UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
FOR ANNUAL AND TRANSITION REPORTS PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(Mark One)
ý |
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004
OR
o |
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission File No. 1-15371
iSTAR FINANCIAL INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Maryland | 95-6881527 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
|
1114 Avenue of the Americas, 27th Floor New York, NY |
10036 |
|
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip code) |
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 930-9400
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class: Name of Exchange on which registered: | Name of Exchange on which registered: | |
| Common Stock, $0.001 par value | New York Stock Exchange | |
| 8.000% Series D Cumulative Redeemable | New York Stock Exchange | |
| Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value | ||
| 7.875% Series E Cumulative Redeemable | New York Stock Exchange | |
| Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value | ||
| 7.800% Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value |
New York Stock Exchange | |
| 7.650% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value |
New York Stock Exchange | |
| 7.500% Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value |
New York Stock Exchange |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (i) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports); and (ii) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12-b-2). Yes ý No o
As of June 30, 2004 the aggregate market value of the common stock, $0.001 par value per share of iStar Financial Inc. ("Common Stock"), held by non-affiliates(1) of the registrant was approximately $4.3 billion, based upon the closing price of $40.00 on the New York Stock Exchange composite tape on such date.
As of March 1, 2005, there were 111,487,900 shares of Common Stock outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
| |
Page |
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|---|---|---|
| PART I | ||
| Item 1. Business | 2 | |
| Item 2. Properties | 19 | |
| Item 3. Legal Proceedings | 19 | |
| Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders | 19 | |
PART II |
||
| Item 5. Market for Registrant's Equity and Related Share Matters | 20 | |
| Item 6. Selected Financial Data | 23 | |
| Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
26 | |
| Item 7a. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk | 48 | |
| Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplemental Data | 51 | |
| Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Registered Public Accounting Firm on Accounting and Financial Disclosure |
113 | |
| Item 9A. Controls and Procedures | 113 | |
PART III |
||
| Item 10. Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant | 114 | |
| Item 11. Executive Compensation | 114 | |
| Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management | 114 | |
| Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions | 114 | |
| Item 14. Principal Registered Public Accounting Firm Fees and Services | 114 | |
PART IV |
||
| Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K | 115 | |
SIGNATURES |
119 |
Explanatory Note for Purposes of the "Safe Harbor Provisions" of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which involve certain risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are included with respect to, among other things, iStar Financial Inc.'s (the "Company's") current business plan, business strategy and portfolio management. The Company's actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those anticipated. Important factors that the Company believes might cause such differences are discussed in the cautionary statements presented under the caption "Factors That May Affect the Company's Business Strategy" in Item 1 of this Form 10-K or otherwise accompany the forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K. In assessing all forward-looking statements, readers are urged to read carefully all cautionary statements contained in this Form 10-K.
Overview
The Company is the leading publicly-traded finance company focused on the commercial real estate industry. The Company provides custom-tailored financing to high-end private and corporate owners of real estate, including senior and junior mortgage debt, senior and mezzanine corporate capital, and corporate net lease financing. The Company, which is taxed as a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), seeks to deliver strong dividends and superior risk-adjusted returns on equity to shareholders by providing innovative and value added financing solutions to its customers.
The Company's primary product lines include:
2
As more fully discussed in Note 1 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company began its business in 1993 through private investment funds formed to capitalize on inefficiencies in the real estate finance market. In March 1998, these funds contributed their approximately $1.1 billion of assets to the Company's predecessor in exchange for a controlling interest in that company. Since that time, the Company has grown by originating new lending and leasing transactions, as well as through corporate acquisitions.
Specifically, in September 1998, the Company acquired the loan origination and servicing business of a major insurance company, and in December 1998, the Company acquired the mortgage and mezzanine loan portfolio of its largest private competitor. Additionally, in November 1999, the Company acquired TriNet Corporate Realty Trust, Inc., then the largest publicly-traded company specializing in corporate sale/leaseback transactions for office and industrial facilities. The acquisition of TriNet was structured as a stock-for-stock merger of TriNet with a subsidiary of the Company. Throughout this Report, the Company refers to TriNet as TriNet or the Leasing Subsidiary and refers to the acquisition of TriNet as the TriNet Acquisition.
Concurrent with the TriNet Acquisition, the Company also acquired its former external advisor in exchange for shares of the Company's Common Stock and converted its organizational form to a Maryland corporation. As part of the conversion to a Maryland corporation, the Company replaced its former dual class common share structure with a single class of Common Stock. The Company's Common Stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on November 4, 1999. Prior to this date, the Company's common shares were traded on the American Stock Exchange.
Investment Strategy
The Company's investment strategy targets specific sectors of the real estate and corporate credit markets in which it believes it can deliver innovative, custom-tailored and flexible financial solutions to its customers, thereby differentiating its financial products from those offered by other capital providers.
The Company has implemented its investment strategy by:
3
The Company seeks to invest in a mix of portfolio financing transactions to create asset diversification and single-asset financings for properties with strong, long-term competitive market positions. The Company's credit process focuses on:
As of December 31, 2004, based on current gross carrying values, the Company's business consists of the following product lines:
4
The Company seeks to maintain an investment portfolio which is diversified by asset type, underlying property type and geography. As of December 31, 2004, based on current gross carrying values, the Company's total investment portfolio has the following characteristics:
5
The Company's Underwriting Process
The Company discusses and analyzes investment opportunities during regular weekly meetings which are attended by all of its investment professionals, as well as representatives from its legal, risk management and capital markets areas. The Company has developed a process for screening potential investments called the Six Point Methodologysm. Through this process the Company evaluates an investment opportunity prior to beginning its formal commitment process by: (1) evaluating the source of the opportunity; (2) evaluating the quality of the collateral or corporate credit, as well as its market or industry dynamics; (3) evaluating the equity or corporate sponsor; (4) determining whether it can implement an appropriate legal and financial structure for the transaction given its risk profile; (5) performing an alternative investment test; and (6) evaluating the liquidity of the investment and its ability to match fund the asset.
The Company has an intensive underwriting process in place for all potential investments. This process provides for comprehensive feedback and review by all disciplines within the Company, including investments, credit, risk management, legal/structuring and capital markets. Participation is encouraged from all professionals throughout the entire origination process, from the initial consideration of the opportunity, through the Six Point Methodologysm and into the preparation and distribution of a comprehensive memorandum for the Company's internal and Board of Directors investment committees.
Effective January 20, 2005, commitments of less than $75.0 million require the unanimous consent of the Company's internal investment committee, consisting of senior management representatives from each of the Company's key disciplines. For commitments between $75.0 million and $150.0 million, the further approval of the investment committee of the Company's board of directors' (the "Board of Directors") is also required. All commitments of $150.0 million or more must be approved by the Company's full Board of Directors. In addition, strategic investments such as a corporate merger or acquisition of another business entity (other than a corporate net lease financing) or any other material transaction in an amount over $75.0 million involving the Company's entry into a new line of business, must be approved by the Company's full Board of Directors.
Financing Strategy
The Company has access to a wide range of debt and equity capital resources to finance its investment and growth strategies. At December 31, 2004, the Company had over $2.4 billion of tangible book equity capital and a total market capitalization of approximately $10.1 billion. The Company believes that its size, diversification, investor sponsorship and track record are competitive advantages in obtaining attractive financing for its businesses.
The Company seeks to maximize risk-adjusted returns on equity and financial flexibility by accessing a variety of public and private debt and equity capital sources. While the Company believes that it is important to maintain diverse sources of funding, it began to emphasize unsecured funding sources of debt, such as long-term unsecured corporate debt, approximately 18 months ago. The Company believes that unsecured debt is more cost-effective, flexible and efficient than secured debt. The Company's current sources of debt capital include:
6
The Company's business model is premised on significantly lower leverage than many other commercial finance companies. In this regard, the Company seeks to:
The Company has not historically utilized, and does not currently plan to utilize, "off-balance sheet" financing vehicles other than normal corporate tenant leasing joint ventures with unrelated third parties, which may be accounted for under the equity method due to the existence of provisions providing for a sharing of control with the venture partners. Detailed information on the Company's one remaining joint venture in which the Company currently has investments/operations, which totaled approximately $5.7 million at December 31, 2004, including information on the Company's share of the joint venture's non-recourse debt, is provided in Item 7"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsLiquidity and Capital Resources," and in Note 6 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.
A more detailed discussion of the Company's current capital resources is provided in Item 7"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsLiquidity and Capital Resources."
Hedging Strategy
The Company has variable-rate lending assets and variable-rate debt obligations. These assets and liabilities create a natural hedge against changes in variable interest rates. This means that as interest rates increase, the Company earns more on its variable-rate lending assets and pays more on its variable-rate debt obligations and, conversely, as interest rates decrease, the Company earns less on its variable-rate lending assets and pays less on its variable-rate debt obligations. When the Company's variable-rate debt obligations exceed its variable-rate lending assets, the Company utilizes derivative instruments to limit the impact of changing interest rates on its net income. The Company does not use derivative instruments to hedge assets or for speculative purposes. The derivative instruments the Company uses are typically in the form of interest rate swaps and interest rate caps. Interest rate swaps effectively change variable-rate debt obligations to fixed-rate debt obligations. Interest rate caps effectively limit the maximum interest rate on variable-rate debt obligations.
In addition, when appropriate the Company enters into interest rate swaps that convert fixed-rate debt to variable rate in order to mitigate the risk of changes in fair value of the fixed-rate debt obligations.
The primary risks from the Company's use of derivative instruments is the risk that a counterparty to a hedging arrangement could default on its obligation and the risk that the Company may have to pay certain costs, such as transaction fees or breakage costs, if a hedging arrangement is terminated by it. As a matter of policy, the Company enters into hedging arrangements with counterparties that are large, creditworthy financial institutions typically rated at least "A/A2" by Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service, respectively. The Company's hedging strategy is monitored by its Audit Committee on behalf of its Board of Directors and may be changed by the Board of Directors without shareholder approval.
Developing an effective strategy for dealing with movements in interest rates is complex and no strategy can completely insulate the Company from risks associated with such fluctuations. There can be no assurance that the Company's hedging activities will have the desired beneficial impact on its results of operations or financial condition.
A more detailed discussion of the Company's hedging policy is provided in Item 7"Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of OperationsLiquidity and Capital Resources."
7
Real Estate Lending
The Company provides structured financing to high-end private and corporate owners of real estate, including senior and junior mortgage debt and senior and mezzanine corporate capital.
Set forth below is information regarding the Company's primary real estate lending product lines as of December 31, 2004:
| |
Current Carrying Value |
% of Total |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(In thousands) |
|
|||||
| Structured finance | $ | 1,784,746 | 44.74 | % | |||
| Portfolio finance | 1,058,018 | 26.53 | % | ||||
| Corporate finance | 691,731 | 17.34 | % | ||||
| Loan acquisition | 454,130 | 11.39 | % | ||||
| Gross carrying value | $ | 3,988,625 | 100.00 | % | |||
| Provision for loan losses | (42,436 | ) | |||||
| Total carrying value, net | $ | 3,946,189 | |||||
As more fully discussed in Note 3 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company continually monitors borrower performance and completes a detailed, loan-by-loan formal credit review on a quarterly basis. After having originated or acquired over $12.2 billion of investment transactions over its ten-year history, the Company and its private investment fund predecessors have experienced minimal actual losses on their lending investments.
Despite the Company's historical track record of having minimal credit losses and loans on non-accrual status, the Company considers it prudent to reflect provisions for loan losses on a portfolio basis based upon the Company's assessment of general market conditions, the Company's internal risk management policies and credit risk rating system, industry loss experience, the Company's assessment of the likelihood of delinquencies or defaults, and the value of the collateral underlying its investments. Accordingly, since its first full quarter operating its current business as a public company (the quarter ended June 30, 1998), management has reflected quarterly provisions for loan losses in its operating results.
Summary of Interest Characteristics
As more fully discussed in Item 7"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsLiquidity and Capital Resources" as well as in Item 7a"Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk," the Company utilizes certain interest rate risk management techniques, including both asset/liability matching and certain other hedging techniques, in order to mitigate the Company's exposure to interest rate risks.
As of December 31, 2004, the Company's Lending Business portfolio has the following interest rate characteristics:
| |
Current Carrying Value |
% of Total |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(In thousands) |
|
||||
| Fixed-rate loans | $ | 1,246,560 | 31.25 | % | ||
| Variable-rate loans | 2,742,065 | 68.75 | % | |||
| Gross carrying value | $ | 3,988,625 | 100.00 | % | ||
Summary of Prepayment Terms
The Company is exposed to risks of prepayment on its loan assets, and generally seeks to protect itself from such risks by structuring its loans with prepayment restrictions and/or penalties.
8
As of December 31, 2004, the Company's Lending Business portfolio has the following call protection characteristics:
| |
Current Carrying Value |
% of Total |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(In thousands) |
|
||||
| Fixed prepayment penalties | $ | 1,804,069 | 45.24 | % | ||
| Currently open to prepayment with no penalty | 986,407 | 24.73 | % | |||
| Substantial lock-out for original term(1) | 726,084 | 18.20 | % | |||
| Yield maintenance | 377,104 | 9.45 | % | |||
| Other | 94,961 | 2.38 | % | |||
| Gross carrying value | $ | 3,988,625 | 100.00 | % | ||
Explanatory Note:
Summary of Lending Business Maturities
As of December 31, 2004, the Company's Lending Business portfolio has the following maturity characteristics:
| Year of Maturity |
Number of Transactions Maturing |
Current Carrying Value |
% of Total |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
(In thousands) |
|
|||||
| 2005 | 23 | $ | 813,660 | 20.40 | % | |||
| 2006 | 29 | 1,163,926 | 29.18 | % | ||||
| 2007 | 21 | 657,997 | 16.50 | % | ||||
| 2008 | 14 | 309,309 | 7.75 | % | ||||
| 2009 | 18 | 601,982 | 15.09 | % | ||||
| 2010 | 2 | 37,561 | 0.94 | % | ||||
| 2011 | 6 | 89,687 | 2.25 | % | ||||
| 2012 | 2 | 41,409 | 1.04 | % | ||||
| 2013 | 6 | 83,358 | 2.09 | % | ||||
| 2014 | 2 | 95,257 | 2.39 | % | ||||
| 2015 and thereafter | 4 | 94,479 | 2.37 | % | ||||
| Total | 127 | $ | 3,988,625 | 100.00 | % | |||
| Weighted average maturity | 2.92 years | |||||||
Structured Finance
The Company provides senior and subordinated loans that typically range in size from $20 million to $100 million. These loans may be either fixed or variable rate and are structured to meet the specific financing needs of the borrowers, including the acquisition or financing of large, quality real estate. The Company offers borrowers a wide range of structured finance options, including first mortgages, second mortgages, partnership loans, participating debt and interim facilities. The Company's structured finance transactions have maturities generally ranging from three to ten years.
9
As of December 31, 2004, the Company's structured finance investments have the following characteristics:
| Investment Class |
Collateral Types |
# of Loans In Class |
Current Carrying Value(1) |
Current Principal Balance Outstanding |
Weighted Average Stated Pay Rate(2) |
Weighted Average First Dollar Current Loan-to- Value(3) |
Weighted Average Last Dollar Current Loan-to- Value(4) |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) |
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| First Mortgages | Office/Residential/Retail/ Industrial, R&D/Conference Center/Mixed Use/ Hotel/Entertainment, Leisure |
36 | $ | 1,341,310 | $ | 1,352,089 | 6.92 | % | 0 | % | 67 | % | |||||
| Junior First Mortgages(5) | Office/Residential/Mixed Use/Hotel |
10 | 268,517 | 271,223 | 9.74 | % | 50 | % | 74 | % | |||||||
| Second Mortgages | Mixed Use | 4 | 61,482 | 58,228 | 7.20 | % | 52 | % | 74 | % | |||||||
| Corporate Loans/Other | Office/Industrial, R&D/Mixed Use/Hotel | 11 | 113,437 | 112,609 | 11.35 | % | 57 | % | 72 | % | |||||||
| Total | 61 | $ | 1,784,746 | $ | 1,794,149 | ||||||||||||
Explanatory Notes:
Portfolio Finance
The Company provides funding to regional and national borrowers who own multiple facilities in geographically diverse portfolios. Loans are cross-collateralized to give the Company the benefit of all available collateral and underwritten to recognize inherent portfolio diversification. Property types include multifamily, suburban office, hotels and other property types where individual property values are less than $20 million on average. Loan terms are structured to meet the specific requirements of the borrower and typically range in size from $25 million to $150 million. The Company's portfolio finance transactions have maturities generally ranging from three to ten years.
As of December 31, 2004, the Company's portfolio finance investments have the following characteristics:
| Investment Class |
Collateral Types |
# of Loans In Class |
Current Carrying Value(1) |
Current Principal Balance Outstanding |
Weighted Average Stated Pay Rate(2) |
Weighted Average First Dollar Current Loan-to- Value(3) |
Weighted Average Last Dollar Current Loan-to- Value(4) |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) |
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| First Mortgages | Office/Residential/Mixed Use/Hotel/ Entertainment, Leisure |
6 | $ | 346,831 | $ | 349,774 | 6.30 | % | 0 | % | 65 | % | |||||
| Junior First Mortgages(5) | Office/Hotel/ Entertainment, Leisure |
5 | 194,285 | 194,400 | 7.49 | % | 52 | % | 61 | % | |||||||
| Second Mortgages | Hotel | 1 | 27,406 | 26,988 | 12.60 | % | 68 | % | 86 | % | |||||||
| Corporate Loans/Other | Office/Residential/Mixed Use/Hotel/ Entertainment, Leisure/Other |
14 | 489,496 | 494,750 | 9.51 | % | 49 | % | 70 | % | |||||||
| Total | 26 | $ | 1,058,018 | $ | 1,065,912 | ||||||||||||
Explanatory Notes:
10
Corporate Finance
The Company provides senior and subordinated capital to corporations engaged in real estate or real estate-related businesses. Financings may be either secured or unsecured and typically range in size from $20 million to $150 million. The Company's corporate finance transactions have maturities generally ranging from five to ten years.
As of December 31, 2004, the Company's corporate finance investments have the following characteristics:
| Investment Class |
Collateral Types |
# of Loans In Class |
Current Carrying Value(1) |
Current Principal Balance Outstanding |
Weighted Average Stated Pay Rate(2) |
Weighted Average First Dollar Current Loan-to- Value(3) |
Weighted Average Last Dollar Current Loan-to- Value(4) |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) |
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| First Mortgages | Industrial, R&D/Hotel/ Entertainment, Leisure/ Retail/Other |
11 | $ | 411,245 | $ | 425,381 | 6.58 | % | 4 | % | 57 | % | |||||
| Junior First Mortgages(5) | Retail/Entertainment, Leisure/Other | 4 | 51,805 | 52,391 | 6.55 | % | 52 | % | 60 | % | |||||||
| Corporate Loans/Other | Office/Residential/Retail/ Industrial, R&D/Mixed Use/Other | 13 | 228,681 | 235,053 | 7.41 | % | 51 | % | 63 | % | |||||||
| Total | 28 | $ | 691,731 | $ | 712,825 | ||||||||||||
Explanatory Notes:
Loan Acquisition
The Company acquires whole loans and loan participations which represent attractive risk-reward opportunities. Loans are generally acquired at a small discount to the principal balance outstanding. Loan acquisitions typically range in size from $5 million to $100 million and are collateralized by all major property types. The Company's loan acquisition transactions have maturities generally ranging from three to ten years.
For accounting purposes, these loans are initially reflected at the Company's acquisition cost which represents the outstanding balance net of the acquisition discount or premium. The Company amortizes such discounts or premiums as an adjustment to increase or decrease the yield, respectively, realized on these loans using the effective interest method. As such, differences between carrying value and principal balances outstanding do not represent embedded losses or gains as the Company generally plans to hold such loans to maturity.
11
As of December 31, 2004, the Company's loan acquisition investments have the following characteristics:
| Investment Class |
Collateral Types |
# of Loans In Class |
Current Carrying Value(1) |
Current Principal Balance Outstanding |
Weighted Average Stated Pay Rate(2) |
Weighted Average First Dollar Current Loan-to- Value(3) |
Weighted Average Last Dollar Current Loan-to- Value(4) |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) |
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| First Mortgages | Office/Retail/Hotel/Other | 6 | $ | 350,922 | $ | 362,232 | 7.99 | % | 6 | % | 78 | % | |||||
| Second Mortgages | Hotel | 1 | 15,000 | 15,000 | 7.24 | % | 45 | % | 58 | % | |||||||
| Corporate Loans/Other | Hotel | 5 | 88,208 | 108,757 | 7.64 | % | 44 | % | 54 | % | |||||||
| Total | 12 | $ | 454,130 | $ | 485,989 | ||||||||||||
Explanatory Notes:
Corporate Tenant Leasing
The Company, directly and through its Leasing Subsidiary, provides capital to corporations and borrowers who control facilities leased to single creditworthy customers. The Company's net leased assets are generally mission-critical headquarters or distribution facilities that are subject to long-term leases with rated public companies, many of which are corporate credits, and which provide for all expenses at the facility to be paid by the corporate customer on a triple net lease basis. CTL transactions have terms generally ranging from ten to 20 years and typically range in size from $20 million to $150 million.
The Company pursues the origination of CTL transactions by structuring purchase/leasebacks and by acquiring facilities subject to existing long-term net leases. In a typical purchase/leaseback transaction, the Company purchases a corporation's facility and leases it back to that corporation subject to a long-term net lease. This structure allows the corporate customer to reinvest the proceeds from the sale of its facilities into its core business, while the Company capitalizes on its structured financing expertise.
The Company generally intends to hold its CTL assets for long-term investment. However, subject to certain tax restrictions, the Company may dispose of an asset if it deems the disposition to be in the Company's best interests and may either reinvest the disposition proceeds, use the proceeds to reduce debt, or distribute the proceeds to shareholders.
The Company's CTL investments primarily represent a diversified portfolio of mission-critical headquarters or distribution facilities subject to net lease agreements with creditworthy corporate customers. The Company generally seeks general-purpose real estate with residual values that represent a discount to current market values and replacement costs. Under a typical net lease agreement, the corporate customer agrees to pay a base monthly operating lease payment and all facility operating expenses (including taxes, maintenance and insurance).
The Company generally seeks corporate customers with the following characteristics:
12
As of December 31, 2004, the Company had 128 corporate customers operating in more than 21 major industry sectors, including automotive, energy, finance, healthcare, recreation, technology and telecommunications. The majority of these customers represent well-recognized national and international companies, such as Federal Express, IBM, Nike, Nokia, the U.S. Government and Verizon.
As of December 31, 2004, the Company's CTL portfolio has the following tenant credit characteristics:
| |
Annualized In-Place Operating Lease Income(3) |
% of In-Place Operating Lease Income |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(In thousands) |
|
|||
| Investment grade(1) | $ | 103,949 | 35.01% | ||
| Implied investment grade(2) | 43,920 | 14.79% | |||
| Non-investment grade | 81,943 | 27.59% | |||
| Unrated | 67,138 | 22.61% | |||
| $ | 296,950 | 100.00% | |||
Explanatory Notes:
Risk Management Strategies. The Company believes that diligent risk management of its CTL assets is an essential component of its long-term strategy. There are several ways to optimize the performance and maximize the value of CTL assets. The Company monitors its portfolio for changes that could affect the performance of the markets, credits and industries in which it has invested. As part of this monitoring, the Company's risk management group reviews market, customer and industry data and frequently inspects its facilities. In addition, the Company attempts to develop strong relationships with its large corporate customers, which provide a source of information concerning the customers' facilities needs. These relationships allow the Company to be proactive in obtaining early lease renewals and in conducting early marketing of assets where the customer has decided not to renew.
As of December 31, 2004, the Company owned 349 office and industrial, entertainment and retail facilities principally subject to net leases to 127 customers, comprising 32.8 million square feet in 38 states.
13
The Company also has a portfolio of 17 hotels under a long-term master lease with a single customer. Information regarding the Company's CTL assets as of December 31, 2004 is set forth below:
| SIC Code |
# of Leases |
% of In-Place Operating Lease Income(1) |
% of Total Revenue(2) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | Business Services | 15 | 12.09 | % | 4.81% | |||
| 79 | Amusement and Recreation Services | 4 | 11.27 | % | 4.49% | |||
| 70 | Hotels, Rooming, Housing & Lodging | 3 | 8.64 | % | 3.44% | |||
| 35 | Industrial/Commercial Machinery, incl. Computers | 16 | 8.33 | % | 3.32% | |||
| 62 | Security and Commodity Brokers | 1 | 7.07 | % | 2.82% | |||
| 37 | Transportation Equipment | 7 | 6.97 | % | 2.77% | |||
| 36 | Electronic & Other Elec. Equipment | |||||||