Release Details

SAN FRANCISCO, July 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of data center and colocation solutions, announced today financial results for the second quarter of 2015.  All per share results are presented on a fully-diluted share and unit basis. 

Highlights

• Reported FFO per share of $1.26 in 2Q15, compared to $1.20 in 2Q14;
• Reported core FFO per share of $1.30 in 2Q15, compared to $1.21 in 2Q14;
• Signed leases during 2Q15 expected to generate $37 million in annualized GAAP rental revenue;
• Entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Telx, a national provider of data center colocation, interconnection and cloud enablement solutions, for $1.886 billion;
• Executed a common stock offering of 10,500,000 shares at a price of $68 per share subject to forward sale agreements;
• Revised 2015 core FFO per share outlook to $5.05 - $5.15 from the prior range of $5.03 - $5.13; and
• Revised 2015 "constant-currency" core FFO per share outlook to $5.20 - $5.30 from the prior range of $5.18 - $5.28. 

Financial Results

Revenues were $420 million for the second quarter of 2015, a 3% increase from the previous quarter and a 5% increase over the same quarter last year. 

Adjusted EBITDA was $243 million for the second quarter of 2015, a 2% increase from the previous quarter and a 4% increase over the same quarter last year. 

Funds from operations ("FFO") on a diluted basis was $176 million in the second quarter of 2015, or $1.26 per share, compared to $1.56 per share in the first quarter of 2015 and $1.20 per share in the second quarter of 2014.

Excluding certain items that do not represent core expenses or revenue streams, core FFO was $1.30 per share for the second quarter of 2015 compared to $1.27 per share in the first quarter of 2015, and $1.21 per share in the second quarter of 2014. 

Net income for the second quarter of 2015 was $138 million, and net income available to common stockholders was $117 million, or $0.86 per diluted share, compared to $0.75 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2015 and $0.31 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2014. 

Leasing Activity

"Consistent execution on our strategic plan against a backdrop of steadily improving data center fundamentals set the stage for another quarter of solid results, highlighted by new leases representing $37 million in annualized GAAP rental revenue," commented Chief Executive Officer A. William Stein.

"In mid-July we announced an agreement to acquire Telx, a leading provider of colocation and interconnection data center solutions, and we look forward to leveraging our combined strengths to offer the most comprehensive set of data center solutions on an open, connected, and global platform.  We expect the combination of our two complementary platforms to create a powerful connection for our customers and a promising growth opportunity for our shareholders."

The weighted-average lag between leases signed during the second quarter of 2015 and the contractual commencement date was 2.5 months. 

In addition to new leases signed, Digital Realty also signed renewal leases representing $23 million of annualized GAAP rental revenue during the quarter.  Rental rates on renewal leases signed during the second quarter of 2015 rolled up 1% on a cash basis and up 5% on a GAAP basis. 

New leases signed during the second quarter of 2015 by region and product type are summarized as follows:

Investment Activity

During the second quarter of 2015, Digital Realty closed the previously announced sale of 833 Chestnut Street, a 705,000 square foot mixed-use building in downtown Philadelphia, for $161 million, or $228 per square foot.  The property was expected to generate cash net operating income of approximately $9.3 million in 2015, representing a cap rate of 5.8%.  The sale is expected to generate net proceeds of $150 million, and Digital Realty recognized a gain on the sale of approximately $77 million in the second quarter of 2015. 

In April 2015, the company acquired a 4.1-acre site adjacent to its existing Digital Deer Park campus in Melbourne, Australia, for a purchase price of $2 million.  This site is capable of supporting an 86,000 square foot Turn-Key Flex data center building.  The timing and commencement of any future development will be subject to market conditions.

In June 2015, the company acquired a 144,000 square foot warehouse for redevelopment in Singapore for a purchase price of $45 million.  Upon completion, the project is expected to support 10 to 15 megawatts of IT load.  Digital Realty expects to deliver the first three Turn-Key Flex data center suites by early 2016.

Subsequent to the end of the quarter, Digital Realty announced a definitive agreement to acquire Telx from private equity firms ABRY Partners and Berkshire Partners in a transaction valued at $1.886 billion.  The combination is expected to double Digital Realty's footprint in the rapidly growing colocation business and provide the company's customers access to a leading interconnection platform.  Digital Realty expects to fund the acquisition with proceeds from the recent forward equity offering and a mix, subject to market conditions and other factors, of preferred equity and debt.  The acquisition is expected to close later this year and is subject to customary closing conditions.

Balance Sheet

Digital Realty had approximately $5.0 billion of total debt outstanding as of June 30, 2015, comprised of $4.6 billion of unsecured debt and approximately $0.4 billion of secured debt.  At the end of the second quarter of 2015, net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA was 5.0x, debt-plus-preferred-to-total-enterprise-value was 39.6% and fixed charge coverage was 3.5x. 

Subsequent to quarter-end, Digital Realty executed an offering of 10,500,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $68.00 per share subject to forward sale agreements.  The company expects to receive net proceeds of approximately $686 million (net of fees and estimated expenses) upon full physical settlement of the forward sale agreements, which is anticipated to be no later than March 17, 2016.  Digital Realty intends to use the net proceeds received upon settlement to fund a portion of the Telx acquisition.

2015 Outlook

Digital Realty revised its 2015 core FFO per share outlook to $5.05 - $5.15 from the prior range of $5.03 - $5.13.  The assumptions underlying the revised outlook, which reflects standalone results for Digital Realty only and does not include any financial impact from the pending acquisition of Telx, are summarized in the following table. 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures, including FFO, core FFO, "constant-currency" core FFO, and Adjusted EBITDA. A reconciliation from U.S. GAAP net income available to common stockholders to FFO, a definition of FFO, a reconciliation from FFO to core FFO, and a definition of core FFO are included as an attachment to this press release.  A reconciliation from U.S. GAAP net income available to common stockholders to Adjusted EBITDA, a definition of Adjusted EBITDA, a definition of debt-plus-preferred-to-total-enterprise-value, and a definition of fixed charge coverage ratio are included as an attachment to this press release.

Investor Conference Call

Prior to Digital Realty's conference call today at 5:30 p.m. EDT / 2:30 p.m. PDT, Digital Realty will post a presentation to the Investors section of the company's website at http://investor.digitalrealty.com.  The presentation is designed to accompany the discussion of the company's second quarter 2015 financial results and operating performance.  The conference call will feature: Chief Executive Officer A. William Stein; Chief Financial Officer Andrew Power; Chief Investment Officer Scott Peterson; and Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing Matt Miszewski.

To participate in the live call, investors are invited to dial +1 (888) 317-6003 (for domestic callers) or +1 (412) 317-6061 (for international callers) and reference the conference ID# 0560178 at least five minutes prior to start time.  A live webcast of the call will be available via the Investors section of Digital Realty's website at http://investor.digitalrealty.com.

Telephone and webcast replays will be available one hour after the call until August 28, 2015.  The telephone replay can be accessed by dialing +1 (877) 344-7529 (for domestic callers) or +1 (412) 317-0088 (for international callers) and providing the conference ID# 10068588.  The webcast replay can be accessed on Digital Realty's website.

About Digital Realty

Digital Realty Trust, Inc. supports the data center and colocation strategies of more than 600 firms across its secure, network-rich portfolio of data centers located throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.  Digital Realty's clients include domestic and international companies of all sizes, ranging from financial services, cloud and information technology services, to manufacturing, energy, gaming, life sciences and consumer products.

Additional information about Digital Realty is included in the Company Overview, available on the Investors page of Digital Realty's website at www.digitalrealty.com.  The Company Overview is updated periodically, and may disclose material information and updates.  To receive e-mail alerts when the Company Overview is updated, please visit the Investors page of Digital Realty's website.

Contact Information

John J. Stewart
Senior Vice President
Investor Relations
Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
+1 (415) 738-6500

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including statements related to the acquisition of Telx Holdings, Inc.; supply and demand for data center and colocation space; pricing and net effective leasing economics; market dynamics and data center fundamentals; our strategic priorities, including improving ROIC and our disposition program; rent from leases that have been signed but have not yet commenced and other contracted rent to be received in future periods; rental rates on future leases; lag between signing and commencement; cap rates and yields; and the company's FFO, core FFO, "constant currency" core FFO and net income outlook and underlying assumptions. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the impact of current global economic, credit and market conditions; decreases in information technology spending; adverse economic or real estate developments in our industry or the industry sectors that we sell to; risks related to our tenants; our failure to obtain necessary debt and equity financing; risks associated with using debt to fund our business activities; financial market fluctuations; our inability to manage our growth effectively; difficulty acquiring or operating properties in foreign jurisdictions; our failure to successfully integrate and operate acquired or developed properties or businesses; the suitability of our properties and data center infrastructure, delays or disruptions in connectivity, failure of our physical infrastructure or services or availability of power; risks related to joint venture investments; delays or unexpected costs in development of properties; decreased rental rates, increased operating costs or increased vacancy rates; increased competition or available supply of data center space; our inability to successfully develop and lease new properties and development space; difficulties in identifying properties to acquire and completing acquisitions; our inability to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to reporting companies; our failure to maintain our status as a REIT; restrictions on our ability to engage in certain business activities; environmental uncertainties and risks related to natural disasters; losses in excess of our insurance coverage; and changes in laws and regulations, including those related to taxation and real estate ownership and operation. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2015.  The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Definitions

Funds from Operations (FFO):

We calculate funds from operations, or FFO, in accordance with the standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or NAREIT.  FFO represents net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains (or losses) from sales of property, impairment charges, real estate related depreciation and amortization (excluding amortization of deferred financing costs) and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures.  Management uses FFO as a supplemental performance measure because, in excluding real estate related depreciation and amortization and gains and losses from property dispositions and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures, it provides a performance measure that, when compared year over year, captures trends in occupancy rates, rental rates and operating costs.  We also believe that, as a widely recognized measure of the performance of REITs, FFO will be used by investors as a basis to compare our operating performance with that of other REITs.  However, because FFO excludes depreciation and amortization and captures neither the changes in the value of our properties that result from use or market conditions, nor the level of capital expenditures and capitalized leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of our properties, all of which have real economic effect and could materially impact our financial condition and results from operations, the utility of FFO as a measure of our performance is limited.  Other REITs may not calculate FFO in accordance with the NAREIT definition and, accordingly, our FFO may not be comparable to such other REITs' FFO.  Accordingly, FFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance.

Core Funds from Operations:

We present core funds from operations, or core FFO, as a supplemental operating measure because, in excluding certain items that do not reflect core revenue or expense streams, it provides a performance measure that, when compared year over year, captures trends in our core business operating performance. We calculate core FFO by adding to or subtracting from FFO (i) termination fees and other non-core revenues, (ii) gain on sale of investment, (iii) significant transaction expenses, (iv) loss from early extinguishment of debt, (v) change in fair value of contingent consideration, (vi) equity in earnings adjustment for non-core items, (vii) severance accrual, equity acceleration, and legal expenses and (viii) other non-core expense adjustments. Because certain of these adjustments have a real economic impact on our financial condition and results from operations, the utility of core FFO as a measure of our performance is limited. Other REITs may not calculate core FFO in a consistent manner. Accordingly, our core FFO may not be comparable to other REITs' core FFO. Core FFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance.

Constant Currency Core Funds from Operations:

We calculate constant-currency core funds from operations by adjusting the core funds from operations for foreign currency translations.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

We believe that earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and impairment of investments in real estate, or EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below), are useful supplemental performance measures because they allow investors to view our performance without the impact of non-cash depreciation and amortization or the cost of debt and, with respect to Adjusted EBITDA, change in fair value of contingent consideration, severance related accrual, equity acceleration, and legal expenses, gain on sale of property, gain on contribution of properties to unconsolidated joint ventures, gain on sale of equity investment, noncontrolling interests, and preferred stock dividends. Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA excluding change in fair value of contingent consideration, severance related accrual, equity acceleration, and legal expenses, gain on sale of property, gain on contribution of properties to unconsolidated joint ventures, gain on sale of investment, noncontrolling interests, and preferred stock dividends. In addition, we believe EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of REITs. Because EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are calculated before recurring cash charges including interest expense and income taxes, exclude capitalized costs, such as leasing commissions, and are not adjusted for capital expenditures or other recurring cash requirements of our business, their utility as a measure of our performance is limited.  Other REITs may calculate EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do; accordingly, our EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to such other REITs' EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.  Accordingly, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should be considered only as supplements to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our financial performance.

Net Operating Income (NOI) and Cash NOI:

Net operating income, or NOI, represents rental revenue and tenant reimbursement revenue less rental property operating and maintenance expenses, property taxes and insurance expenses (as reflected in the statement of operations). NOI is commonly used by stockholders, company management and industry analysts as a measurement of operating performance of the company's rental portfolio. Cash NOI is NOI less straight-line rents and above and below market rent amortization. Cash NOI is commonly used by stockholders, company management and industry analysts as a measure of property operating performance on a cash basis. However, because NOI and cash NOI exclude depreciation and amortization and capture neither the changes in the value of our properties that result from use or market conditions, nor the level of capital expenditures and capitalized leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of our properties, all of which have real economic effect and could materially impact our results from operations, the utility of NOI and cash NOI as measures of our performance is limited. Other REITs may not calculate NOI and cash NOI in the same manner we do and, accordingly, our NOI and cash NOI may not be comparable to such other REITs' NOI and cash NOI. Accordingly, NOI and cash NOI should be considered only as supplements to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as measures of our performance.

Additional Definitions

Net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA ratio is calculated using total debt at balance sheet carrying value less unrestricted cash and cash equivalents divided by the product of Adjusted EBITDA multiplied by four.

Debt-plus-preferred-to-total-enterprise-value is mortgage debt and other loans plus preferred stock divided by mortgage debt and other loans plus the liquidation value of preferred stock and the market value of outstanding Digital Realty Trust, Inc. common stock and Digital Realty Trust, L.P. units, assuming the redemption of Digital Realty Trust, L.P. units for shares of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. common stock.

Fixed charge coverage ratio is Adjusted EBITDA divided by the sum of GAAP interest expense, capitalized interest, scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends. For the quarter ended June 30, 2015, GAAP interest expense was $46 million, capitalized interest was $3 million and scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends was $21 million.

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SOURCE Digital Realty Trust, Inc.