6$0.36 per share for Q1 2025, consisting of $0.06 from land operations and$0.30 from CRE and corporate [19] - G&A expenses were approximately $7 million, a decrease of 3.4$1.17 to $1.23, reflecting better-than-expected results in land operations [23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company executed 42 leases in its improved property portfolio, representing approximately 237,000 square feet of GLA and$5.6 million of ABR [13] - Leased occupancy was 95.4%, up 80 basis points sequentially and 40 basis points year-over-year [14] - The company sold 90 acres of primarily agricultural land, contributing approximately 6 cents to land operations earnings for the quarter [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company backfilled approximately 75% of a 50,000 square feet industrial vacancy by signing a lease at Kakaako Commerce Center [24] - Economic occupancy at quarter-end was 93.9%, up 100 basis points from the previous quarter and 160 basis points from the same period last year [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on improving its CRE portfolio performance, internal and external growth, and streamlining its business and cost structure [10] - A notable transaction involved transferring a five-acre lot at Maui Business Park into the ground lease portfolio, which is expected to contribute nearly a penny in FFO for 2025 [12] - The company is committed to a Hawaii-focused asset class diverse strategy, with self-storage being a new area of investment [12][36] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the current macroeconomic uncertainty but emphasized strong first-quarter results and the ability to manage through challenges [27] - There have been no significant concerns from tenants regarding their operations, and leasing activity remains robust [40][51] - The company is taking proactive measures to mitigate potential impacts from tariffs on construction costs by pre-purchasing materials [42][70] Other Important Information - The company maintains a strong balance sheet with total liquidity of over $300 million and a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.6 times [22] - The Board declared a second-quarter 2025 dividend of$0.225 per share, payable on July 9 [23] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide details on the self-storage transaction and the equity investment opportunity? - The self-storage transaction involved converting non-income-producing land into long-term rental income through a 75-year ground lease, contributing nearly a penny of FFO for 2025 [34][35] Question: What are the concerns from tenants regarding macroeconomic uncertainty? - While there is some uncertainty around tariffs, there have been no real-time concerns from tenants, and leasing activity remains positive [40][51] Question: Is the construction completion delay related to tariffs? - The delay in construction completion is due to the natural course of construction and not directly related to tariffs [44] Question: How significant is the impact of tariffs on building materials? - An 8% increase in steel prices was noted, and the company is taking steps to pre-purchase materials to mitigate costs [69][70] Question: Are there any anticipated drags on FFO as the year progresses? - There are no known anticipated drags due to move-outs or other factors at this time [78] Question: Is there potential for additional legacy issues impacting future earnings? - While there is always a possibility of legacy issues arising, the company does not anticipate anything out of the ordinary in the near term [86]