Diversified Healthcare Trust(DHC) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In 2025, the company achieved consolidated NOI growth of 31.3% and reduced leverage by over three turns, with no debt maturities until 2028 [6][12] - Total revenue for the fourth quarter was $379.6 million, with Adjusted EBITDAre of $72.4 million and Normalized FFO of $21.8 million or $0.09 per share [8][22] - Full year Adjusted EBITDAre was $284 million, at the high end of guidance [22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The SHOP NOI for the full year was $139.3 million, driven by a same-property occupancy increase of 90 basis points year-over-year to 82.4% and an average monthly rate increase of 5.8% [8][16] - Medical office and life science NOI was $108.1 million, just above the midpoint of guidance, while triple net lease senior living community and wellness center NOI was $31.1 million, exceeding guidance [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated occupancy in the medical office and life science portfolio increased by 460 basis points sequentially to 91.2% [11] - Same-property Cash Basis NOI increased 3.8% year-over-year, with margins improving 100 basis points to 59.6% [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to continue unlocking value through operational improvements and has identified approximately 15 locations for potential reopening of wings, which could add around 500 units to the portfolio [27] - Future dispositions will be opportunistic, focusing on reducing leverage or redeploying into accretive initiatives [14][46] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving the 2026 outlook, supported by a robust demand for SHOP communities and a favorable industry outlook [10][14] - The company anticipates strong improvements in SHOP segment performance and reduced debt, driving free cash flow growth [22] Other Important Information - The company completed the wind down of AlerisLife, transitioning 116 communities to seven operators and completed renovations at over 30 communities [5][6] - The company expects recurring capital expenditures for 2026 to range from $100 million to $115 million, representing an over 18% decrease compared to 2025 [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the go-forward strategy and opportunities for reopening wings? - The main strategy focuses on growing performance through operations, with potential for 500 units from reopening wings at identified locations [26][27] Question: Will external investments focus on renovations or acquisitions? - Renovations are prioritized for better risk-adjusted returns, but acquisitions are not ruled out for the future [28][29] Question: What drove the fourth quarter margin improvement? - The improvement was due to a combination of reduced transition disruptions and core operational gains [30] Question: What are the trends for January and February? - January showed promising results in line with expectations, with rent escalators around 4%-6% [32][33] Question: How does the company view NOI growth for the coming quarters? - NOI growth is expected to be back half of the year weighted due to ongoing transitions [38] Question: What are the prospects for renewing leases in the medical office and life science segment? - There are promising outlooks for re-leasing, particularly in the Fremont building, which is in a strong R&D market [44] Question: What implications does the momentum have on dividends? - The board will consider dividends, but there are no immediate priorities for addressing them [52]