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): April 25, 2003 (April 24, 2003)

National Health Investors, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

333-41863

62-1470956

(Commission File No.)

(IRS Employer

Identification Number)

100 Vine Street, Suite 1202

Murfreesboro, TN 37130

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(615) 890-9100

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

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





Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition





On April 24, 2003, National Health Investors, Inc. made its first quarter earnings announcement. A copy of the press release is furnished as an exhibit to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.









SIGNATURES



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



National Health Investors, Inc.
By: /s/ W. Andrew Adams
Name: W. Andrew Adams
Title: Chief Executive Officer
By:/s/ Donald K. Daniel
Name: Donald K. Daniel
Title: Principal Accounting Officer
Date: April 25, 2003




Exhibit Index



Number Exhibit
99 Press release, dated April 24, 2003.




EXHIBIT 99





For Release: April 24, 2003

Contact: Gerald Coggin VP and Dir. of Investor Relations

Phone: (615) 890-9100



NHI reports first quarter results



MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- National Health Investors, Inc., (NYSE: NHI and NHIPr) announced funds from operations, FFO, for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003 of $13,679,000, or 51 cents per diluted share of common stock compared to $10,904,000 or 41 cents per diluted share of common stock. FFO for the first quarter of 2003 excludes a $1,932,000 or seven cents per diluted share of common stock gain on the sale of real estate.

Net income applicable to common stock for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003 was $11,723,000 or 44 cents per diluted share of common stock compared to $7,240,000 or 27 cents per diluted share of common stock for the same period in 2002. The improvement in net income for the quarter was primarily due to increased rental income, reduced interest and loan loss expense, and a gain on sale of real estate of $1,932,000.

During the first quarter, NHI sold the Women's and Children's Medical Office Building in Lafayette, Louisiana for proceeds of $4,045,000, resulting in a $1,932,000 gain. A loan loss of $1,500,000 relates to a decline in value of a loan to an assisted living facility in Tavares, Florida.

"In addition to the highlights described above, on March 31, we redeemed $39,917,000 of our 7% convertible debentures due February 1, 2004," said President Andy Adams. "As a result, our debt to capitalization ratio at quarter end declined to 29.5%, the lowest level in our 12 year history."

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Page 2 NHI's first quarter results





NHI specializes in the financing of health care real estate by first mortgage and by purchase and leaseback transactions. The common and preferred stocks of the company trade on the New York Stock Exchange with the symbols NHI and NHIPr respectively. Additional information including NHI's most recent press releases may be obtained on our web site at www.nhinvestors.com.





Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. NHI cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. All forward-looking statements represent NHI's judgment as of the date of this release.

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Page 3 NHI's first quarter results



Condensed Statements of Income
(in thousands except share and per share amounts) Three Months Ended March 31
2003 2002
Revenues:
Mortgage interest income $ 5,543 $ 5,779
Rental income 13,357 11,990
Facility operating revenues 22,619 20,922
Investment interest and other 1,644 1,239
$ 43,163 $ 39,930
Expenses:
Interest $ 3,988 $ 4,613
Depreciation of real estate 3,888 3,987
Amortization of loan costs 183 94
Facility operating expenses 22,388 21,082
Loan loss expense 1,500 2,500
Legal expense (81) 136
Franchise and excise tax 396 64
General and administrative 713 140
$ 32,975 $ 32,616
Income From Continuing Operations $ 10,188 $ 7,314
Discontinued Operations
Operating Income - discontinued --- 323
Net gain on sale of real estate 1,932 ---
$ 1.932 $ 323
Net Income $ 12,120 $ 7,637
Dividends to preferred stockholders 397 397
Net income applicable to common stock $ 11,723 $ 7,240
Net income per common share:
Basic $ .44 $ .28
Diluted $ .44 $ .27
Funds from operations
Basic $ 13,679 $ 10,904
Diluted $ 13,717 $ 11,036
Funds from operations per common share
Basic $ .51 $ .42
Diluted $ .51 $ .41
Weighted average common shares
Basic 26,688,984 26,072,872
Diluted 26,944,523 26,902,501
Diluted Shares for FFO purposes 26,944,523 26,902,501
Dividends per common share $ .40 $ .35
Balance Sheet Data
(in thousands) March 31 December 31
2003 2002
Real estate properties, net $ 311,703 $ 304,394
Mortgages receivable, net 180,555 201,236
Preferred stock investment 38,132 38,132
REMIC investments 36,366 36,366
Cash and marketable securities 31,939 58,825
Debt 166,606 161,763
Convertible debt 1,571 41,633
Stockholders' equity 401,320 400,429

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Page 4 NHI's first quarter results





Reconciliation of Funds From Operations (1)



The following table reconciles net income applicable to common stockholders to funds from operations applicable to common stockholders:





Three Months Ended March 31
2003 2002
Net income applicable to common stockholders $ 11,723,000 $ 7,240,000
Adjustments:
Real estate depreciation 3,888,000 3,987,000
Other Items:
Discontinued operations:
Operating Income - discontinued --- (323,000)
Gain on sale of real estate (1,932,000) ---
Basic funds from operations applicable to common stockholders $ 13,679,000 $ 10,904,000
Interest on convertible subordinated debentures 38,000 132,000
Diluted funds from operations applicable to common stockholders $ 13,717,000 $ 11,036,000
Basic funds from operations per share $ .51 $ .42
Diluted funds from operations per share $ .51 $ .41
Shares for basic funds from operations per share 26,688,984 26,072,872
Shares for diluted funds from operations per share 26,944,523 26,902,501


(1)We believe that funds from operations is an important supplemental measure of operating performance. We, therefore, disclose funds from operations, although it is a measurement that is not defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. We generally use the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) measure of funds from operations. We define funds from operations as income before extraordinary items adjusted for certain non-cash items, primarily real estate depreciation, less gains/losses on sales of facilities. Our measure may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other REITs. Consequently, our funds from operations may not provide a meaningful measure of our performance as compared to that of other REITs. Funds from operations does not represent cash generated from operating activities as defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (funds from operations does not include changes in operating assets and liabilities) and, therefore, should not be considered as an alternative to net income as the primary indicator of operating performance or to cash flow as a measure of liquidity.

















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Page 5 NHI's first quarter results



National Health Investors, Inc. Portfolio Summary March 31, 2003
Portfolio Summary Investment
Properties   Investment   Percentage
Mortgage Loan Receivables 88 211,609,000 40%
Equity Ownership 96   311,703,000   60%
Total Real Estate Portfolio 184 523,312,000 100%
Equity Ownership Properties Beds Investments
         
Nursing Homes 70 9,396 $ 200,138,000
Assisted Living 16 1,350 79,764,000
Retirement Homes 5 471 11,823,000
Medical Office Buildings 4 124,427 sq.ft. 11,717,000
Hospitals 1   55   8,261,000
96 $ 311,703,000
Mortgage Loan Receivables Properties Beds Investments
         
Nursing Homes 53 5,872 $ 157,262,000
Retirement Homes 2 150 7,110,000
Assisted Living 2 156 6,263,000
Developmentally Disabled 17 108 4,608,000
74      $ 175,243,000
Remic 14 1,971 30,020,000
Remic II Investment   2,313 6,346,000
Total Mortgage Portfolio 88 $ 211,609,000
Summary of Facilities by Type:
  Percentage of   Total
Properties Total Dollars Dollars
Nursing Homes 137 75.24% $ 393,766,000
Assisted Living 18 16.44% 86,027,000
Retirement Homes 7 3.62% 18,933,000
Medical Office Buildings 4 2.24% 11,717,000
Hospitals 1 1.58% 8,261,000
Developmentally Disabled 17   0.88%   4,608,000
184   100.00% 523,312,000






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Page 6 NHI's first quarter results

Portfolio by Operator Type:
# of Percent of Total

Properties

 

Total Dollars

 

Dollars

Public 104 52.43% $ 274,365,000
Regional 66 38.92% 203,665,000
Small 14   8.65%   45,282,000
184   100.00%  $ 523,312,000
Public Operators: Percentage Dollar
of Amount
Portfolio
National HealthCare Corp. 12.17% $ 63,672,000
Marriott Senior Living Services 8.64% 45,235,000
Integrated Health Services 8.00% 41,845,000
National Health Investors, Inc. 5.84% 30,562,000
ElderTrust of Florida 5.57% 29,158,000
Mariner Post Acute Network 3.22% 16,860,000
Community Health Systems, Inc. 2.89% 15,146,000
Sun Healthcare 1.85% 9,683,000
Midwest Nursing Home Investors, L.L.C. 1.25% 6,567,000
HCA-The Healthcare Company 0.92% 4,832,000
American Retirement Corporation 0.90% 4,700,000
Res-Care, Inc. 0.88% 4,608,000
Centennial HealthCare Corp. 0.29% 1,497,000
52.43% $ 274,365,000





















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Page 7 NHI's first quarter results



Summary of Facilities by State March 31, 2003
Percent of
Acute Dev. Asst. Retire- Current Total
LTC Care MOB Disab. Living ment Total Amount Portfolio
1 Florida 25 1 14 7 47 146,245,000 27.95%
2 Texas 28 2 1 2 33 107,985,000 20.63%
3 Tennessee 21 3 3 2 29 43,179,000 8.25%
4 Missouri 9 1 10 28,133,000 5.38%
5 New Jersey 2 1 3 27,428,000 5.24%
6 Arizona 1 4 5 19,957,000 3.81%
7 Virginia 7 7 19,925,000 3.81%
8 New Hampshire 3 1 4 18,679,000 3.57%
9 Georgia 7 7 18,121,000 3.46%
10 Kansas 7 7 13,297,000 2.54%
11 Massachusetts 4 4 13,254,000 2.53%
12 Washington 5 5 10,422,000 1.99%
13 Kentucky 4 1 5 10,346,000 1.98%
14 South Carolina 3 1 4 9,025,000 1.72%
15 Colorado 3 3 8,125,000 1.55%
16 Idaho 1 1 2 5,846,000 1.12%
17 Illinois 1 1 2 4,522,000 0.86%
18 Michigan 2 2 3,307,000 0.63%
19 Alabama 2 2 2,669,000 0.51%
20 Pennsylvania 1 1 2,249,000 0.43%
21 Wisconsin 1 1 2,189,000 0.42%
22 North Carolina 0       1   1 2,063,000 0.39%
137 1 4 17 18 7 184 516,966,000 98.79%
REMIC II 6,346,000 1.21%
523,312,000 100.00%














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