Edgar Filing: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

EMPIRE STATE REALTY TRUST, INC.

(Registrant)

Date: February 25, 2015

/s/ David A. Karp

Name: David A. Karp

Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial

Officer and Treasurer

Form 8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 25, 2015

EMPIRE STATE REALTY TRUST, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Maryland

001-36105

37-1645259

(State or other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

EMPIRE STATE REALTY OP, L.P.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Delaware

001-36106

45-4685158

(State or other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

One Grand Central Place

60 East 42^nd Street

New York, New York

10165

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 687-8700

n/a

(Former name or former address, if changed from last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 2.02.

Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On February 25, 2015, Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2014. The press release referred to certain supplemental information that is available on the Company’s website. The press release and the supplemental information are attached hereto as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, and are incorporated by reference herein.

The information in Item 2.02 of this Current Report, including Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. Such information shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the Exchange Act, unless it is specifically incorporated by reference therein.

Item 7.01.

Regulation FD Disclosure

As discussed in Item 2.02 above, the Company issued a press release regarding its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2014 and made available on its website certain supplemental information relating thereto.

The information in Item 7.01 of this Current Report is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. Such information shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, unless it is specifically incorporated by reference therein.

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.


Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press Release announcing financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2014

99.2		Supplemental package

Non-GAAP Supplemental Financial Measures

Funds From Operations (“FFO”)

The Company computes FFO in accordance with the “White Paper” on FFO published by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or NAREIT, which defines FFO as net income (loss) (determined in accordance with GAAP), excluding impairment writedowns of investments in depreciable real estate and investments in in-substance real estate investments, gains or losses from debt restructurings and sales of depreciable operating

properties, plus real estate-related depreciation and amortization (excluding amortization of deferred financing costs), less distributions to non-controlling interests and gains/losses from discontinued operations and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. FFO is a widely recognized non-GAAP financial measure for REITs that the Company believes, when considered with financial statements determined in accordance with GAAP, is useful to investors in understanding financial performance and providing a relevant basis for comparison among REITS. In addition, FFO is useful to investors as it captures features particular to real estate performance by recognizing that real estate has generally appreciated over time or maintains residual value to a much greater extent than do other depreciable assets. Investors should review FFO, along with GAAP net income, when trying to understand an equity REIT’s operating performance. The Company presents FFO because it considers it an important supplemental measure of its operating performance and believes that it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of REITs. However, because FFO excludes depreciation and amortization and captures neither the changes in the value of the Company’s properties that result from use or market conditions nor the level of capital expenditures and leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of its properties, all of which have real economic effect and could materially impact the Company’s results of operations, the utility of FFO as a measure of its performance is limited. There can be no assurance that FFO presented by the Company is comparable to similarly titled measures of other REITs. FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP or to cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP. FFO is not indicative of cash available to fund ongoing cash needs, including the ability to make cash distributions. Although FFO is a measure used for comparability in assessing the performance of REITs, as the NAREIT White Paper only provides guidelines for computing FFO, the computation of FFO may vary from one company to another.

Modified Funds From Operations (“Modified FFO”)

Modified FFO adds back an adjustment for any above or below-market ground lease amortization to traditionally defined FFO. The Company considers this a useful supplemental measure in evaluating the operating performance of the Company due to the non-cash accounting treatment under GAAP, which stems from the third quarter 2014 acquisition of the two option properties as they carry significantly below market ground leases, the amortization of which is material to the Company’s overall results. The Company presents Modified FFO because it considers it an important supplemental measure of its operating performance in that it adds back the non-cash amortization of below-market ground leases. There can be no assurance that Modified FFO presented by the Company is comparable to similarly titled measures of other REITs. Modified FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP or to cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP. Modified FFO is not indicative of cash available to fund ongoing cash needs, including the ability to make cash distributions.

Core Funds From Operations (“Core FFO”)

Core FFO adds back to Modified FFO the following items associated with the Company’s initial public offering, or IPO, and formation transactions: gain on consolidation of non-controlling entities, acquisition expenses, severance expenses and retirement equity compensation expenses. It also adds back private perpetual preferred exchange offering expenses, prepayment penalty expense, deferred financing costs write-off, acquisition expenses, and gain on settlement of lawsuit related to the Observatory, net of income taxes. The Company presents Core FFO because it considers it an important supplemental measure of its operating performance in that it excludes items associated with its IPO and formation transactions and other non-recurring items. There can be no assurance that Core FFO presented by the Company is comparable to similarly titled measures of other REITs. Core FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP or to cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP. Core FFO is not indicative of cash available to fund ongoing cash needs, including the ability to make cash distributions.

Core Funds Available for Distribution (“Core FAD”)

In addition to Core FFO, the Company presents Core FAD by (i) adding to Core FFO non-real estate depreciation and amortization, the amortization of deferred financing costs, amortization of debt discounts and non-cash compensation expense and (ii) deducting straight line rent, recurring second generation leasing commissions, tenant improvements, prebuilts, capital expenditures, furniture, fixtures & equipment purchases, amortization of debt premiums and above/below market rent revenue. Core FAD is presented solely as a supplemental disclosure that management believes provides useful information regarding the Company’s ability to fund its dividends. Core FAD does not represent cash generated from operating activities and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP or to cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP. Core FAD is not indicative of cash available to fund ongoing cash needs, including the ability to make cash distributions. There can be no assurance that Core FAD presented by the Company is comparable to similarly titled measures of other REITs.

Net Operating Income (“NOI”)

Net Operating Income, or NOI is a non-GAAP financial measure of performance. NOI is used by investors and the Company’s management to evaluate and compare the performance of the Company’s properties and to determine trends in earnings and to compute the fair value of its properties as it is not affected by: (i) the cost of funds of the property owner, (ii) the impact of depreciation and amortization expenses as well as gains or losses from the sale of operating real estate assets that are included in net income computed in accordance with GAAP, (iii) acquisition expenses and formation transaction expenses; or (iv) general and administrative expenses and other gains and losses that are specific to the property owner. The cost of funds is eliminated from net operating income because it is specific to the particular financing capabilities and constraints of the owner.

The cost of funds is also eliminated because it is dependent on historical interest rates and other costs of capital as well as past decisions made by the Company regarding the appropriate mix of capital which may have changed or may change in the future. Depreciation and amortization expenses as well as gains or losses from the sale of operating real estate assets are eliminated because they may not accurately represent the actual change in value in the Company’s office or retail properties that result from use of the properties or changes in market conditions. While certain aspects of real property do decline in value over time in a manner that is reasonably captured by depreciation and amortization, the value of the properties as a whole have historically increased or decreased as a result of changes in overall economic conditions instead of from actual use of the property or the passage of time. Gains and losses from the sale of real property vary from property to property and are affected by market conditions at the time of sale which will usually change from period to period. These gains and losses can create distortions when comparing one period to another or when comparing the Company’s operating results to the operating results of other real estate companies that have not made similarly timed, purchases or sales. The Company also excludes private perpetual exchange offering expenses and gain on settlement of lawsuit related to the Observatory, net of income taxes. The Company believes that eliminating these costs from net income is useful because the resulting measure captures the actual revenue, generated and actual expenses incurred in operating its properties as well as trends in occupancy rates, rental rates and operating costs. However, the usefulness of NOI is limited because it excludes general and administrative costs, interest expense, interest income and other expense, depreciation and amortization expense and gains or losses from the sale of properties, and other gains and losses as stipulated by GAAP, the level of capital expenditures and leasing costs necessary to maintain the operating performance of the Company’s properties, all of which are significant economic costs. NOI may fail to capture significant trends in these components of net income which further limits its usefulness. NOI is a measure of the operating performance of the Company’s properties but does not measure its performance as a whole. NOI is therefore not a substitute for net income as computed in accordance with GAAP. This measure should be analyzed in conjunction with net income computed in accordance with GAAP and discussions elsewhere in this Supplemental Package regarding the components of net income that are eliminated in the calculation of NOI. Other companies may use different methods for calculating NOI than the Company does.

EBITDA

The Company computes EBITDA as net income plus perpetual preferred unit distributions, interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, acquisition expenses, and gain on consolidation of non-controlled entities. The Company presents EBITDA because it believes that EBITDA, along with cash flow from operating activities, investing activities and financing activities, provides investors with an additional indicator of its ability to incur and service debt. EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income (determined in accordance with GAAP), as an indication of the Company’s financial performance, as an alternative to net cash flows from operating activities (determined in accordance with GAAP), or as a measure of its liquidity.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.