Investor or Media Inquiries, Carol Merriman, VP Investor Relations & Corporate Development
Lexington Realty Trust
Phone: (212) 692-7264 E-mail: cmerriman@lxp.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 8, 2007
LEXINGTON REALTY TRUST REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2007 RESULTS
New York, NY – November 8, 2007– Lexington Realty Trust (“Lexington”) (NYSE:LXP), a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on single-tenant real estate investments, today announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2007. All per share amounts are on a diluted basis.
Third Quarter 2007 Highlights
| · | Total rental revenues of $114.0 million |
| · | Company Funds From Operations of $50.4 million or $0.46 per share(1) |
| · | 39 new and renewal leases executed, totaling 946,000 square feet |
| · | $119.5 million in real estate dispositions |
| · | 513,000 shares/units repurchased at an average price of $20.00 per share/unit |
| · | $0.375 common share/unit dividend/distribution declared |
(1) | See the last page of this press release for a reconciliation of GAAP net income to Company FFO. |
COMMENTS FROM MANAGEMENT
T. Wilson Eglin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lexington stated, “We are pleased to report exceptionally strong third quarter operating results fueled by investment and capital market activities during the first half of the year and strong leasing activity. During the quarter, Lexington sold 23 properties for $119.5 million realizing gains of $27.0 million. In connection with the sales, we incurred debt prepayment penalties of $3.6 million, which reduced our reported funds from operations by $0.03 per share.” Mr. Eglin continued, “We expect to remain active on the sale front in the fourth quarter and believe that fourth quarter disposition activity will total between $171.5 million to $258.3 million. These sales, combined with prior disposition activity and the anticipated closing of our previously announced co-investment program are expected to generate taxable gain to the shareholders for 2007 of approximately $4.75 to $5.50 per share. Accordingly, we expect to pay a corresponding special distribution to our shareholders in early 2008.”
Michael L. Ashner, Executive Chairman of Lexington added, “We are pleased with our efforts to date with regards to our strategic restructuring plan. The slower pace of sales, compared with our previous expectations, reflect our view that our sales either be accretive or consist of non-core assets. Our slowed pace of acquisitions during the second half of this year reflects our view that investment opportunities are more likely to improve than diminish in the near to mid-term.”
FINANCIAL RESULTS
Revenue
For the quarter ended September 30, 2007, rental revenues increased 168.3% to $114.0 million, compared with rental revenues of $42.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2006. The increase was primarily a result of the December 31, 2006 merger with Newkirk Realty Trust, Inc. and the second quarter 2007 acquisition of 48 properties which Lexington had previously held in four co-investment programs.
Net Income Allocable to Common Shareholders
For the quarter ended September 30, 2007, net income allocable to common shareholders was $7.4 million, compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2006, which had a loss of $21.7 million. On a per share basis, net income allocable to common shareholders for the quarter ended September 30, 2007 was $0.12, compared with a loss of $0.42 for the comparable period last year. For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, net income allocable to common shareholders was $25.9 million, or $0.39 per share, as compared to $1.7 million, or $0.03 per share, for the same period in 2006.
Company Funds From Operations Applicable to Common Shareholders
For the quarter ended September 30, 2007, Company Funds From Operations (“Company FFO”) was $50.4 million, compared with Company FFO for the quarter ended September 30, 2006 of $(0.3) million. On a per share basis, Company FFO was $0.46 for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, compared with $0.00 for the same period in 2006. For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, Company FFO was $158.9 million or $1.42 per share, as compared with $66.5 million or $1.05 per share for the same period in 2006.
Market Capitalization
At September 30, 2007, Lexington’s total market capitalization was approximately $5.8 billion, based on the New York Stock Exchange closing price of Lexington’s common shares on September 30, 2007, and assuming the conversion of all operating partnership units to common shares, the liquidation preference of preferred shares, and the principal balance of total debt outstanding.
Dividend
On September 14, 2007, Lexington declared a regular quarterly cash dividend/distribution of $0.375 per common share/unit (equal to $1.50 on an annualized basis), which was paid on October 15, 2007, to common shareholders/unit holders of record as of September 28, 2007.
Share Repurchase Authorization
During the quarter ended September 30, 2007, Lexington repurchased approximately 513,000 common shares/units at an average price of $20.00 per share/unit. During the nine months ended September 30, 2007, Lexington has repurchased approximately 7.1 million common shares/units at an average price of $20.61 per share/unit, reducing the number of shares/units outstanding to approximately 103.4 million. On March 5, 2007, Lexington’s Board of Trustees authorized the repurchase from time to time of 10.0 million common shares/units, of which 3.4 million common shares/units remain available for repurchase.
2007 EARNINGS GUIDANCE
Lexington reaffirmed its previously disclosed 2007 full-year per diluted share Company FFO guidance range of $1.75 to $1.85. This guidance is based on current expectations and is forward-looking. In connection with projected property sales, Lexington expects to incur $0.05 to $0.06 per share of mortgage prepayment penalties in the fourth quarter.
INVESTMENT & DISPOSITION ACTIVITY
Co-Investment Program
In August 2007, Lexington announced that The Lexington Master Limited Partnership formed a co-investment program with Inland American (Net Lease) Sub, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Inland American Real Estate Trust, Inc., to invest in specialty single-tenant net leased assets in the United States.
The co-investment program entered into an agreement to acquire 53 primarily single-tenant net leased assets from Lexington and its subsidiaries for an aggregate purchase price of $940.0 million (including the assumption of non-recourse first mortgage financing secured by certain of the assets) and subordinated financing by The Lexington Master Limited Partnership subject to certain terms and conditions. The properties contain an aggregate of more than eight million net rentable square feet, and are located in 28 states. In addition to the 53 assets under contract, The Lexington Master Limited Partnership and Inland American (Net Lease) Sub, LLC, intend to invest $22.5 million and $127.5 million, respectively, in the co-investment program to acquire additional specialty single-tenant net leased assets. Assuming mortgage financing of 70% of acquisition cost, the joint venture will acquire up to $1.4 billion of property.
The sale of each of the 53 assets by Lexington and its subsidiaries, the purchase by the co-investment program, and the funding by Inland American (Net Lease) Sub, LLC are subject to satisfaction of conditions precedent to closing, including the assumption of existing financing, obtaining certain consents and waivers, the continuing solvency of the tenants and certain other customary conditions. Accordingly, Lexington can not provide assurances that the sales by it and its subsidiaries, the acquisition by the co-investment program and the funding by Inland American (Net Lease) Sub, LLC will be completed.
Dispositions
During the quarter ended September 30, 2007, Lexington sold 23 non-core properties under its previously announced disposition program for an aggregate price of $119.5 million.
LEASING ACTIVITY
At September 30, 2007, Lexington’s portfolio was approximately 95.8% leased. For the quarter ended September 30, 2007, Lexington executed 39 leases for approximately 946,000 square feet. Sixteen new leases were executed, (13 office properties, two industrial properties, and one retail property) encompassing 300,000 square feet. Twenty-three lease renewals were executed (three office properties, one industrial property, and 19 retail properties) encompassing 646,000 square feet.
THIRD QUARTER 2007 CONFERENCE CALL
On Thursday, November 8, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Lexington will host a conference call to discuss its results for the quarter ended September 30, 2007. Lexington’s remarks will be followed by a question and answer period. Interested parties may participate in this conference call by dialing (877) 407-0782 or (201) 689-8567. A taped replay of the call will be available through December 8, 2007 at (877) 660-6853, Account 286, Conference ID 256173.
A live web cast (listen-only mode) of the conference call will be available at www.lxp.com within the Investor Relations section. An online replay will also be available through December 8, 2007.
ABOUT LEXINGTON REALTY TRUST
Lexington Realty Trust is a real estate investment trust that owns, invests in, and manages office, industrial and retail properties net-leased to major corporations throughout the United States and provides investment advisory and asset management services to investors in the net lease area. Lexington shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “LXP”. Additional information about Lexington is available on-line at www.lxp.com or by contacting Lexington Realty Trust, Investor Relations, One Penn Plaza, Suite 4015, New York, New York 10119-4015.
This release contains certain forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties or other factors not under Lexington's control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Lexington to be materially different from the results, performance, or other expectations implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed under the headings "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" in Lexington’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 1, 2007 (the "Form 10-K") and other periodic reports filed with the SEC, including risks related to: (i) the failure to successfully complete the strategic restructuring plan, (ii) the failure to complete the sale of the 53 assets to the newly formed co-investment program described above, (iii) the failure to complete the expected fourth quarter disposition activity described above, (iv) the failure to obtain board approval of any special distribution described above, (v) the failure to integrate our operations and properties with those of Newkirk Realty Trust, (vi) the failure to continue to qualify as a real estate investment trust, (vii) changes in general business and economic conditions, (viii) competition, (ix) increases in real estate construction costs, (x) changes in interest rates, or (xi) changes in accessibility of debt and equity capital markets. Copies of the Form 10-K and the other periodic reports Lexington files with the SEC are available on Lexington’s website at www.lxp.com. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the Company's future plans, strategies and expectations, are generally identifiable by use of the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimates," "projects" or similar expressions. Lexington undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to those forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the occurrence of unanticipated events. Accordingly, there is no assurance that Lexington's expectations will be realized