Power REIT (NYSE-AMEX: PW and PW.PRA) (“Power REIT” or the
“Trust”), with a focused “Triple Bottom Line” strategy and a
commitment to people, planet, and profit, is providing information
regarding its quarterly financial performance, cannabis licensing
at is Michigan greenhouse property and other portfolio updates. The
information provided below includes highlights from its quarterly
report and current business activities as reported on its Form 10Q
filed with the SEC.
Q2 -2022
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
- During the second quarter of 2022,
the Trust reported Core FFO of $0.41 per share compared to Core FFO
per share of $0.51 for the comparable period in 2021.
- Core FFO for the period ended June
30, 2022, of $0.41 per share compares to $0.40 per share for the
quarter ended March 31, 2022.
Commenting on the results and
Q2-2022
achievements, David Lesser, Chief Executive Officer
stated, “Power REIT is currently focused on greenhouse as
a unique real estate asset class as a sustainable solution for the
cultivation of certain crops. Since pivoting to focus on
greenhouses, we have acquired approximately 2.2 million square feet
of which approximately 51% is currently focused on food cultivation
and 49% is currently focused on cannabis cultivation. We recently
acquired a 1.1 million square foot greenhouse focused on the
cultivation of tomatoes which we believe was acquired at a deep
discount to replacement cost. Regarding our cannabis portfolio, the
wholesale price for cannabis has exhibited significant price
compression over the past several quarters in most markets, which
is impacting our cannabis tenants. As we work through this market
dynamic, we remain optimistic that our investment thesis focused on
greenhouses provides a competitive advantage relative to the common
approach to cannabis cultivation in the form of warehouse/indoor
facilities. Simply put, greenhouses cost less to build and are more
efficient to operate than warehouse style indoor cultivation
facilities.”
MICHIGAN GREENHOUSE
CANNABIS LICENSING UPDATE
As previously disclosed in a Form 8K filed July
18, 2022, cannabis licensing for Power REIT’s property located in
Michigan has been delayed. The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory
Authority (“CRA”) application requires submitting a Certificate of
Occupancy (“CO”) or alternative documentation where a CO does not
exist, Since the property has Agricultural zoning, it is exempt
from the Marengo Township building code and the requirement for a
CO. Power REIT requested a simple two sentence letter from Marengo
Township that the CRA had pre-approved in order to meet this
requirement but Marengo Township refused to provide the letter
which ultimately led to Power REIT filing two litigations against
Marengo Township. As previously disclosed, PW Marengo recently
secured the requested statement from Marengo Township and the
application for cannabis licensing was submitted to CRA. With
respect to the litigations, Power REIT agreed to dismiss one of the
two actions and Marengo Township has agreed to continue with a
court ordered mediation process to resolve remaining issues.
With the licensing process now moving forward,
on August 9, 2022, CRA performed a pre-licensure inspection and
identified that no deficiencies existed. In addition to the CRA
approval we received, we are required to secure the approval of the
Michigan Bureau of Fire Services (“BFS”). The BFS process is
underway but there is no certainty as to the timing to complete
this process and ultimately secure the cannabis licenses. We will
continue to provide updates as the licensing process
progresses.
Due to the uncertainty of the timing for receipt
of cash rent, effective Q1 2022, we concluded that income from this
lease will be recognized on a cash basis rather than on a
straight-line basis until there is more clarity regarding the
ability to pay rent based on commencement of operations. As such,
no income was reported for this property during Q1 2022 and Q2
2022. The Michigan greenhouse property represents the single
largest asset in terms of potential income generation within Power
REIT’s existing portfolio. Based on the lease rate in place, and
assuming income is recognized on a straight-line basis, the
incremental Core FFO from this asset would be approximately $0.38
per share per quarter.
Q2-2022
LEASING AND TENANT ACTIVITY
When we started investing in cannabis
greenhouses in Colorado in mid-2019, we created a sculpted rent
schedule to designed to repay Power REIT’s investment over 36
months followed by a lower long-term ongoing rent. This was
established based on market conditions that showed significant
profit potential, but we ultimately expected price compression and
felt this structure set up a better dynamic for long-term success.
For some of our Colorado tenants, we have already received a
significant amount of our total investment back in the form of
rent. Due to recent dramatic wholesale cannabis price compression
in Colorado, the Trust has offered relief to several of our
Colorado tenants whereby monthly cash payments are restructured to
lower rent payments during 2022 and increase rent payments in 2023
or 2024. The restructurings still contemplate a full return of
Power REIT’s investment over 36 months but lowers the near-term
amounts paid. These amendments also do not affect the total amount
of rent to be collected or the straight-line revenue calculation
from these leases assuming the tenants can continue to perform. As
of June 30, 2022, the Trust has executed seven of these lease
amendments.
On May 1, 2022, PW CO CanRE MF LLC (“CanRE MF”),
a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trust, entered into a new
triple-net lease (the “EB Lease”) with Elevate & Bloom, LLC
(“EB Tenant”) for one of the two subdivided lots owned in Ordway,
CO and previously occupied by PSP Management LLC (“PSP”) which was
evicted. The term of the EB Lease is 20 years and provides two
options to extend for additional five-year periods. Power REIT’s
total commitment to this project is approximately $1,282,000 with
$750,283 remaining to be funded. The EB Lease also has financial
guarantees from affiliates of the EB Tenant. The EB Tenant intends
to operate as a licensed cannabis cultivation and processing
facility. The EB Lease is structured to provide an annual
straight-line rent of approximately $239,000, representing an
approximately 18.6% unleveraged FFO yield on invested capital.
On June 1, 2022, PW CO CanRE Apotheke LLC (“PW
Apotheke”) amended its lease with Dom F LLC (the “Apotheke Tenant”)
to provide $364,650 for additional improvements to the property as
well as to restructure the timing of lease payments. The additional
revenue on an annualized straight-line basis is approximately
$62,000 which represents approximately 17% unleveraged FFO yield.
However, based on the history of payments, rent for this property
is currently being treated on a cash basis and not on a
straight-line basis. Trust may commence straight-lining based on an
ongoing assessment of the ability of the tenant to pay rent.
On June 1, 2022, PW CO CanRE Grail LLC (“PW
Grail”) amended its lease with The Sandlot, LLC to restructure the
timing of the rent payments but the total straight-line rent over
the life of the lease is unchanged and an additional guarantor was
added to the lease. Revenue recognition for the Sandlot Lease is
currently being handled on a cash-basis and the Trust may commence
straight-lining based on an ongoing assessment of the ability of
the tenant to pay rent.
On June, 27, 2022, PW MI CanRE Marengo LLC (“PW
Marengo”) entered into a lease amendment with Marengo Cannabis LLC
(the Marengo Lease Amendment), to push out rent commencement to Q1
2023 to reflect the uncertainty around the timing of cannabis
licensing. The amendment was structured to maintain the same level
of straight-line accounting for rent for Power REIT. As previously
disclosed, the Trust has stopped including revenue from our
property located Michigan due to uncertainty around timing for
cannabis licensing and commencement of operations. Once there is
more certainty around the timing of the ability of the tenant to
pay rent, Power REIT will resume recognition of revenue. Had the
straight-line rent for the Michigan property been included in the
second quarter 2022 calculation, the incremental FFO would be $0.38
per share per quarter.
Mr. Lesser commented on
the recent leasing and tenant activity,
“As previously mentioned, wholesale cannabis prices nationwide have
compressed with Colorado among the most severe. We are working with
our tenants to get through this period of excess supply and have
executed a number of lease amendments to support their viability in
this market climate. With wholesale prices below the cost of
production, especially for indoor/warehouse style cultivation
facilities, supply should continue to come off-line. We are seeing
cultivation facilities shutting down and fire-selling product which
is further driving down prices. Ultimately, we expect supply and
demand to revert to sustainable levels that can generate profits
for efficient operators of cultivation facilities. We believe that
this market climate will reaffirm our investment thesis that the
lower cost of production in greenhouses ultimately represent the
viable path forward for cannabis cultivation.”
PORTFOLIO
Power REIT’s portfolio currently comprises:
- 22 Controlled Environment
Agriculture (CEA) properties in the form of greenhouses totaling
more than 2.2 million square feet;
- 7 solar farm ground leases totaling
601 acres; and
- 112 miles of railroad
property.
Mr. Lesser commented on Power REIT’s
outlook, “While there are certainly challenges within our
portfolio, we currently trade at a relatively low multiple of Core
FFO. In addition, we believe the cost basis in our assets should
provide some form of downside protection along with the fact that
we own real estate rather than the underlying operating businesses.
We look forward to moving forward with our focus on greenhouse
cultivation properties as a technology play in the form of real
estate.”
CAPITAL MARKETS
ACTIVITY
As previously announced, Power REIT entered into
a Debt Facility with initial availability of $20 million with a
5.52% fixed interest rate. As of June 30, 2022, $11,500,000 was
drawn on the Debt Facility.
DISTRIBUTIONS
During the three months ended June 30, 2022, the
Trust paid quarterly dividends of approximately $163,000 ($0.484375
per share) on Power REIT’s 7.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable
Perpetual Preferred Stock., which was payable on September 15, 2022
to shareholders of record on August 15, 2022.
UPDATED INVESTMENT
PRESENTATION
Power REIT has posted an updated investor
presentation which is available using the following link:
https://www.pwreit.com/investors
STATEMENT ON SUSTAINABILITY
Power REIT owns real estate related to
infrastructure assets including properties for Controlled
Environment Agriculture facilities with a focus on greenhouses,
Renewable Energy and Transportation.
CEA facilities in the form of greenhouses,
provide an extremely environmentally friendly solution, which
consume approximately 70% less energy than indoor growing
operations that do not benefit from “free” sunlight. greenhouses
use 90% less water than field grown plants, and Power REIT’s
greenhouse properties operate without the use of pesticides and
avoid agricultural runoff of fertilizers and pesticides. These
facilities cultivate medical Cannabis, which has been recommended
to help manage a myriad of medical symptoms, including seizures and
spasms, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder,
migraines, arthritis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer’s. To
date, the FDA has not approved a marketing application for cannabis
for the treatment of any disease or condition.
Renewable Energy assets are
comprised of land and infrastructure associated with utility scale
solar farms. These projects produce power without the use of fossil
fuels thereby lowering carbon emissions. The solar farms produce
approximately 50,000,000 kWh of electricity annually which is
enough to power approximately 4,600 homes on a carbon free
basis.
Transportation assets are
comprised of land associated with a railroad, an environmentally
friendly mode of bulk transportation.
ABOUT POWER REITPower REIT,
with a focus on the “Triple Bottom Line” and a commitment to
people, planet and profit, is a specialized real estate investment
trust (REIT) that owns sustainable real estate related to
infrastructure assets including properties for Controlled
Environment Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Transportation. Power
REIT is actively seeking to expand its real estate portfolio
related to Controlled Environment Agriculture in the form of
greenhouses for the cultivation of food and cannabis.
Additional information about Power REIT can be
found on its website: www.pwreit.com
Cautionary Statement About
Forward-Looking StatementsThis document includes
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S.
securities laws. Forward-looking statements are those that predict
or describe future events or trends and that do not relate solely
to historical matters. You can generally identify forward-looking
statements as statements containing the words "believe," "expect,"
"will," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "project," "plan,"
"assume", "seek" or other similar expressions, or negatives of
those expressions, although not all forward-looking statements
contain these identifying words. All statements contained in this
document regarding our future strategy, future operations, future
prospects, the future of our industries and results that might be
obtained by pursuing management's current or future plans and
objectives are forward-looking statements. You should not place
undue reliance on any forward-looking statements because the
matters they describe are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other unpredictable factors, many of which are
beyond our control. Our forward-looking statements are based on the
information currently available to us and speak only as of the date
of the filing of this document. Over time, our actual results,
performance, financial condition or achievements may differ from
the anticipated results, performance, financial condition or
achievements that are expressed or implied by our forward-looking
statements, and such differences may be significant and materially
adverse to our security holders.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This document contains supplemental financial
measures that are not calculated pursuant to U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), including the measure
identified by us as Core Funds From Operations Available to Common
Shares (“Core FFO”). Management believes that Core FFO is a useful
supplemental measure of the Trust’s operating performance.
Management believes that alternative measures of performance, such
as net income computed under GAAP, or Funds From Operations
computed in accordance with the definition used by the National
Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“NAREIT”), include
certain financial items that are not indicative of the results
provided by the Trust’s asset portfolio and inappropriately affect
the comparability of the Trust’s period-over-period performance.
These items include non-recurring expenses, such as those incurred
in connection with litigation, one-time upfront acquisition
expenses that are not capitalized under ASC-805 and certain
non-cash expenses, including non-cash, stock-based compensation
expense. Therefore, management uses Core FFO and defines it as net
income excluding such items. Management believes that, for the
foregoing reasons, these adjustments to net income are appropriate.
The Trust believes that Core FFO is a useful supplemental measure
for the investing community to employ, including when comparing the
Trust to other REITs that disclose similarly adjusted FFO figures,
and when analyzing changes in the Trust’s performance over time.
Readers are cautioned that other REITs may use different
adjustments to their GAAP financial measures than we do, and that
as a result the Trust’s Core FFO may not be comparable to the FFO
measures used by other REITs or to other non-GAAP or GAAP financial
measures used by REITs or other companies.
CONACT:
David H. Lesser, Chairman & CEO |
Mary Jensen, Investor Relations |
dlesser@pwreit.com |
mary@irrealized.com |
917-881-3142 |
310-526-1707 |
|
|
301 Winding RoadOld Bethpage, NY
11804 |
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www.pwreit.com |
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