Boston Properties Announces First Quarter 2015 Results

Reports diluted FFO per share of $1.30 Reports diluted EPS of $1.11

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boston Properties, Inc. (NYSE: BXP), a real estate investment trust, reported results today for the first quarter ended March 31, 2015.

Funds from Operations (FFO) for the quarter ended March 31, 2015 were $200.4 million, or $1.31 per share basic and $1.30 per share diluted. This compares to FFO for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 of $183.8 million, or $1.20 per share basic and $1.20 per share diluted. The weighted average number of basic and diluted shares outstanding totaled approximately 153,230,000 and 153,873,000, respectively, for the quarter ended March 31, 2015 and 153,030,000 and 154,043,000, respectively, for the quarter ended March 31, 2014.

The Company’s reported FFO of $1.30 per share diluted was greater than the guidance previously provided of $1.22-$1.24 per share diluted primarily due to greater lease termination income of $0.07 per share and portfolio operations of $0.01 per share, offset by greater than projected interest expense of $0.01 per share.

Net income available to common shareholders was $171.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, compared to $54.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2014. Net income available to common shareholders per share (EPS) for the quarter ended March 31, 2015 was $1.12 basic and $1.11 on a diluted basis. This compares to EPS for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 of $0.35 basic and $0.35 on a diluted basis. Net income available to common shareholders for the quarter ended March 31, 2015 includes gains on sales of real estate aggregating approximately $95.1 million, or $0.56 per share basic and $0.55 per share on a diluted basis.

The reported results are unaudited and there can be no assurance that the results will not vary from the final unaudited information for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of these reported results have been made.

As of March 31, 2015, the Company’s portfolio consisted of 168 properties, comprised primarily of Class A office space, one hotel, two residential properties and five retail properties, aggregating approximately 45.5 million square feet, including ten properties under construction totaling 3.3 million square feet. In addition, the Company has structured parking for vehicles containing approximately 14.7 million square feet. The overall percentage of leased space for the 155 properties in service (excluding the two residential properties and the hotel) as of March 31, 2015 was 90.3%.

Significant events during the first quarter included:

• On January 21, 2015, the Company’s Compensation Committee approved the 2015 Multi-Year, Long-Term Incentive Program (the “2015 MYLTIP”) as a performance-based component of the Company’s overall compensation program. Under the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718 “Compensation – Stock Compensation,” the 2015 MYLTIP has an aggregate value of approximately $15.7 million, which will generally be amortized into earnings over the four-year plan period under the graded vesting method and has been reflected in the 2015 guidance below.
• On February 19, 2015, the Company commenced a planned interest rate hedging program in contemplation of a financing with a target commencement date in September 2016 and maturity in September 2026. The Company has since entered into seven forward-starting interest rate swap contracts, including two contracts entered into subsequent to March 31, 2015, which fix the ten-year swap rate at a weighted-average rate of approximately 2.451% per annum on notional amounts aggregating $300.0 million.
• On February 19, 2015, the Company completed the sale of a parcel of land within its Washingtonian North property located in Gaithersburg, Maryland for a gross sale price of $8.7 million. Net cash proceeds totaled approximately $8.3 million, resulting in a gain on sale of real estate totaling approximately $3.7 million. The parcel contains approximately 8.5 acres of the approximately 27 acre property.
• On March 11, 2015, the Company received a second interim distribution from its unsecured creditor claim against Lehman Brothers, Inc. totaling approximately $4.5 million, leaving a remaining claim of approximately $33.0 million. There can be no assurance as to the timing or amount of additional proceeds, if any, that the Company may ultimately realize on the claim.
• On March 17, 2015, the Company completed the sale of its Residences on The Avenue property located in Washington, DC for a gross sale price of $196.0 million. Net cash proceeds totaled approximately $192.5 million, resulting in a gain on sale of real estate totaling approximately $91.4 million. The Company has agreed to provide net operating income support of up to $6.0 million should the property’s net operating income fail to achieve certain thresholds, which has been recorded as a reduction to the gain on sale. The Residences on The Avenue is comprised of 335 apartment units and approximately 50,000 net rentable square feet of retail space, subject to a ground lease that expires on February 1, 2068.

EPS and FFO per Share Guidance:

The Company’s guidance for the second quarter and full year 2015 for EPS (diluted) and FFO per share (diluted) is set forth and reconciled below. Except as described below, the estimates reflect management’s view of current and future market conditions, including assumptions with respect to rental rates, occupancy levels and the earnings impact of the events referenced in this release and otherwise referenced during the conference call referred to below. The estimates do not include possible future gains or losses or the impact on operating results from other possible future property acquisitions or dispositions, other possible capital markets activity or possible future impairment charges. EPS estimates may be subject to fluctuations as a result of several factors, including changes in the recognition of depreciation and amortization expense and any gains or losses associated with disposition activity. The Company is not able to assess at this time the potential impact of these factors on projected EPS. By definition, FFO does not include real estate-related depreciation and amortization, impairment losses or gains or losses associated with disposition activities. There can be no assurance that the Company’s actual results will not differ materially from the estimates set forth below.

As shown below, the Company has updated its guidance for FFO per share (diluted) for full year 2015 to $5.35 - $5.45 per share from $5.28 - $5.43 per share. The updated guidance reflects, when compared to the Company’s prior guidance, an increase from the first quarter 2015 results of $0.07 per share, an increase in net operating income from the Company’s property portfolio of $0.02 per share, offset by a decrease in FFO of $0.05 per share from lower capitalized interest.

	Second Quarter 2015					Full Year 2015
	Low		-	High		Low		-	High
Projected EPS (diluted)	$	0.43	-	$	0.45	$	2.43	-	$	2.53
Add:
Projected Company Share of Real Estate Depreciation and Amortization		0.89	-		0.89		3.47	-		3.47
Less:
Projected Company Share of Gains on Sales of Real Estate		0.00	-		0.00		0.55	-		0.55
Projected FFO per Share (diluted)	$	1.32	-	$	1.34	$	5.35	-	$	5.45

Boston Properties will host a conference call on Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time, open to the general public, to discuss the first quarter 2015 results, the 2015 projections and related assumptions, and other related matters that may be of interest to investors. The number to call for this interactive teleconference is [phone] (Domestic) or [phone] (International) and entering the passcode 97591714. A replay of the conference call will be available through May 12, 2015, by dialing [phone] (Domestic) or [phone] (International) and entering the passcode 97591714. There will also be a live audio webcast of the call which may be accessed on the Company’s website at www.bostonproperties.com in the Investor Relations section. Shortly after the call a replay of the webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website and archived for up to twelve months following the call.

Additionally, a copy of Boston Properties’ first quarter 2015 “Supplemental Operating and Financial Data” and this press release are available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.bostonproperties.com.

Boston Properties is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust that develops, redevelops, acquires, manages, operates and owns a diverse portfolio of Class A office space, one hotel, two residential properties and five retail properties. The Company is one of the largest owners and developers of Class A office properties in the United States, concentrated in four markets – Boston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws. You can identify these statements by our use of the words “assumes,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “guidance,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects” and similar expressions that do not relate to historical matters. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond Boston Properties’ control and could materially affect actual results, performance or achievements. These factors include, without limitation, the Company’s ability to enter into new leases or renew leases on favorable terms, dependence on tenants’ financial condition, the uncertainties of real estate development, acquisition and disposition activity, the ability to effectively integrate acquisitions, the uncertainties of investing in new markets, the costs and availability of financing, the effectiveness of our interest rate hedging contracts, the ability of our joint venture partners to satisfy their obligations, the effects of local, national and international economic and market conditions, the effects of acquisitions, dispositions and possible impairment charges on our operating results, the impact of newly adopted accounting principles on the Company’s accounting policies and on period-to-period comparisons of financial results, regulatory changes and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Boston Properties does not undertake a duty to update or revise any forward-looking statement, including its guidance for the second quarter and full fiscal year 2015, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Financial tables follow.

BOSTON PROPERTIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
			March 31,			December 31,
				2015			2014
			(in thousands, except for share amounts)
			(unaudited)
ASSETS
Real estate			$	18,153,816		$	18,231,978
Construction in progress				797,148			736,311
Land held for future development				271,327			268,114
	Less: accumulated depreciation			(3,646,853	)		(3,547,659	)
	Total real estate			15,575,438			15,688,744
Cash and cash equivalents				1,064,396			1,763,079
Cash held in escrows				588,218			487,321
Investments in securities				20,736			19,459
Tenant and other receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,099 and $1,142, respectively				47,768			46,595
Accrued rental income, net of allowance of $1,126 and $1,499, respectively				713,874			691,999
Deferred charges, net				806,468			831,744
Prepaid expenses and other assets				165,985			164,432
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures				196,188			193,394
		Total assets	$	19,179,071		$	19,886,767
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Liabilities:
	Mortgage notes payable		$	4,289,120		$	4,309,484
	Unsecured senior notes, net of discount			5,288,101			5,287,704
	Unsecured exchangeable senior notes, net of discount			-			-
	Unsecured line of credit			-			-
	Mezzanine notes payable			309,475			309,796
	Outside members' notes payable			180,000			180,000
	Accounts payable and accrued expenses			224,086			243,263
	Dividends and distributions payable			112,796			882,472
	Accrued interest payable			186,630			163,532
	Other liabilities			483,762			502,255
		Total liabilities		11,073,970			11,878,506
Commitments and contingencies				-			-
Noncontrolling interest:
	Redeemable preferred units of the Operating Partnership			633			633
	Redeemable interest in property partnership			105,520			104,692
Equity:
	Stockholders' equity attributable to Boston Properties, Inc.
	Excess stock, $0.01 par value, 150,000,000 shares authorized, none issued or outstanding			-			-
	Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized;
		5.25% Series B cumulative redeemable preferred stock, $0.01 par value, liquidation preference $2,500 per
		share, 92,000 shares authorized, 80,000 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2015 and December 31,
		2014, respectively		200,000			200,000
	Common stock, $0.01 par value, 250,000,000 shares authorized, 153,481,007 and 153,192,845 shares issued and
		153,402,107 and 153,113,945 shares outstanding at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively		1,534			1,531
	Additional paid-in capital			6,286,260			6,270,257
	Dividends in excess of earnings			(690,993	)		(762,464	)
	Treasury common stock, at cost			(2,722	)		(2,722	)
	Accumulated other comprehensive loss			(11,907	)		(9,304	)
		Total stockholders' equity attributable to Boston Properties, Inc.		5,782,172			5,697,298
	Noncontrolling interests:
		Common units of the Operating Partnership		617,274			603,171
		Property partnerships		1,599,502			1,602,467
		Total equity		7,998,948			7,902,936
		Total liabilities and equity	$	19,179,071		$	19,886,767

BOSTON PROPERTIES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
					Three months ended
					March 31,
						2015			2014
					(in thousands, except for per share amounts)
	Revenue
		Rental
			Base rent		$	490,682		$	455,018
			Recoveries from tenants			88,593			81,934
			Parking and other			24,788			24,333
				Total rental revenue		604,063			561,285
		Hotel revenue				9,085			8,193
		Development and management services				5,328			5,216
				Total revenue		618,476			574,694
	Expenses
		Operating
			Rental			221,350			206,388
			Hotel			7,576			6,797
		General and administrative				28,791			29,905
		Transaction costs				327			437
		Depreciation and amortization				154,223			154,270
				Total expenses		412,267			397,797
	Operating income					206,209			176,897
	Other income (expense)
		Income from unconsolidated joint ventures				14,834			2,816
		Interest and other income				1,407			1,311
		Gains from investments in securities				393			286
		Interest expense				(108,757	)		(113,554	)
	Income before gains on sales of real estate					114,086			67,756
		Gains on sales of real estate				95,084			-
	Net income					209,170			67,756
	Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
		Noncontrolling interests in property partnerships				(15,208	)		(4,354	)
		Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units of the Operating Partnership				(3	)		(619	)
		Noncontrolling interest - common units of the Operating Partnership				(20,188	)		(6,160	)
	Net income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc.					173,771			56,623
		Preferred dividends				(2,589	)		(2,589	)
	Net income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders				$	171,182		$	54,034
	Basic earnings per common share attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders:
			Net income		$	1.12		$	0.35
		Weighted average number of common shares outstanding				153,230			153,030
	Diluted earnings per common share attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders:
			Net income		$	1.11		$	0.35
		Weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding				153,873			153,169

BOSTON PROPERTIES, INC.
FUNDS FROM OPERATIONS (1)
(Unaudited)
			Three months ended
			March 31,
				2015			2014
			(in thousands, except for per share amounts)
Net income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. common shareholders			$	171,182		$	54,034
Add:
	Preferred dividends			2,589			2,589
	Noncontrolling interest - common units of the Operating Partnership			20,188			6,160
	Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units of the Operating
		Partnership		3			619
	Noncontrolling interests in property partnerships			15,208			4,354
Less:
	Gains on sales of real estate			95,084			-
Income before gains on sales of real estate				114,086			67,756
Add:
	Real estate depreciation and amortization (2)			148,754			158,514
Less:
	Noncontrolling interests in property partnerships' share of funds from
		operations		36,515			19,023
	Noncontrolling interest - redeemable preferred units of the Operating
		Partnership		3			619
	Preferred dividends			2,589			2,589
Funds from operations (FFO) attributable to the Operating Partnership				223,733			204,039
Less:
	Noncontrolling interest - common units of the Operating Partnerships'
		share of funds from operations		23,348			20,195
Funds from operations attributable to Boston Properties, Inc.			$	200,385		$	183,844
Boston Properties, Inc.'s percentage share of funds from operations - basic				89.56	%		90.10	%
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic				153,230			153,030
	FFO per share basic		$	1.31		$	1.20
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted				153,873			154,043
	FFO per share diluted		$	1.30		$	1.20

(1) Pursuant to the revised definition of Funds from Operations adopted by the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“NAREIT”), we calculate Funds from Operations, or “FFO,” by adjusting net income (loss) attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. (computed in accordance with GAAP, including non-recurring items) for gains (or losses) from sales of properties, impairment losses on depreciable real estate of consolidated real estate, impairment losses on investments in unconsolidated joint ventures driven by a measurable decrease in the fair value of depreciable real estate held by the unconsolidated joint ventures, real estate related depreciation and amortization, and after adjustment for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. FFO is a non-GAAP financial measure. The use of FFO, combined with the required primary GAAP presentations, has been fundamentally beneficial in improving the understanding of operating results of REITs among the investing public and making comparisons of REIT operating results more meaningful. Management generally considers FFO to be a useful measure for reviewing our comparative operating and financial performance because, by excluding gains and losses related to sales of previously depreciated operating real estate assets, impairment losses and real estate asset depreciation and amortization (which can vary among owners of identical assets in similar condition based on historical cost accounting and useful life estimates), FFO can help one compare the operating performance of a company's real estate between periods or as compared to different companies.

Our computation of FFO may not be comparable to FFO reported by other REITs or real estate companies that do not define the term in accordance with the current NAREIT definition or that interpret the current NAREIT definition differently.

FFO should not be considered as an alternative to net income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. (determined in accordance with GAAP) as an indication of our performance. FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP, and is not a measure of liquidity or an indicator of our ability to make cash distributions. We believe that to further understand our performance, FFO should be compared with our reported net income attributable to Boston Properties, Inc. and considered in addition to cash flows in accordance with GAAP, as presented in our consolidated financial statements.

(2) Real estate depreciation and amortization consists of depreciation and amortization from the Consolidated Statements of Operations of $154,223 and $154,270 and our share of unconsolidated joint venture real estate depreciation and amortization of $(5,132) and $4,584, less corporate-related depreciation and amortization of $337 and $340 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

BOSTON PROPERTIES, INC.
PORTFOLIO LEASING PERCENTAGES
		% Leased by Location
		March 31, 2015	December 31, 2014
Boston		88.5%	91.4%
New York		90.4%	90.9%
San Francisco		88.3%	88.3%
Washington, DC		93.8%	94.8%
	Total Portfolio	90.3%	91.7%
		% Leased by Type
		March 31, 2015	December 31, 2014
Class A Office Portfolio		90.6%	91.8%
Office/Technical Portfolio		84.7%	87.7%
	Total Portfolio	90.3%	91.7%