Americold Realty Trust(COLD) - 2025 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q2 AFFO per share was $0.36, with the first half performance largely on track despite ongoing market pressures [8][25] - Same store economic occupancy declined slightly in Q2 compared to Q1, with expectations for a decrease of approximately 250 to 450 basis points for the year [4][26] - Same store rent and storage revenue for economic occupied pallets increased by approximately 1% year over year, while same store services revenue for throughput pallets increased by 4% [6][11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Rent and storage revenue from fixed commitments remained at 60% for the quarter, reflecting the quality of mission-critical assets [5][12] - Warehouse services margins improved by 90 basis points year over year to 13.3% for the quarter, indicating enhanced productivity from a well-trained workforce [5] - The company successfully converted over 80% of previously announced $200 million probability-weighted sales, although occupancy ramp for new customers is taking longer than expected [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The storage market remains highly competitive, with pricing pressure expected to continue into the second half of the year [38][41] - The company is experiencing demand headwinds due to factors such as interest rates, tariffs, inflation, and excess capacity, impacting occupancy rates across the industry [8][26] - The international business, particularly in Asia Pacific, is performing well with occupancy rates above 90% [94] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on controlling costs, improving efficiencies, and capturing new business, particularly in the retail and QSR segments [9][69] - Several key development projects were completed in Q2, including expansions in Allentown and Kansas City, which are expected to drive future growth [17][19] - The company is actively pursuing alternative growth opportunities in underserved geographies, particularly in Asia Pacific [23][94] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed a cautious outlook for the second half of the year, anticipating continued pressure on occupancy levels and pricing [8][26] - The company is taking a conservative view of the market, removing the traditional seasonal inventory build from forecasts [8][26] - Management emphasized the importance of operational excellence and value-added services as differentiators in a challenging market [41][69] Other Important Information - The company completed a $400 million public bond offering to repay a portion of outstanding borrowings, maintaining a total liquidity of approximately $937 million [29][30] - The company is rationalizing its portfolio by selling underperforming assets, with plans to exit six more facilities [31][32] Q&A Session Summary Question: How competitive is the current pricing environment? - The storage market remains very competitive, with pricing pressure expected to continue until occupancy growth returns [36][38] Question: Can you provide details on fixed commitments and customer contracts? - Fixed commitments are structured as multiyear agreements with fixed monthly fees, allowing customers to secure space during peak seasons [43][45] Question: What factors are impacting revenue growth in the second half of the year? - Revenue growth is being suppressed by pricing pressure and multiple demand headwinds, including interest rates and inflation [50][52] Question: How is the company managing capital deployment and return hurdles? - The company aims for a return on invested capital of 10% to 12% for new developments, focusing on low-risk projects [57][59] Question: What is the outlook for occupancy in Q3 and Q4? - The company does not expect any seasonal uplift in occupancy for the second half of the year, with Q3 likely to mirror Q1 and Q2 [63][64] Question: Are customers integrating their cold chain needs more? - Some large customers are maximizing their own cold storage capacity, which is a normal business practice, but this is not significantly impacting demand [72][74]