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Essex Property Trust Inc. (ESS - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2024 core funds from operations (FFO) per share of $3.94, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.84. The figure also improved 4.5% from the year-ago quarter.
Results reflect favorable growth in same-property revenues and net operating income (NOI). ESS also raised its full-year 2024 guidance.
The second-quarter 2024 core FFO per share also exceeded the midpoint of the prior guidance by 11 cents per share. The outperformance primarily relates to 9 cents per share of favorable consolidated NOI, of which 4 cents per share was one-time in nature.
Total revenues of $442.4 million outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $433.3 million. Revenues were up 6.3% year over year.
Quarter in Detail
In the second quarter, Essex Property’s same-property revenues increased 3.4% from the prior-year period versus our estimate of 2.9%. However, same-property operating expenses rose 4.5% year over year.
Consequently, same-property NOI increased 3% year over year. Financial occupancies of 96.2% in the second quarter contracted 40 basis points (bps) year over year and 10 bps sequentially, respectively. Our estimate for the metric stood at 96.4%.
The year-over-year blended rate growth for the second quarter of 2024 came in at 3.4% versus 2.2% achieved in the first quarter of 2024.
The company acquired two apartment home communities in Northern California at a combined valuation of $147.7 million.
Balance Sheet
Essex Property exited the second quarter of 2024 with cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash, of $64.2 million, down from $507.9 million recorded at the end of the first quarter of 2024. ESS had $1.1 billion in liquidity through the undrawn capacity on its unsecured credit facilities, cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities as of Jul 26, 2024.
The company ended the quarter with a total net debt of $6.28 billion and net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDAre of 5.4X. ESS ended the quarter with a weighted average interest rate of 3.5% and a weighted average years to maturity of 7.1 years.
Guidance
For the third quarter of 2024, Essex Property projects core FFO per share in the range of $3.81-$3.93, with the midpoint being $3.87. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $3.82.
For 2024, the company revised the core FFO per share guidance to the range of $15.38-$15.62, with the midpoint being $15.50, from the earlier range of $15.03-$15.43. The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $15.41 stands within this range.
ESS now projects the same-property revenue growth on a cash basis to be in the range of 2.7%-3.3%, revised from the 1.5-3% range projected earlier. It expects operating expense growth within the 4.5%-5% range from the prior guidance of 3.5-5%. Consequently, NOI is projected to grow in the range of 1.8%-2.8%, up from 0.0-2.8% projected earlier.
UDR Inc. (UDR - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2024 funds from operations as adjusted (FFOA) per share of 62 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 61 cents. On a year-over-year basis, FFOA per share climbed 1.6%. Rental income and total revenues rose 2.5% and 2.7%, respectively.
Results reflected an increase in revenues from same-store communities.UDR also raised full-year 2024 FFOA per share guidance ranges. Currently, UDR carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
Equity Residential (EQR - Free Report) reported a second-quarter 2024 normalized FFO per share of 97 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 96 cents. The rental income of $734.16 million also marginally beat the consensus mark of $734.14 million. On a year-over-year basis, the normalized FFO per share grew 3.2% from 94 cents, with rental income climbing 2.3%.
Results reflected decent same-store performances, backed by healthy demand, modest supply and a focus on expense efficiency. EQR also raised its 2024 guidance. Currently, EQR carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO), a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.
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Essex Property (ESS) Q2 FFO & Revenues Beat, '24 View Raised
Essex Property Trust Inc. (ESS - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2024 core funds from operations (FFO) per share of $3.94, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.84. The figure also improved 4.5% from the year-ago quarter.
Results reflect favorable growth in same-property revenues and net operating income (NOI). ESS also raised its full-year 2024 guidance.
The second-quarter 2024 core FFO per share also exceeded the midpoint of the prior guidance by 11 cents per share. The outperformance primarily relates to 9 cents per share of favorable consolidated NOI, of which 4 cents per share was one-time in nature.
Total revenues of $442.4 million outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $433.3 million. Revenues were up 6.3% year over year.
Quarter in Detail
In the second quarter, Essex Property’s same-property revenues increased 3.4% from the prior-year period versus our estimate of 2.9%. However, same-property operating expenses rose 4.5% year over year.
Consequently, same-property NOI increased 3% year over year. Financial occupancies of 96.2% in the second quarter contracted 40 basis points (bps) year over year and 10 bps sequentially, respectively. Our estimate for the metric stood at 96.4%.
The year-over-year blended rate growth for the second quarter of 2024 came in at 3.4% versus 2.2% achieved in the first quarter of 2024.
The company acquired two apartment home communities in Northern California at a combined valuation of $147.7 million.
Balance Sheet
Essex Property exited the second quarter of 2024 with cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash, of $64.2 million, down from $507.9 million recorded at the end of the first quarter of 2024. ESS had $1.1 billion in liquidity through the undrawn capacity on its unsecured credit facilities, cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities as of Jul 26, 2024.
The company ended the quarter with a total net debt of $6.28 billion and net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDAre of 5.4X. ESS ended the quarter with a weighted average interest rate of 3.5% and a weighted average years to maturity of 7.1 years.
Guidance
For the third quarter of 2024, Essex Property projects core FFO per share in the range of $3.81-$3.93, with the midpoint being $3.87. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $3.82.
For 2024, the company revised the core FFO per share guidance to the range of $15.38-$15.62, with the midpoint being $15.50, from the earlier range of $15.03-$15.43. The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $15.41 stands within this range.
ESS now projects the same-property revenue growth on a cash basis to be in the range of 2.7%-3.3%, revised from the 1.5-3% range projected earlier. It expects operating expense growth within the 4.5%-5% range from the prior guidance of 3.5-5%. Consequently, NOI is projected to grow in the range of 1.8%-2.8%, up from 0.0-2.8% projected earlier.
Essex Property currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Essex Property Trust, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Essex Property Trust, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Essex Property Trust, Inc. Quote
Performance of Other Residential REITs
UDR Inc. (UDR - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2024 funds from operations as adjusted (FFOA) per share of 62 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 61 cents. On a year-over-year basis, FFOA per share climbed 1.6%. Rental income and total revenues rose 2.5% and 2.7%, respectively.
Results reflected an increase in revenues from same-store communities.UDR also raised full-year 2024 FFOA per share guidance ranges. Currently, UDR carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
Equity Residential (EQR - Free Report) reported a second-quarter 2024 normalized FFO per share of 97 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 96 cents. The rental income of $734.16 million also marginally beat the consensus mark of $734.14 million. On a year-over-year basis, the normalized FFO per share grew 3.2% from 94 cents, with rental income climbing 2.3%.
Results reflected decent same-store performances, backed by healthy demand, modest supply and a focus on expense efficiency. EQR also raised its 2024 guidance. Currently, EQR carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO), a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.